A relationship built on the sacrifice of generations of people
In the world history, there are no bilateral ties which have been tested through difficulties and dangers and close to each other like the Vietnam-Laos relationship.
President Ho Chi Minh, President Kaysone Phomvihane, and President Souphanouvong were the ones who set a firm foundation for the Vietnam-Laos relationship while generations of leaders and people of the two countries have assiduously cultivated it to become a special, outstanding and rare one in the world.
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A unit of the Vietnamese voluntary troops meets a unit of the Lao People's Armed Forces. (Source: Vietnam News Publishing House) |
President Kaysone Phomvihane affirmed that there were outstanding examples about the spirit of proletarian internationalism in the world revolutionary history. However, he stressed that there were not any special, long-term, and comprehensive combat alliances like the Vietnam-Laos one. Vietnam, while facing difficulties, had given wholehearted supports to Laos, thus helping strengthen solidarity between the two parties. This is a special relationship like no other in the world, he stated.
Also, Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Sengphet Houngboungnuang affirmed that there are not any special relations like the Vietnam-Laos one, which were established and developed by generations of Vietnamese and Lao people through numerous periods of time. He stressed that it is a one-of-a-kind relationship in the world. The Vietnam-Laos relations have been strengthened and deepened in all aspects and become a great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two parties, the two states, the two militaries and the two peoples.
Sentimental words
In reality, the Vietnam-Laos special solidarity did not stem from the subjective will of any side. According to Vietnam Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Ba Hung, there were three features that make the Vietnam-Laos relationship become a special one.
Firstly, it is the geographical proximity. Vietnam and Laos are two neighboring countries, where the Mekong River flows through and the Truong Son (Annamite) Mountain Range is located. Secondly, both Vietnamese and Lao peoples are rich in compassion, tolerance, peace- and freedom-loving as well as sharing the same history of fighting common enemies in the past. Finally, the two peoples have been led by the vanguard political parties of the working class.
Based on these three features, the Vietnam-Laos relationship have become a unique and rare one as seen in three aspects of evidence. First, the two peoples have always stood side by side and been ready to sacrifice for each other during their struggle for national liberation. The Vietnam-Laos ties were created in sweat, blood, flesh and bones of generations of people of the two countries, particularly dozens of thousands of Vietnamese volunteer troops and advisers in Laos. Next, the special relationship between the two peoples was nurtured by numerous Lao mothers, who had given meals and their breast milk to help Vietnamese troops, or many Vietnamese mothers, who were willing to let their husbands and sons to go to Laos to fight for the Lao people.
In addition, the Vietnam-Laos ties are special because the two countries always support each others sincerely, indifferently and wholeheartedly.
Last by not least, apart from the desire to bring the Vietnamese country to the level of the great powers, the Vietnamese people always hope that the Lao people and country will live in peace, independence, freedom, and prosperity. This desire is completely natural and only among the closest and most-trusted brothers. It is a special thing between the Vietnamese and Lao peoples. The two countries also have a really deep political and strategic trust.
According to Ambassador Nguyen Ba Hung, these things have become long-term guidelines and policies of the two parties and the two states, been passed from generation to generation. When receiving the Vietnamese delegation recently, Party General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith said that the Vietnam-Laos relations are characterized by four “sentimental words,” namely “the comradeship sharing the same communist ideals,” “the brotherhood having one parent which is the Communist Party of Indochina,” “the friendship of close friends,” and “the special solidarity and close attachment.” However, there was another “sentimental word” which is the comradeship of life and death, of the willingness “to share the last rice grain and the last vegetable stalk,” the Vietnamese ambassador stated.
(To be continued…)
Translated by Trung Thanh