Vientiane (VNA) – Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung paid courtesy calls to Lao Party General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone in Vientiane on July 9, as part of his ongoing visit to the country.

During the meetings, Dung briefed the Lao leaders on the outcomes of his earlier talks with Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith, in which both sides reviewed the progress of bilateral cooperation in the first half of 2025. They noted that while key objectives had largely been met, challenges remained. Both sides agreed to focus on eight key tasks for the remainder of the year, including the completion and handover of five major projects to Laos.

Deputy PM Dung expressed his hope that Lao leaders would continue to guide relevant agencies in coordinating closely with their Vietnamese counterparts to effectively carry out assigned tasks. He called for enhanced political trust, deeper economic, trade and investment ties, stronger defence and security cooperation, and closer locality-to-locality collaboration. Furthermore, he stressed the importance of supporting one another at regional and international forums.

The Lao leaders affirmed that the Lao Party and State highly value and remain committed to nurturing the special solidarity with Vietnam. General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith thanked Vietnam for its sustained and effective support, especially its valuable experience in macroeconomic management and governance. He urged both sides to build on existing achievements and strengthen economic connectivity, particularly via strategic projects such as the Vientiane–Hanoi expressway.

PM Sonexay Siphandone encouraged Vietnamese businesses to expand investment in Laos, particularly in energy, mining, telecommunications, tourism, and high-tech agriculture. He also underlined the need for greater bilateral efforts in project implementation, closer information sharing, and more vigorous collaboration across regional and international forums and sub-regional mechanisms.

Earlier the same day, at their bilateral meeting, deputy PM Dung and his Lao counterpart Saleumxay Kommasith agreed on the need to innovate their coordination mechanisms to better leverage the Vietnam–Laos and Laos–Vietnam cooperation committees. They also committed to preparing for the next Vietnam–Laos cooperation agreement (2026–2030), and coordinating diplomatic events and joint celebrations.

They said they will work together toward raising bilateral trade to 5 billion USD in the near future and enhancing cooperation in culture, tourism, education, people-to-people exchange, locality-to-locality partnerships, and the teaching of the Vietnamese and Lao languages. They also pledged to accelerate the completion of key joint projects by 2025.

The Deputy PMs also agreed to regularly consult on strategic regional issues and coordinate their stances within ASEAN and sub-regional frameworks, with a particular emphasis on reinforcing the value of the Vietnam–Laos special relationship through bilateral channels.

ꦛ Later in the day, they attended the Vietnam–Laos government–business dialogue, which assessed recent outcomes and proposed solutions to boost investment cooperation in the near future./.