PM’s Lao visit brings fresh air to Vietnam - Lao relations
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s just-concluded visit to Laos brings fresh air into the Vietnam-Laos relations, contributing to deepening their special friendship and comprehensive cooperation, Chairman of the Laos - Vietnam Friendship Association Boviengkham Vongdara in Vientiane has said.
Speaking to the Vietnam News Agency, he emphasised that it is the first time Chinh visited Laos since he took office, and also the first time that Lao PM Sonexay Siphandone received a foreign leader after he was elected to the position on December 30, 2022.
Those factors bring fresh air into the two countries, he said.
During his 30-hour visit to Lao, Chinh co-chaired a ceremony to conclude the Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022.
The two PMs also co-chaired the 45th meeting of the Lao-Vietnam Inter-Governmental Committee and witnessed the signing ceremony of 10 cooperation documents.
According to Boviengkham, over the years, Vietnam has discussed and negotiated with many countries about a digital cooperation partnership but has not signed any such partnership agreement with any country.
He said Vietnam chooses Laos as the first digital cooperation partner and Vietnam is also the first digital cooperation partner of Laos, which not only shows the special relationship between the two countries but also proves that they are close cooperation partners in digital transformation for their socio-economic development.
Evaluating the results of the Vietnam - Laos and Laos – Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022, the official said that diverse events that the two countries organised throughout the year help the two peoples understand more about the special friendship, contributing to strengthening their special solidarity and further developing the relationship.
Regarding the cooperation prospects between Laos and Vietnam in the coming years, Boviengkham said the potential for the bilateral cooperation is still very huge and needs to be exploited, especially in socio-economic development.
That is the reason why the two countries have set a goal of continuing to strengthen socio-economic cooperation in the same way as they did during their fights for national independence, he said, adding that the two countries target economic cooperation to meet the political requirements in the new period.
