Vietnam, Laos advance judicial ties, promote regional legal cooperation

Receiving Phayvy Syboualypha, president of the Supreme People's Court of Laos, in Hanoi on July 28, the top leader reaffirmed that Vietnam consistently attaches the highest priority to its great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation with Laos.

Amidst growing regional and global uncertainties, he said the two countries should continue strengthening political trust, maintaining close coordination and supporting each other in order to preserve peace and stability for development.

Highlighting judicial cooperation as an important pillar of the rule of law, the leader praised the close collaboration between the Supreme People's Courts of Vietnam and Laos in recent years.

He noted that judicial cooperation not only helps safeguard justice and protect the legitimate rights and interests of citizens but also provides a stable legal foundation for socio-economic development and international integration.

The General Secretary and President proposed expanding cooperation in digital transformation, developing e-courts and applying information technology in court administration and judicial proceedings.

He also called for stronger cooperation in training judges and judicial personnel, as well as closer coordination between courts in border provinces to combat transnational crime, cybercrime, drug trafficking and human trafficking, thereby contributing to peace, stability and development along the Vietnam–Laos border.

In addition, the top leader encouraged both sides to increase exchanges of delegations, promote joint legal research, share experiences in judicial reform and strengthen coordination at regional forums, including the Council of ASEAN Chief Justices (CACJ).

Looking beyond bilateral cooperation, the Vietnamese leader proposed expanding judicial collaboration across the Mekong sub-region. He suggested that the supreme courts of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia continue playing a leading role in promoting trilateral judicial cooperation through exchanges on judicial reform, rule-of-law development, digital transformation and judicial training.

Building on that foundation, he suggested that cooperation could gradually be extended to judicial institutions in Thailand, Myanmar and other Mekong countries, ultimately laying the groundwork for broader legal cooperation within ASEAN and contributing to regional peace, stability and sustainable development.

For his part, Syboualypha expressed appreciation for Vietnam's longstanding support for Laos throughout its national liberation struggle as well as its ongoing national development.

He briefed his host on the outcome of his talks with leaders of the Supreme People's Court of Vietnam, during which both sides agreed to further strengthen cooperation in judicial training, digital transformation, e-court development, legal reform and the exchange of judicial experience.

The Lao chief justice affirmed that the Supreme People's Court of Laos would work closely with its Vietnamese counterpart to effectively implement the common understandings reached by the two countries' senior leaders.

He also pledged to continue promoting education on the special Vietnam–Laos friendship among judicial officials in both countries, helping preserve and further strengthen the longstanding relationship between the two neighbouring countries.

Vietnam–Laos special relationship to deepen over time

Pathet Lao, the newspaper of the Lao News Agency, has published an editorial tracing the development of the of great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion between the two Parties, States and peoples of Laos and Vietnam, on the occasion of the 49th anniversary of the signing of the bilateral Treaty of Amity and Cooperation.