The great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos have been growing constantly in all fields over previous years, Hung said in an interview granted to Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Laos.
This year, both countries successfully organized their national Party congress and started implementing the congress’ resolutions as well as bilateral agreements for the next 5 – 10 years, Hung stated.
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General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and his spouse are welcomed by Vietnamese officials at Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport on June 28 morning. |
He highlighted bilateral partnership outcomes obtained in all areas last year despite the complex and unpredictable developments of the COVID-19 pandemic which has had impacts on countries, including Vietnam and Laos, he said.
He underlined the increasingly close political relations between Vietnam and Laos, saying regular high-level exchanges have consolidated trust and attachment between leaders of the two Parties and States and the two peoples.
The two sides have effective and substantively enforced high-level agreements, joint statements and agreements at governmental and local levels as well as between ministries; and closely worked together at regional and international platforms, such as the UN, ASEAN, and Greater Mekong Subregion.
Bilateral ties in economy, investment, trade, culture, technology and science have also been expanded, he continued. Vietnam has been one of three leading foreign investors in Laos, pouring about 4.4 billion USD into 415 FDI projects, mostly in finance-banking, electricity, telecommunications, agriculture and forestry, and mining. The two sides have been actively collaborating in multiple joint infrastructure projects in transport and energy.
Vietnam offers more than 1,000 scholarships on long-term and short-term courses of study for Lao people annually. Over 16,000 Lao officials and students are pursuing education and research in Vietnam. Early this year, the two ministries of education and training finalized a master plan for implementing the project on improving quality and effectiveness in bilateral cooperation in education and human resources development between 2021 and 2030.
Close partnership in border affairs, defense and security is a highlight in the bilateral relations, the ambassador said, adding that Vietnam and Laos have boosted effective cooperation in combating organized and trans-border crime, strengthening border control, and preventing illegal immigration to stem the spread of COVID-19.
The two sides have also been actively offering assistance to each other in COVID-19 response, he noted.
The diplomat expressed his confidence that the long-standing friendship and comprehensive partnership will continue to thrive in the future, contributing to building Vietnam and Laos as nations of prosperity and democracy and to the regional and global peace, stability, cooperation and development.
Ambassador Hung went on to say the official visit to Vietnam by Thonglun Sisoulith is of great significance as it is his first overseas trip in the capacity as Lao Party General Secretary and President for the 2021 – 2026 term, and the first visit made by a foreign high-level leader to Vietnam this year. It demonstrates that the two sides share close brotherhood and remain major partners in all areas, he said.
The visit provides a chance for Party and State leaders from both sides to directly meet and exchange views of important issues of their ties in the new context; and seek ways to intensify cooperation in politics – diplomacy, defense – security, trade – investment, culture – social affairs and others.
Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith, his wife and a high-ranking delegation is on an official visit to Vietnam from June 28-29.
The visit is made at the invitation of General Secretary of the Vietnam Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong and State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and their spouses.
Source: VNA