Vietnam gives highest priority to developing relations with Laos: Top leader

Hanoi (VNA) – General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and President To Lam received Vilay Lakhamphong, Politburo Member and Standing Member of the Secretariat of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee, and a high-ranking delegation of the LPRP in Hanoi on October 15 afternoon.

General Secretary and President Lam congratulated the LPRP on its achievements in recent years, particularly the results of implementing the resolution of the LPRP's 12th National Congress during the first nine months of 2026 and the completion of appointments to the positions of National Assembly President and Prime Minister.

He expressed his confidence that, under the LPRP’s leadership and with its comprehensive renewal policy, Laos and its people will achieve more major accomplishments in their renewal process, successfully implement the resolution of the Party’s 12th National Congress and the 10th five-year socio-economic development plan for 2026–2030, and build a peaceful, stable, united and prosperous country.

The top leader affirmed that Vietnam always attaches great importance to and gives the highest priority to consolidating and developing bilateral relations. The relationship holds special significance, having been painstakingly nurtured by successive generations of leaders and people of both countries and becoming an invaluable common asset of the two nations. Vietnam and Laos have always stood side by side, sharing difficulties and supporting each other in their past struggles for national independence and in their current cause of national construction and development.

Vilay expressed his pleasure at making his first official visit to Vietnam in his new capacity. He conveyed greetings from General Secretary of the LPRP Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith to General Secretary and President Lam.

The Lao official congratulated Vietnam on its important achievements in recent years and expressed his confidence that, under the leadership of the CPV headed by General Secretary and President Lam, Vietnam will continue to record further significant progress across all fields.

Vilay briefed his host on the recent situation in Laos and reported on the outcomes of his talks with Politburo Member and Standing Member of the CPV Central Committee's Secretariat Tran Cam Tu, and meetings with other key Vietnamese leaders.

He said the two sides held frank and fraternal exchanges on experience in Party building and the effective implementation of the resolutions of their respective Party congresses. They agreed on measures to implement high-level agreements effectively, advance major cooperation programmes and projects, and step up economic cooperation and collaboration in key areas and projects.

General Secretary and President Lam expressed his satisfaction that the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion between Vietnam and Laos have continued to deepen, producing positive results, particularly in political and diplomatic affairs, national defence and security, economy, and education and training.

The two sides have maintained the exchanges of delegations at all levels, while efforts have been made to resolve difficulties and obstacles affecting key cooperation projects, he noted.

To make bilateral relations more substantive in the coming period, the Vietnamese leader called on both sides to continue implementing high-level agreements between the two Parties effectively, describing them as the highest-level political orientation and the basis for translating cooperation priorities into concrete action.

Economic cooperation should become a more important pillar of bilateral relations, he said, urging both sides to mobilise resources for strategic connectivity and logistics projects, and create favourable conditions for businesses from both countries to expand investment and trade and strengthen market links, thereby enhancing complementarity and connectivity between the two economies.

He also called for continued exchanges of experience between the two Parties in Party building, political system development, personnel work and national development, particularly in addressing new challenges arising in the current development phase.

Cooperation in education and training and human resource development should be further strengthened, especially in training managerial personnel and strategic-level officials. The two countries should also enhance strategic exchanges and coordination at regional and international forums, particularly the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The top leader praised the success of joint research programmes and thematic exchanges, as well as the trilateral programme for training young leaders of the ruling parties of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. He affirmed that Vietnam stands ready to send experts and speakers to share experience in Party building and personnel training, thus helping improve the quality of Lao leaders and management officials.

Acknowledging General Secretary and President Lam’s views, Vilay affirmed that the Lao Party and State are deeply grateful for the enormous, invaluable and wholehearted assistance Vietnam has provided to Laos over the years. Leaders of Laos and he personally greatly valued this effective support, he said.

The Lao official pledged close coordination with Vietnam to implement high-level agreements effectively and make cooperation between the two Parties and countries increasingly substantive, practical and effective.

On this occasion, General Secretary and President Lam conveyed warm greetings to General Secretary of the LPRP Central Committee and President Thongloun Sisoulith, the President of the National Assembly, the Prime Minister and other Party and State leaders of Laos.

As part of his official visit to Vietnam, earlier the same day, Vilay and the Lao delegation laid a wreath and paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at the late leader's mausoleum, and commemorated fallen heroes at their monument on Bac Son street in Hanoi./.