Vietnam and Laos are not only neighbors, but also brothers and comrades. Sharing the water of the Mekong River and located on the Truong Son mountain range, Vietnam and Laos have time-honored solidarity and have mutually supported.
Since the birth and under the leadership of the Communist Party of Indochina, present Communist Party of Vietnam and Lao People's Revolutionary Party, the relations between Vietnam and Laos have increasingly developed. Vietnam and Laos have always stood side-by-side through upheavals. The blood of Vietnamese and Lao soldiers seeped into the Truong Son mountain range, mixed with the water of the Mekong River, and the tears of Vietnamese and Lao mothers whose children sacrificed their lives shared the same bitterness of loss. Despite many hardships and sacrifices, the troops and people of the two countries, under the leadership of the two parties, fought resiliently to win the entire victory in each country's revolution in 1975.
    |
 |
|
An art program honoring the special, close-knit friendship between Vietnam and Laos (Photo: VNA) |
Promoting the heroic revolutionary tradition, the two countries entered a new period of national building and defense. Following Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh's Thought in Vietnam, Marxism-Leninism and Kaysone Phomvihane’s Thought in Laos, the two parties and countries have continuously stood together, given great, valuable, sincere support to each other, and worked together to build independent and self-reliant economies pro-actively integrating in the world and building socialism.
Looking back upon the two nations’ heroic history, we are completely proud of the exemplary, extremely pure, faithful relationship between the two parties, states and peoples. The special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos was founded by President Ho Chi Minh, President Kaysone Phomvihane, and President Souphanouvong, and has been preserved, and cultivated in sweat, efforts and even blood of generations of troops and people of the two countries. That solidarity has truly become an invaluable common asset, a law of development, an important factor in guaranteeing the victory of each country's revolutionary cause and a unique relationship in the world. The historical lessons of the Vietnam - Laos special solidarity are forever a red thread throughout the development of the two parties and peoples.
In recent years, despite numerous difficulties and challenges, including the unprecedented impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the cooperative ties between the two parties and countries have firmly developed in an increasingly practical and effective fashion in all fields and in rich and diverse forms. Political relations have constantly being strengthened and upgraded from traditional friendship to great friendship as an orientation for other areas of cooperation. Cooperation in foreign affairs, defense, security, economy, culture and social affairs has been enhanced in both quantity and quality, benefiting the peoples of the two countries.
The first official visit to Vietnam of Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone in his new capacity continues to affirm the two parties and states’ consistent policy of always attaching importance and giving highest priority to consolidating and cultivating the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.
In the context of the current changing and complicated developments in the world with intertwined opportunities and challenges, the Vietnam - Laos relations have become more important than ever for both countries. The two parties, states and peoples have always been determined to follow their forefathers' footsteps, constantly preserve and foster the exemplary, faithful, pure and special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos.
By the Editorial Board
Translated by Mai Huong