>> Laos’ LPRP convenes 10th National Congress
>> Vietnam sends greetings to Laos’ 10th National Party Congress
This is an important event in Lao socio-political life, marking the LPRP’s new stage in leading the Lao people to continue renovation, gaining new victories in national construction and defence in a sustainable manner towards socialist goals.
Since its establishment in 1955, the LPRP has held nine congresses, each of which has marked a milestone in the development of the ruling party, enhancing the Party’s leadership capacity and pioneering spirit while outlining major orientations for national development for each specific phase.
For more than 60 years, under the leadership of the LPRP, the Lao people have overcome a great number of difficulties and challenges to gain glorious victories in national liberation, defence and construction. Particularly, after nearly 30 years of implementing the renovation policy initiated and led by the LPRP, the Lao people have recorded significant achievements, helping enhance the position of Laos on the international stage. Laos has achieved political and social stability, economic growth and enjoyed improved living standards.
In regards to economic development, Laos has gradually built and strengthened the market economy under State management with growing domestic and foreign investment. The gross domestic product has seen continuous growth with per capital GDP reaching over US$1,800 in 2015, more than 16 times the figure of 1985, making significant contributions to poverty elimination. In addition to economic development, the Lao Party and State have always attached importance to aspects of social development, including education, healthcare and culture.
In external relations, Laos is consistent in its foreign policy of independence, friendship and cooperation with neighbouring countries as well as those within the ASEAN Community, it has also remained active in promoting peace, stability, friendship and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and the wider world.
Laos has established diplomatic relations with 155 countries to date and in 2016 will assume the ASEAN presidency at a highly significant time as the ASEAN Community was only recently established on December 31, 2015.
These achievements affirm the sound policy of the LPRP, a steadfast revolutionary Party, dedicated to the goal of national independence, the country’s wealth and the people’s happiness as well as peace, national independence, democracy and social progress in the world.
We are pleased to see that, along with the achievements that the two countries’ Parties, States and peoples have recorded in recent years, the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries nurtured by President Ho Chi Minh, President Kaysone Phomvihane as well as leaders and people of the two countries throughout history have been continuously strengthened and produced many tangible benefits.
The traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos have been increasingly deepened and become more substantive and effective in all areas, making practical contributions to the renovation, national construction and defence in each country, becoming invaluable assets of the two Parties, two peoples and a crucial factor ensuring the victory of revolutionary causes in either country.
The Party, State and people of Vietnam will do their best to, together with the Party, State and people of Laos, forever preserve and continuously cultivate the Vietnam-Laos special solidarity to a new height, for the sake of each country’s people, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in Southeast Asia and around the world.
We believe that under the leadership of the LPRP, the 10th National Congress will be a great success with a new resolution to help the country and people of Laos gain further achievements, lifting the country out of underdevelopment by 2020, building a peaceful, independent, democratic, unified and prosperous socialist-oriented country.
May the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos last forever!
