This is the second time the two leaders have co-chaired a meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee in order to further expand bilateral cooperation.
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Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn) |
Vietnam and Laos are close and traditional neighbors. Since the creation of the Indochina Communist Party (1930-1945), then the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, the Vietnam-Laos special relations, founded by Presidents Ho Chi Minh, Kaysone Phomvihane and Souphanouvong, have been fostered and nurtured by the two Parties, States and peoples. This relationship was forged through their national resistance wars against foreign invaders and has become a priceless treasure for both peoples and a decisive factor for the success of the revolutionary cause of both nations.
Particularly, the 40th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee is taking place at the time when Vietnam and Laos have successfully concluded the “Vietnam-Laos Year of Solidarity and Friendship 2017.” Last year was significant for Vietnam and Laos, as the two countries celebrated the 55th anniversary of their diplomatic relations and 40 years of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation.
Those activities in 2017 considerably raised awareness amongst their younger generations of the special ties and the military alliance between Vietnam and Laos during their periods of their campaigns for national salvation in the past and their national construction and defense campaigns today.
The year 2017 witnessed the development of the Vietnam-Laos political relations with an array of meetings between their top leaders, including the official visits to Vietnam by General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith in December.
Additionally, Vietnam and Laos effectively boosted cooperation in fields of defense-security and external affairs to make contribution to ensuring political and social order in each country. The two countries actively cooperated in the search and repatriation of Vietnamese fallen soldiers' remains from Laos (270 sets of remains were discovered in the 2016-2017 dry season).
Vietnam and Laos attach great importance to trade cooperation. As of October 2017, their trade turnover reached USD 720 million, a year-on-year increase of 8.7 percent. Vietnam is the third largest foreign investor in the country and Vietnam's projects in Laos are being smoothly operated to contribute to Laos’ socio-economic development.
Furthermore, the two countries expanded cooperation in education and training, human resource development, transportation, science and technology, agriculture, culture, and tourism.
Besides, Vietnam and Laos have supported each other at multilateral forums and joined other ASEAN member states to augment and enhance the ASEAN Community.
Over these aforementioned issues, we believe that the 40th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee will be a success, further contributing to heightening the traditional relations and special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos as Lao President Kaysone Phomvihane responded poetically, “The Mekong and Red Rivers may run dry and Truong Son mountain range may collapse, but may the Vietnam-Laos friendship last forever!”
Written by Editorial Board
Translated by Van Hieu