Vietnam, Laos look to turn special ties into deeper practical cooperation

Efforts to translate the long-standing political trust between the two countries into more effective and increasingly diverse areas of cooperation were highlighted during talks in Vientiane on October 8 between Lao Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith and visiting Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung.

Political trust underpins closer ties

Lao Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith welcomed Prime Minister Le Minh Hung on his first official visit to Laos as head of the Vietnamese Government, describing the visit as a reflection of the high political trust and longstanding ties between the two Parties, States and peoples. He expressed his belief that the visit would help bring the Vietnam-Laos relationship of great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion into greater depth, practicality and effectiveness.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung thanked the Lao Party, Government and people for their longstanding support for Vietnam and congratulated Laos on its recent achievements, including efforts to maintain political and macroeconomic stability, sustain growth and strengthen international integration. He affirmed that Vietnam is ready to accompany and support Laos within its capacity, particularly by sharing experience in macroeconomic management, public finance and budgeting, institutional reform, infrastructure development and human resource training.

The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed that the Vietnam-Laos special relationship remains a top priority in each country's foreign policy, with trusted political ties serving as the foundation for the broader relationship. They agreed to maintain regular high-level contacts and effectively implement high-level agreements and cooperation plans between the two Governments, ministries, sectors and localities.

From political trust to stronger economic connectivity

Economic cooperation was identified as an area where the two sides will seek to create new momentum.

The two Prime Ministers noted that investment is a bright spot in bilateral ties, with Vietnamese businesses currently operating around 300 projects in Laos with total registered capital of about US$7 billion.

Rather than focusing only on expanding investment and trade, the two sides agreed to strengthen the complementarity and connectivity between their economies, encouraging investment in higher-value areas and promoting transport and infrastructure links, logistics and border-gate connectivity.

They also frankly discussed existing difficulties and bottlenecks in economic cooperation. They pledged to accelerate major projects, work together to address institutional and procedural issues, and improve the effectiveness of investment by businesses from both countries.

Expanding cooperation into new areas

The cooperation agenda also includes a number of areas beyond the traditional pillars of bilateral ties.

The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in science and technology, transport, energy and mining. In defence and security cooperation, they vowed to strengthen coordination in combating transnational crime, drugs, human trafficking, smuggling and high-tech crime, as well as managing and protecting the border, while stepping up cooperation in new areas such as defence industry and cybersecurity.

Education, training and human resource development also feature prominently in the bilateral agenda. Prime Minister Le Minh Hung affirmed that Vietnam would continue supporting Laos in training officials, experts and high-quality human resources.

The two sides highlighted the Vietnam-Laos Friendship University project as a symbolic undertaking that will help connect knowledge and foster friendship between the two countries among future generations.

Vietnam also announced that it would build two schools for people in Laos' Houaphanh and Champasak provinces, with a total value of US$2 million, to support education and human resource development.

The practical nature of the cooperation was also reflected in projects witnessed by the two Prime Ministers after the talks, including the handover of the data centre and citizen identification project and the launch of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship University project.

Closer coordination on regional and international issues

The two Prime Ministers also held an extensive exchange on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

They stressed the need to strengthen information sharing and consultations on strategic issues related to the security, stability and development of each country, while continuing close coordination and mutual support at ASEAN, the United Nations, Mekong subregional mechanisms and other multilateral mechanisms of which the two countries are members.

The two sides also agreed to prepare activities for the 2027 Vietnam-Laos Year of Solidarity and Friendship and Strategic Cohesion, marking the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Laos and the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between the two countries.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung invited Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith to attend the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy Summit (ACMECS) and the Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam Summit (CLMV) in Vietnam in November this year.

After the talks, the two Prime Ministers witnessed the signing and exchange of 11 cooperation documents covering security, justice, finance, energy, education and training, ethnic affairs, religious affairs, and cooperation between localities of the two countries.

PM Le Minh Hung warmly welcomed in Vientiane on Laos visit

VOV.VN - Lao Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith hosted an official welcoming ceremony for Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung in Vientiane on October 8, marking the beginning of the Vietnamese leader’s official visit to Laos.