General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and his spouse are welcomed by Vietnamese officials at Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport on June 28 morning. (Photo: VNA)The great friendship, special solidarity andcomprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos have been growing constantlyin all fields over previous years, Hung said in an interview granted to VietnamNews Agency correspondent in Laos.
This year, both countries successfully organised theirnational Party congress and started implementing the congress’ resolutions aswell as bilateral agreements for the next 5 – 10 years, Hung stated.
He highlighted bilateral partnership outcomes obtained inall areas last year despite the complex and unpredictable developments of theCOVID-19 pandemic which has had impacts on countries, including Vietnam andLaos, he said.
He underlined the increasingly close political relationsbetween Vietnam and Laos, saying regular high-level exchanges have consolidatedtrust and attachment between leaders of the two Parties and States and the twopeoples.
The two sides have effective and substantively enforcedhigh-level agreements, joint statements and agreements at governmental andlocal levels as well as between ministries; and closely worked together atregional and international platforms, such as the UN, ASEAN, and Greater MekongSubregion.
Bilateral ties in economy, investment, trade, culture,technology and science have also been expanded, he continued. Vietnam has been oneof three leading foreign investors in Laos, pouring about 4.4 billion USD into415 FDI projects, mostly in finance-banking, electricity, telecommunications,agriculture and forestry, and mining. The two sides have been activelycollaborating in multiple joint infrastructure projects in transport andenergy.
Vietnam offers more than 1,000 scholarships on long-termand short-term courses of study for Lao people annually. Over 16,000 Laoofficials and students are pursuing education and research in Vietnam. Earlythis year, the two ministries of education and training finalised a master planfor implementing the project on improving quality and effectiveness inbilateral cooperation in education and human resources development between 2021and 2030.
Close partnership in border affairs, defence and securityis a highlight in the bilateral relations, the ambassador said, adding thatVietnam and Laos have boosted effective cooperation in combating organised andtrans-border crime, strengthening border control, and preventing illegal immigrationto stem the spread of COVID-19.
The two sides have also been actively offering assistanceto each other in COVID-19 response, he noted.
The diplomat expressed his confidence that thelong-standing friendship and comprehensive partnership will continue to thrivein the future, contributing to building Vietnam and Laos as nations ofprosperity and democracy and to the regional and global peace, stability,cooperation and development.
Ambassador Hung went on to say the official visit toVietnam by Thonglun Sisoulith is of great significance as it is his firstoverseas trip in the capacity as Lao Party General Secretary and President forthe 2021 – 2026 term, and the first visit made by a foreign high-level leaderto Vietnam this year. It demonstrates that the two sides share closebrotherhood and remain major partners in all areas, he said.
The visit provides a chance for Party and State leadersfrom both sides to directly meet and exchange views of important issues oftheir ties in the new context; and seek ways to intensify cooperation inpolitics – diplomacy, defence – security, trade – investment, culture – socialaffairs and others.
Lao Party General Secretary and President ThonglounSisoulith, his wife and a high-ranking delegation is on an official visit toVietnam from June 28-29.
The visit is made at the invitation of General Secretaryof the Vietnam Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trongand State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and their spouses./.
VNA
