Lao Deputy PM's visit enhances defence cooperation with Vietnam

At the talks following the ceremony, General Phan Van Giang stressed that following the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and the 12th National Congress of LPRP, high-level visits and meetings between party and state leaders have set clear orientations for bilateral relations.

These efforts have reaffirmed the special Vietnam-Laos relationship, stepped up defence and security cooperation, boosted trade, investment, and infrastructure connectivity, and intensified education, training, and defense exchanges.

General Phan Van Giang noted that these developments show deep political trust and top priority, demonstrating the determination of both leaderships to make bilateral cooperation more cohesive, practical, and effective, thereby substantiating the "strategic cohension" between the two nations. Both sides reaffirmed that the defence ministries and military forces of the two countries continue to serve as pioneering forces in realizing the vision for Vietnam-Laos relations in the new period.

Evaluating recent defence ties, General Phan Van Giang highlighted tremendous and practical achievements, confirming defence cooperation as a key pillar of bilateral relations. Key tasks under the 2026 cooperation plan have been effectively carried out, particularly in political education, joint border management and protection, and personnel training.

Important defense diplomacy events, such as the 6th Vietnam-Laos Defense Policy Dialogue, the 3rd Vietnam-Laos Border Defense Friendship Exchange, and young officer exchanges, placed people at the center, spreading strong solidarity across both societies.

Welcoming these positive results, General Khamliang Outhakaysone stated that his official visit, along with his participation in the Annual Meeting among the three Defence Ministers and the 2026 Joint Civil Defence Exercise among the militaries of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, provides an opportunity to deepen the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic cohesion between the two countries and their defence ministries.

The two ministers agreed to direct relevant agencies and units to actively implement agreed cooperation areas. Future priorities include maintaining all-level delegation exchanges, especially at high levels; effectively operating consultation and dialogue mechanisms; strengthening Party and political work to build politically and ideologically strong armed forces loyal to the Party, State, and people; enhancing border management; searching for, gathering, and repatriating the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Laos during wartime;  beefing up defence industry cooperation; and supporting each other at multilateral forums and within the Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia trilateral military cooperation framework.

Both sides also reaffirmed human resource training as a top priority among core tasks and a long-term strategic mission to consolidate the foundation of the special ties between the two countries and their militaries.

At the conclusion of the talks, General Phan Van Giang and his Lao counterpart signed the Vietnam-Laos Defence Cooperation Plan for 2027.

Khamliang Outhakaysone is leading a high-level delegation on an official visit to Vietnam from October 12 to 15 under the 2026 cooperation plan between the two defence ministries.

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