Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man’s upcoming trip to Laos for an official visit and attendance at the 45th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-45) from October 17-19 will be an opportunity for the two nations to tighten their special solidarity and expand parliamentary collaboration.

Great friendship, special solidarity unceasingly nurtured

The Vietnam – Laos traditional relations, the foundation of which was laid by President Ho Chi Minh, President Kaysone Phomvihane and President Suphanouvong and treasured by generations of leaders of the two Parties, States and peoples, have become an invaluable asset for the two peoples and a common rule of development of both nations towards prosperity and happiness.

The two countries have enjoyed close relations since they established their diplomatic ties on September 5, 1962.

On July 18, 1977, they inked the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, affirming their unweaving special solidarity, cooperation, and support for each other in the endeavour to build and safeguard independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of each nation.

Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man will pay a trip to Laos for an official visit and attendance at the 45th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly from October 17-19. (Photo: VNA)

Over the past 47 years, the treaty has been an important political and legal basis for both sides to strengthen their bilateral relations, serving their national construction and defence.

That they upgraded their ties to great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation in February 2019 is a significant milestone, creating a breakthrough in the bilateral relations.

Over the years, leaders of the two Parties and States have enhanced the exchange of delegations through all channels. Most recently, they successfully held the 46th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee for Bilateral Cooperation on January 7, organised the annual high-level meeting between the two Parties on February 26, and arranged mutual visits at all levels.

Throughout the visits as well as working sessions, the two sides focused on substantive and candid discussions, guiding the relationship between the two Parties and the two countries towards more stable, solid, and effective developments. They also affirmed their resolve to bolster and elevate the friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation in the new context and in accordance with the realities in each nation.

The two nations have paid due attention to cooperation in economy, trade, and investment, with two-way trade topping 1.64 billion USD in 2023 and reaching 1.3 billion USD in the first eight months of this year.

As of August, Vietnam had run 256 investment projects with registered capital totaling more than 5.5 billion USD in Laos, contributing to developing nation’s socio-economy, generating jobs for thousands of workers, and increasing budget collection in telecommunications, banking, rubber plantation and processing, and food processing, among others.

President To Lam (R) meets with Chairman of the Lao National Assembly Saysomphone Phomvihane in Vientiane on July 11. (Photo: VNA)

Furthermore, the two countries continue their close cooperation in security – defence, contributing to the maintenance of stable political situation, security, and social order in each nation and border areas. Collaboration in transport, education – training, culture, and people – to – people exchanges has received due attention.

They have worked closely with and supported each other at regional and international cooperation forums while enhancing collaboration and coordination with other ASEAN member states in building the ASEAN Community and maintaining ASEAN’s solidarity and consensus on strategic issues in the region. This year, Vietnam has supported Laos to successfully realise the role of the ASEAN Chair and AIPA-45 Chair.

Parliamentary cooperation fortified

Together with the robust development of the two Parties and States’ relations, parliamentary cooperation has been unceasingly consolidated and intensified.

The two sides have maintained the exchange of high-level delegations, experience sharing, and close cooperation at regional and international inter-parliamentary forums such as AIPA, Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Asia – Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), and Asia – Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting (ASEP).

Standout cooperation activities between the two NAs are annual delegation exchanges, cooperation mechanisms between young parliamentarians, and those between the two NAs’ committees and offices, to name just a few.

Particularly, the new National Assembly building, a gift from the Vietnamese Party, State, and people to the Lao side, is a symbol of the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries. It was transferred to Laos on August 10, 2021 after four years of construction.

The two parliaments are working together to compile and publish a book spotlighting their comprehensive cooperation and development in 50 years, helping raise public awareness of the close ties between the two NAs as well as the Vietnam – Laos special relations.

Against the backdrop, the top legislator’s official visit to Laos will continue affirming the Vietnamese Party and State’s consistent policy of giving the top priority to and treasuring the development of the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation with the neighbouring country. Besides, it will help enhance trust between high-ranking leaders of both nations while creating opportunities for them to evaluate the bilateral cooperation over the past time, explore orientations and specific measures to improve the efficacy of the collaboration between the two states and parliaments in the coming time, and discuss regional and international issues of mutual concerns.

According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Minh Tam, amidst rapid, complicated, and unpredictable developments in the region and the world that could have profound impact on countries, the solidarity and mutual assistance between the two Parties, States, and NAs are among the greatest sources of strength and vital to their national construction and protection, contributing to preserving and developing their great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation.

The diplomat suggested the two NAs intensify their coordination and the exchange of experience in law-making, supreme supervision, and decision making on major national matters.

The focus should be on monitoring and facilitating the implementation of high-level agreements and cooperation pacts between the two countries, particularly the key objectives outlined in the Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Strategy for 2021-2030 and the Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Agreement for 2021-2025, he stressed.

The diplomat also suggested the organisation of seminars and workshops where the two sides can share operation experience, and the enhancement of exchanges between friendship parliamentarian groups, women and young lawmakers, and localities.

Additionally, the two sides should continue their close coordination and mutual support at regional and international inter-parliamentary forums like IPU, AIPA and APPF, thus improving their position and roles in the region and international arena.

Tam added that Man’s official visit to Laos will contribute to strengthening the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States, NAs, and peoples, making the bilateral collaboration a rare and exemplary relationship in the world./.