Hanoi (VNA) – The upcoming official friendly visit to Laosby President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his spouse will reaffirm Vietnam’s strong andcomprehensive support to the process of national reform, defence and construction of Laos.

The visit, to take place from August 9-10 at the invitation of GeneralSecretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee andPresident of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, will also highlight Vietnam’s special attention to maintaining anddeveloping the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive partnershipbetween the two countries.

As neighbouring countries, Vietnam and Laos have walked handin hand through many challenges, reinforcing their solidarity and loyalty. Thebilateral ties, founded by President Ho Chi Minh and President KaysonePhomvihane and nurtured by generations of leaders and people of both nations,have been thriving to be “more stable than mountains, more long-lasting than rivers.”

The relations have become a development rule and a factorensuring the success of the revolutionary cause of each country and a valuableasset of both Parties and nations, which must be protected and reinforced and transferredto next generations, Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong said whilereceiving Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith on June 28, 2021.

Amid complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two countries have managed tomaintain the exchange of visits and communication in different formats.

Defence-security and external relations have continued to be an importantpillars in Vietnam-Laos relations, with joint efforts in ensuringsecurity and maintaining a shared border of peace and friendship as well as searching and repatriating remains of Vietnamese volunteers and experts who died in Laos during thewar.

The two sides have effectively implemented the annualconsultation mechanisms between Chairpersons of the Party Central Committee’s Commissions forExternal Relations and Ministers of Foreign Affairs, while regularlyexchanging information about regional and international issues of mutual concern, and coordinating together and promoting mutual support at multilateralforums, especially within the ASEAN, the UN and sub-regional mechanisms.

In the context of complicated COVID-19 developments in both countries, the bilateral multifaceted partnership has still developed.

In the 2016-2020 period, total trade between the two sidesreached about 4.8 billion USD. In the first six months of 2021, the figure hit670 million USD, up 36.5 percent rise over the same period last year.

Vietnam now has 209 valid investment projects worthabout 5.16 billion USD in Laos, ranking third among foreign investors inthe country.

The Lao Government has agreed to open the Dak Ta-Ok(Xekong) - Nam Giang (Quang Nam) border gate to promote trade exchange betweenthe two sides.

Along with expanding export activities, both sides havefocused on cooperation in personnel training for transport and construction sectors,and energy industry.

Both sides have concentrated on enhancing partnership ineducation-training and human resources development. The two Ministries ofEducation and Training have issued plans of cooperation in the 2021-2030period. This year, Vietnam will give 1,220 scholarships to Lao officials and students, while Laos willoffer 60 scholarships to Vietnam. Currently, more than 16,600 Lao students are studying inVietnam.

Partnerships among localities, especially those along theshared border has been strengthened.

People-to-people exchanges have been increased with variouscultural, art and sport activities, contributing to deepening the Vietnam-Laosrelationship./.