Q: Could you tell us the meaning, objectives, and key activities of the General Secretary’s state visit to Laos?
A: At the invitation from the General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee, State President of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic Thongloun Sisoulith and his spouse, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee, To Lam, together with his spouse and a high-ranking delegation of Viet Nam, will pay a state visit to Laos and attend the 50th Lao National Day celebrations; co-chair the high-level meeting between the Communist Party of Viet Nam and the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party from December 1 to 2, 2025.
This is one of Viet Nam’s particularly important foreign affairs activities in 2025, and also the first state visit to Laos by General Secretary To Lam in his new position.
The visit takes place at an extremely significant moment as Laos celebrates its 50th Lao National Day (December 2, 1975–2025), and as both Parties are preparing for their national congresses in 2026, where key policy decisions will be made to shape each country’s development directions.
The visit continues to affirm the strong determination of the leaders of both Parties and nations in placing special emphasis on inheriting and promoting the great friendship relationship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Viet Nam and Laos, as well as Laos and Viet Nam, ensuring that bilateral ties develop in alignment with the requirements, vision, and strategic interests of the two countries in the new era.
As is widely known, the relationship between Viet Nam and Laos is unique in international relations. The two countries are neighbouring nations with a long-standing bond throughout their respective struggles to build and defend their homelands.
Built upon the solid foundations established by President Ho Chi Minh, President Kaysone Phomvihane, and President Suphanouvong, and nurtured by successive generations of Party and State leaders, the bilateral relationship has continuously progressed with prominent achievements, new advances, and breakthroughs across all sectors.
A key activity of the visit is the high-level meeting between the Communist Party of Viet Nam and the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, the most important mechanism for cooperation relationship of the two Parties and States.
The leaders of both sides will exchange information on each Party and country’s situation; conduct a joint assessment of bilateral cooperation progress; and lay out strategic, long-term directions prioritising the interests of both peoples, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and development both regionally and globally. These engagements will serve as a firm basis for continued close cooperation between the two Parties and States in building and defending their nations in the next phase.
During the visit, General Secretary To Lam will also hold talks and meetings with top Lao leaders and attend the 50th Lao National Day celebrations, one of Laos’ most important commemorative events of the year.
The diverse and meaningful activities throughout the visit will reinforce high-level consensus and common perceptions between the top leaders; reaffirm the special nature of bilateral bonds; and further underline that the Viet Nam–Laos comprehensive cooperation and special solidarity is an invaluable asset that continues to occupy a central, core-defining role in this unprecedented bilateral friendship relationship — one that President Ho Chi Minh once described through the saying: “Viet Nam and Laos, our two nations/Our bond is deeper than the water of the Hong (Red) River and the Cuu Long (Mekong) River”.
Q: How would you assess the recent achievements in Viet Nam–Laos cooperation?
A: Taking a full view over recent years, despite rapidly shifting, complex and unpredictable global developments, along with overlapping opportunities and challenges, cooperation between the two countries has yielded numerous prominent achievements, demonstrating increasing depth, reliability, vitality, and real, effective comprehensive cooperation between Viet Nam and Laos in the new era.
First, the strongest achievement in Viet Nam–Laos relations is their steadfast political–diplomatic ties of high trust and cohesion, which have remained the guiding light and primary framework orienting the bilateral relationship. High-level engagement between Party, State, National Assembly, and Government leaders has taken place frequently through flexible, timely formats.
Delegation exchanges across all levels and sectors have also been held continuously, enhancing political trust, strategic cohesion, mutual support, and long-term cooperation between the two nations.
Defence and security cooperation has continued to affirm its role as one of the most important pillars of Viet Nam–Laos relations. The two countries have maintained effective coordination, information sharing, and border protection patrols; implemented personnel training cooperation; coordinated efforts to fight transnational crime; and preserved a peaceful, stable environment for onward development in each nation.
Alongside cooperation in politics, defence, and security, the two sides also strive to raise the level, create breakthroughs and make strong changes in economic cooperation, especially effectively implementing key projects connecting the two economies, with focus on transportation (including highways and railways), energy, trade, investment, training and development of high-quality human resources and building sustainable supply chains.
Recently, the growing momentum in trade and investment cooperation has been particularly clear, with bilateral trade turnover in the first ten months of 2025 reaching nearly 2.5 billion USD, rising 50.4% against 2024, making Viet Nam the third-largest trading partner of Laos. The next goals are 5 billion USD, with further aspirations of pushing toward 10 billion USD in the coming period.
In terms of investment, Viet Nam currently operates 274 investment projects in Laos, with registered capital totalling more than 5.8 billion USD. A number of projects connecting transport infrastructure put into use are new steps in strategic linkages in development space, contributing to the development of the two countries in the near future.
Cooperation across other sectors, including education and training, culture, transport and logistics, energy, and agriculture, has also seen continued attention with encouraging outcomes. People-to-people and local cooperation has continued to expand, contributing to strengthening mutual understanding and cohesion, especially among younger generations across the two countries.
At multilateral regional and global forums, Vietnam and Laos always coordinate closely, support and share common views on peace, stability and sustainable development. The connection in mechanisms such as ASEAN, United Nations forums and sub-regional cooperation continues to affirm the spirit of solidarity, loyalty and responsibility of the two countries towards the regional community.
With the foundation of a special relationship, deep political trust and wide open space for cooperation, I believe that General Secretary To Lam's State visit to Laos will create a strong impression on the prosperous development of the two countries, creating a strong breakthrough in the cooperative relationship between the two countries in the new situation, thereby actively contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region as well as in the world.
Reporter: Thank you!
