The visit is being made at the invitation of General Trinh Van Quyet, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, member of the Standing Committee of the Party Central Military Commission, Head of the General Political Department of the Vietnam People's Army,

General Trinh Van Quyet hosted a welcome ceremony for Lieutenant General Vongsone Inpanphim and his delegation on the morning of August 11, at the Ministry of National Defence headquarters in Hanoi.

Immediately following the ceremony, the two sides held talks. General Trinh Van Quyet congratulated the success of the 6th Congress of the Party Committee of the Lao Ministry of National Defence for the 2025–2030 term. He expressed his confidence that under the clear-sighted leadership of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the Party Committee of the Lao Ministry of National Defence, the Lao People's Army will continue to achieve greater accomplishments, contributing positively to the cause of building and defending the Lao homeland and to the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.

General Trinh Van Quyet emphasized that the Party, State, Army, and people of Vietnam always remember and appreciate the invaluable, sincere, and effective support given by the Lao Party, State, Army, and people during the struggle for national independence as well as in the current cause of national construction and defence. Under all circumstances, Vietnam always treasures and continuously promotes the great friendship, special, loyal, and steadfast solidarity between Vietnam and Laos.

During the talks, the two sides compared notes on world and regional situations and the status of their respective armed forces.

Regarding the East Sea issue, Vietnam’s consistent stance is to resolve all disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; to effectively and fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC); and to soon finalize and sign a legally binding, effective, and internationally consistent Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea.

Regarding defence cooperation, based on signed documents and agreements, both sides have proactively carried out various cooperative fields, achieving many substantial results, notably close coordination in propaganda and education about the great friendship, special solidarity between the two Parties, States, Armies, and peoples.

High-level and multi-level delegation exchanges are given special attention. Cooperative mechanisms such as defence policy dialogues, young officer exchanges, border management and protection cooperation, and human resource training have become increasingly effective and practical. Efforts to search for, recover, and repatriate remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who sacrificed in Laos have been prioritized and promoted.

On this occasion, the Head of the General Political Department of the Vietnam People's Army sincerely thanked the Lao Party, Government, and State for sending a high-level delegation to attend the 50th Anniversary of the Liberation of southern Vietnam and National Reunification, and for dispatching a military contingent to participate in the parade and march-past at the ceremony. He also hailed the active cooperation in constructing the Monument to the Soldiers of the Lao People's Army within the grounds of the Vietnam Military History Museum.

General Trinh Van Quyet also expressed gratitude to the Lao Ministry of National Defence for continuing to support and send military units to engage in the parade and march-past celebrating the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (September 2, 1945 – September 2, 2025). He affirmed that the Vietnam Ministry of National Defence looks forward to welcoming leaders of the Lao Ministry of National Defence and Lieutenant General Vongsone Inpanphim to attend this event.

Lieutenant General Vongsone Inpanphim conveyed warm regards from General Khamliang Outhakaysone, Minister of National Defence of Laos, to General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defense of Vietnam.

Expressing strong agreement with General Trinh Van Quyet’s remarks, especially on defence cooperation and collaboration between the two General Political Departments, Lieutenant General Vongsone Inpanphim affirmed that recent cooperation has yielded practical results and new developments, with many activities spreading the spirit of friendship between the two countries and armies.

During the talks, General Trinh Van Quyet stressed that building a strong army politically, ideologically, ethically, organizationally, and in personnel is a crucial task. Political work and Party affairs are the “soul and lifeblood” to ensure that each army is truly a political force and an absolutely loyal, reliable combat force of the Party, State, and people.

In the coming period, the two sides will focus on key cooperation areas such as increasing high-level meetings and contacts; continuing close coordination to effectively implement propaganda and education on the history, significance, and importance of the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States, Armies, and peoples of Vietnam and Laos, especially for the younger generations.

They will also augment cooperation in journalism, propaganda, and social network management through experience exchanges, professional training, expert support, and mutual assistance; actively intensify exchanges and delegation visits at all levels; and maximize the effectiveness of cooperation mechanisms such as young officer and military women exchanges, military-civilian friendship, and annual conferences between military zones , branches, and border protection forces of the two countries.

Special attention will be given to cooperation in training and developing high-quality human resources, alongside continued coordination and direction in searching for, recovering, and repatriating remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Laos during the wars. The two sides will also cooperate to successfully organize the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Defence Ministers of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia in Laos.

Security cooperation remains important pillar in Vietnam – Laos relations

Security cooperation has continued to serve as an important pillar in Vietnam – Laos relations, Vietnamese Minister of Public Security General Luong Tam Quang said on July 30.

Vietnam, Laos military leaders agree on closer cooperation in training, border security

VOV.VN - Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Hien, Deputy Minister of National Defence of Vietnam, paid a courtesy call on Lao Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Khamliang Outhakaysone on the morning of July 10 as part of a Vietnamese delegation accompanying Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung on his official visit