The Lao Prime Minister and his spouse will pay an official visit to Vietnam from January 6-7 at the invitation of Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. During the visit, Sonexay Siphandone will also co-chair the 46th meeting of the Vietnam - Laos Inter-Governmental Committee.
This is not only the first official visit to Vietnam by Sonexay Siphandone in his capacity as the Prime Minister of Laos, but also the first official visit to the Southeast Asian nation by a foreign high-ranking leader this year.
It takes place in the context that the bilateral cooperation is growing fruitfully, and agreements reached by Party leaders and Governments as well as joint statements being implemented effectively in all areas, contributing to maintaining the growth pace of the relationship.
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Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone (Photo: vietnam.vn) |
The trip holds great importance as it reaffirms the close ties between the two parties, governments and peoples, while demonstrating special characteristics of the relationship, and joint efforts in maintaining it.
The year 2023 witnessed significant achievements in the Vietnam - Laos collaboration across fields, contributing to ensuring stable development in each country, and consolidating and strengthening their great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation.
The bilateral political cooperation was reinforced, maintaining its core role in the relationship. Cooperation agreements in national defense and security were put in place, helping maintain social stability and order in each country, and build a common borderline of peace, stability, friendship, and comprehensive development.
The two sides coordinated in searching and repatriating remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who laid down their lives during the wartime in the neighboring country.
Economic, investment, trade, cultural, and scientific-technological ties have been expanded and deepened over the past time. Notably, economic collaboration has served as important momentum for the bilateral relationship.
Laos always ranks first among the 79 countries and territories where Vietnam has invested, and Vietnam remains a leading investor in Laos.
The two countries have worked together to handle obstacles to their economic and trade cooperation, and step up transport infrastructure connectivity, as well as cooperation in energy, telecoms and tourism.
Such projects as the Hanoi - Vientiane Expressway and the Vung Ang - Vientiane railway have been accelerated by both sides.
Progress has also been made in collaboration in education and personnel training, as reflected through the number of scholarships Vietnam has given to its neighbor, which reached 1,120 last year, raising the total to 14,050 so far.
Vietnamese and Lao border localities have cooperated and supported each other, especially in infrastructure construction, health care, education-training, human resources development, and guaranteeing security and order.
The two countries have maintained their close, effective coordination at multilateral forums, particularly the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), ASEAN-led mechanisms, the United Nations (U.N.), the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), and Mekong sub-regional cooperation mechanisms, helping raise their position in the international area.
As part of the trip, Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and his Vietnamese counterpart will co-chair the 46th meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee, one of the most important annual cooperation mechanisms between the two countries.
The meeting will review the implementation of commitments made at the previous edition, and set out cooperation plans and orientations for 2024 and beyond.
It is hoped to create breakthroughs in the bilateral economic cooperation, making its more intensive in the time ahead.
Source: VNA