Vietnam, Laos strengthen defence cooperation

Hanoi (VNA) – General Nguyen Tan Cuong, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army and Deputy Minister of National Defence, received visiting Senior Lieutenant General Saichay Kommasith, Chief of the General Staff of the Lao People’s Army and Deputy Minister of National Defence of Laos, in Hanoi on March 9.

General Cuong said defence cooperation between Vietnam and Laos has been implemented comprehensively, deeply and substantively in recent years. The two militaries have continued to play a pioneering role in carrying out the directions agreed by the two countries’ high-ranking leaders, significantly contributing to a peaceful and stable environment for development in each country.

He proposed both sides continue effectively implementing the agreed cooperation areas, including holding high-level delegation exchanges; maintaining consultation and dialogue mechanisms, especially the deputy minister-level defence policy dialogue; coordinating to successfully organise the annual meeting of the defence ministers of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia as well as joint exercises on non-traditional security challenges; and enhancing ties in borderline and border marker management and protection.

The Vietnamese official also invited Lao military leaders and defence enterprises to attend and display products at the Vietnam International Defence Expo 2026.

For his part, Senior Lieutenant General Saichay Kommasith spoke highly of the results of bilateral defence cooperation and expressed support for the cooperation directions proposed by his host, calling on the two sides to keep working closely to further strengthen ties between the two militaries and the two countries./.