Incessantly strengthening Vietnam-Laos special solidarity relationship

At the invitation of Lao General Secretary and President Bounnhang Vorachith, Vietnamese General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong arrives in Vientiane today to begin his official friendship visit to Laos.

General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong (Photo: VNA)
General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong (Photo: VNA)

This is Nguyen Phu Trong’s first official foreign friendship visit in his role as both General Secretary and President, as well as his first foreign trip in 2019.

General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit is a significant political event to affirm Vietnam’s consistent foreign policy of attaching importance and giving priority to strengthening the special solidarity, reliable and comprehensive cooperation relationship between the two Parties, States and people of Vietnam and Laos.

General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong brings to Laos the friendship and solidarity of the Vietnamese people, affirming the Vietnamese Party, State and people’s full support for Laos’ reform, national construction and defence, especially the successful realisation of the targets set by the 10th Congress and the thorough preparation for the 11th Congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party.

The Vietnamese people sincerely congratulate the Lao people on their significant achievements in domestic affairs and external relations after three years of implementing the 10th Congress’s resolution. Specifically, Laos’s GDP in 2018 grew by 6.5% and its income per capita reached US$2,599, while external relations and international integration were expanded.
As two close neighbouring countries, Vietnam and Laos have long been bonded together. The close ties, time-honoured and faithful solidarity, and the special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States and peoples of Vietnam and Laos, nurtured by President Ho Chi Minh, President Kaysone Phomvihane, and the two Parties and peoples, have been growing strongly and have reached new heights.

They are invaluable assets accumulated through blood, sweat and an enormous sacrifice, and are the pride of the Vietnamese and Lao people. Such invaluable assets will definitely continue to be safeguarded by the two Parties, States and peoples, and handed over to the later generations as an important guarantee for Vietnam and Laos to accomplish significant achievements in the new revolutionary period, for the prosperity of each country’s people.

We are pleased to witness that the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos continue to be strengthened and become more substantive, making important contributions to maintaining political stability and fostering socio-economic development in each country.

The two sides have proactively and actively worked together to effectively implement the agreements between the two Politburos and governments, and agencies of the two countries. Vietnam and Laos are also actively looking for measures to remove any obstacles in their cooperation in order to promote the implementation of the agreed contents.

In early January 2019, the two sides successfully held the 41st meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee on bilateral cooperation. All areas of cooperation between the two countries, from politics, security, defence, trade and investment to education, agriculture, culture and tourism have been promoted in an effective and substantive manner. Of which the political relationship has become ever stronger and more reliable, serving as the foundation and guidance for the overall bilateral relationship. The two sides actively share information, work closely and support each other at regional and international forums, whilst continuing to strengthen cooperation with other ASEAN member countries in order to join hands in building the ASEAN Community and maintaining solidarity and consensus within ASEAN.

Once again we extend our sincere thanks to the Party, State and people of Laos for their valuable and good-hearted support for our people in the struggle for national independence in the past as well as the cause of national construction and defence at present.

It is strongly believed that General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong’s official friendship visit to Laos will be a great success, helping to cement the political trust between the two countries’ high-ranking leaders, while continuing to further strengthen the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, thus making the bilateral relationship evergreen and sustainable, for the sake of each country’s people, and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large.