Developing the great friendship and special solidarity
The outcome of the visit once again affirms the Vietnamese Party and State’s consistent policy of always giving the highest priority and attaching importance to developing the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos. It also affirms Vietnam’s strong and comprehensive support for Laos in its cause of renovation, national defence, and construction, while at the same time demonstrating the trust and closeness between the two parties and two states’ senior leaders as well as between the two National Assembly chairmen.
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The delegations of the Vietnamese and Lao National Assemblies pose for a photo. (Photo: VNA) |
Immediately after the Vietnamese delegation arrived in Vientiane, an important meeting took place in a friendly atmosphere. The chairmen of the Vietnamese and Lao National Assemblies agreed that the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, which were cultivated by President Ho Chi Minh, President Kaysone Phomvihane and President Souphanouvong and nurtured by generations of leaders of the two parties, states and peoples, have been tempered through numerous challenges and forged by the efforts and blood of many generations of heroes and martyrs, becoming a priceless asset of the two nations.
The two National Assembly Chairmen were pleased to see that cooperation between the two legislative bodies is developing well in both breadth and depth. At the same time, they proposed continuing the implementation of exchange activities and sharing experiences in areas of mutual interest, especially in building and perfecting institutions and legal systems, supreme supervision, and deciding on important national issues.
The National Assemblies of Vietnam and Laos closely coordinate and jointly supervise the implementation of bilateral agreements; strengthen supervision, promote investment cooperation projects, propose solutions to difficulties and obstacles, and create favourable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to do business in Laos; and closely coordinate and support each other at regional and international forums, contributing to maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for development.
Within the framework of the visit, NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man met with Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone.
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NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man meets with Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith. (Photo: VNA) |
Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith expressed his gratitude to the Vietnamese Party, State and people for standing shoulder to shoulder with Laos in the struggle for national liberation in the past and for their support and assistance in national construction and development today.
He also highly appreciated Vietnam’s support and assistance to Laos in fulfilling its role as chair of both ASEAN and AIPA in 2024, especially the support given to Laos even when Vietnam was also severely affected by Typhoon Yagi, demonstrating the close-knit and one-of-a-kind bond in the world.
NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man and Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith highly appreciated the fine and solid development of the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in recent years, including the very important contributions of both countries’ national assemblies; emphasising that in the future, the two sides need to promote the tradition of close and trustworthy cooperation, and actively implement high-level agreements together.
At the meetings, NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man affirmed that Vietnam always gives the highest priority to the special time-honoured relationship with Laos, always standing side by side and strongly and comprehensively supporting the Lao cause of national defence, construction, renovation, and development.
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NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man meets with Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone. (Photo: VNA) |
Commenting on the outcome of the visit, Vu Hai Ha, Chairman of the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs Committee, said that the visit continues to affirm the Vietnamese Party and State’s consistent policy of highly valuing the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos throughout the struggle for national liberation and reunification as well as in national construction and defence today.
A great and critical source of strength
The common message of the Vietnamese and Lao leaders during the visit affirms that solidarity and mutual assistance between the two parties, two states and two national assemblies is an objective factor, a historical law, and one of the greatest sources of strength, which is of vital significance to each country’s cause of national construction and defence.
In Vientiane, NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man met with leaders and former leaders of Laos, received Boviengkham Vongdara, Chairman of the Laos-Vietnam Friendship Association; Chanphenh Soutthivong, Vice President of the Lao Front for National Construction; and Viengthavisone Thephachanh, President of the State Audit Organisation of Laos.
On the occasion, NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man and the Vietnamese National Assembly delegation visited the staff of the Vietnamese Embassy and met with representatives of the Vietnamese community in Laos.
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National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man with the Vietnamese community in Laos (Thong Nhat - VNA) |
The National Assembly Chairman highly appreciated associations such as the General Association of Vietnamese People in Laos, Vietnamese associations in the provinces, and the Vietnamese Business Association in Laos. These associations have operated effectively, promoted the role of mass organisations, united and connected the community, actively participated in social activities in the locality, always responded to the policies of the Party and State, and actively participated in activities towards the roots.
The National Assembly Chairman hopes that the associations in Laos will continue to closely coordinate, gather the Vietnamese community in Laos, and continue to encourage them to make more efforts with the spirit of "Developing Laos as a developing homeland", "Helping friends as helping ourselves", as taught by President Ho Chi Minh: "Unity, solidarity, great solidarity. Success, success, great success"; “Nothing is difficult. Only fear the unyielding heart. Digging mountains and filling the sea. Determination will surely prevail”.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Minh Tam emphasised Chairman Tran Thanh Man’s first official visit to Laos in his new position is of special importance and significance in consolidating and enhancing the special solidarity relationship between Vietnam and Laos to a new height for the benefit of the people of each country, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.
Lao friends have recently given the high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese National Assembly a very respectful and thoughtful reception, with some exceptions, deeply demonstrating the special relationship between Vietnam and Laos.
Together to overcome all the challenges of the times
The participation of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and the high-ranking delegation of the National Assembly of Vietnam in AIPA-45 is of great significance, demonstrating the proactive, active participation and responsible contribution of the National Assembly of Vietnam and the parliaments of member countries in consolidating the central role, solidarity and unity in ASEAN, promoting intra-bloc cooperation, expanding multi-faceted relations with parliaments in and outside the region; promoting the responsibility and role of AIPA for peace, stability and development, and at the same time proposing many valuable initiatives to share and support the Governments of ASEAN countries in solving priority issues of the region.
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National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and the Heads of Delegations and delegates take a photo (Thong Nhat - VNA) |
Attending the 45th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-45), National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man delivered an important speech, affirming that parliamentary cooperation will be the driving force to promote the implementation of building a law-based ASEAN Community, reflecting the people’s voice and aspirations, and putting the people at the centre of all development policies.
Expressing confidence in the joint efforts of ASEAN countries, together consolidating the ASEAN to become more and more solid to overcome all difficulties and challenges of the times, the National Assembly Chairman highlighted the spirit of solidarity and unity, raising the sense of responsibility to contribute to common efforts, effectively responding to challenges, and making comprehensive contributions to the process of building the Community.
To further promote the role of parliaments in enhancing connectivity, the National Assembly Chairman proposed five priority orientations.
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National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and delegates attending the opening session of the 45th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-45). (Thong Nhat - VNA) |
National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man urged AIPA and its members to make greater efforts alongside ASEAN to enhance solidarity, cooperation, and unity in diversity. He emphasised the importance of upholding ASEAN’s spirit of independence, resilience, and strategic autonomy while also promoting ASEAN’s central role.
He called for respect for differences, ensuring harmonious interests, and maintaining ASEAN’s principled stance. He also highlighted the need to adhere to ASEAN’s principles and codes of conduct, as well as comply with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
He emphasised the need to review and assess the implementation of the ASEAN Community 2025 Blueprints, which outline cooperation strategies up to 2045. He called for enhancing harmonious, sustainable, inclusive development that leaves no one behind, with appropriate priority given to sub-regional cooperation and bridging development gaps.
In addition, AIPA should improve the effectiveness of legislative cooperation and strengthen parliamentary diplomacy while supporting and providing more effective assistance to governments with feasible solutions to successfully achieve ASEAN’s goals in enhancing connectivity and comprehensive growth.
In an interview with reporters, Vice President of the Lao National Assembly Sounthone Xayachak highly valued the attendance of Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and a delegation of the Vietnamese NA at the 45th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-45), especially his insightful speech at the event.
These are positive contributions from the Vietnamese National Assembly. She hoped that Vietnam would continue cooperating closely with AIPA member states, making AIPA increasingly strong.
Looking back at the important results of the visit, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Vu Hai Ha said: Vietnam has proactively and actively coordinated with Lao friends early and from afar to build the agenda for the AIPA-45 General Assembly.
Vietnam presented four initiatives/resolutions to the AIPA-45 committees to promote socio-economic development as well as infrastructure connectivity, digital transformation, green transformation, and energy transformation.
The Vietnamese delegation will also consider co-sponsoring six resolutions, including five proposed by Laos and one jointly proposed by Indonesia, Laos, and Malaysia. Thus, more than 20 resolutions of the General Assembly are expected to be adopted, with Vietnam’s important contributions.
