Hanoi (VNA) – Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong discussed Vietnam-Laos relations over the phone withhis counterpart Bounnhang Vorachith on August 13, calling for continuedcoordination in the COVID-19 fight.

During the talks, General Secretary of the LaoPeople’s Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith offeredcondolences to the Vietnamese Party, State and people on the death of formerParty General Secretary Le Kha Phieu.

He also congratulated Vietnam on recentachievements and spoke highly of its efforts and experience in the COVID-19combat, expressing his belief that with the Communist Party of Vietnam’s  clear-sighted leadership, the Government’s direction, the whole politicalsystem’s solidarity and the people’s consensus, the country will continuekeeping the outbreak under control.

Thanking Vietnam for sharing experience andassisting his country, the Lao leader hoped that the two countries willincrease sharing information and supporting each other in the battle againstCOVID-19.

For his part, Party General Secretary andPresident Trong thanked Laos for the close coordination with Vietnam inbilateral aspects as well as within the ASEAN framework. He also highly valuedthe Lao Party and Government’s leadership and the Lao people’s solidarity inthe drastic implementation of measures to contain the coronavirus and sustainsocio-economic development.

He suggested the two countries continue workingclosely in the fight against COVID-19 so that they can contain the pandemicsoon and go on with socio-economic development and improvement of people’sliving standards.

During their talks, the two leaders informedeach other about the situation of their respective Parties and countries,discussed bilateral cooperation, and exchanged views on international andregional issues of shared concern.

They highlighted that cooperation between thetwo Parties and countries has continually been strengthened in all spheres,helping with political stability and socio-economic development in each nation.

They also affirmed joint efforts will be made touphold and pass down the special Vietnam-Laos solidarity to future generations.

Besides, the leaders pledged their countries’continuation of timely information sharing, close and effective coordination,along with mutual support in international and regional affairs, especiallywithin the frameworks of ASEAN, the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation,the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), and Mekong sub-region cooperation mechanisms.

Vietnam and Laos will work with Cambodia toeffectively carry out the agreement on their Development Triangle Area reachedamong the three countries’ Prime Ministers. They will also coordinate withother countries in the management and sustainable and efficient use of theMekong River’s water resources for the sake of sustainable development in theregion, the two leaders added./.