'The General Secretary's visit to Laos achieved many very important results'

Comrade Hoang Binh Quan, Head of the Central External Relations Commission, said the General Secretary's visit to Laos achieved many very important results.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has successfully concluded his official friendly visit to the Lao PDR at the invitation of General Secretary and President of the Lao PDR Bounnhang Vorachith. On this occasion, Comrade Hoang Binh Quan, member of the Party Central Committee and Head of the Central External Relations Commission, gave an interview to the press about the important results and highlights of the General Secretary's visit.

PV:Dear Comrade Hoang Binh Quan, this official friendly visit to the Lao PDR by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is a visit of special significance. Could you please tell us the main results of the visit?

Mr. Hoang Binh Quan:Choosing Laos as the first foreign visit of our Party General Secretary during the 12th Congress term demonstrates the high regard our Party, State and people have for the traditional friendship and special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos. This is also the first time the two Parties have held their congresses at the same time this year and thus entered a new term in the context of complex regional and global developments.

Head of the Central External Relations Commission Hoang Binh Quan.

Therefore, this official friendship visit to the Lao PDR by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation has special significance; it is an opportunity for the two highest leaders of the two countries to discuss and agree on major orientations, policies and measures for cooperation between the two Parties and the two countries throughout the term, aiming to bring the special Vietnam - Laos relationship to increasingly deepen, improve quality and become more effective.

The visit was a great success and achieved many important results. The General Secretary and the delegation were received with great respect, warmth, and comradely and brotherly affection. The visit and working program was rich and practical with important talks and meetings. The two sides had in-depth exchanges and shared their perceptions of the world and regional situation; assessed the important achievements in cooperation between the two Parties, the two countries and the two peoples in recent times; on that basis, discussed and agreed on policies, focuses and major measures for cooperation between the two Parties and the two countries in the coming time. I would like to emphasize the following points:

Firstly, the two sides agreed to recognize and affirm that the special solidarity and close relationship between Vietnam and Laos is a priceless asset, a law of survival, and an indispensable factor for the victory of the two Parties, two countries, and two peoples in the struggle to gain, maintain, and protect independence and freedom in the past as well as in the current cause of national construction, development, and defense.

In the context of the complicated developments in the world, in the important stage of development of each country today, regardless of the circumstances, the two Parties, two countries and people of the two countries are always determined to preserve the traditional friendship and special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos, Laos and Vietnam forever green, forever sustainable, bringing the relationship to increasingly deeper, higher quality and more effective.

Second, the two sides discussed and exchanged on the direction of strengthening, promoting and continuing to develop comprehensive cooperation between the two countries in all fields in the new term; in which, emphasizing economic cooperation, especially economic connectivity, including connectivity in terms of policy institutions, transport infrastructure, energy and tourism.

Third, the two sides agreed to step up coordination, assistance and mutual support in the fields of Party building and political system building; strengthen mechanisms for theoretical exchange, sharing practical experiences in leadership and management of the country, enhancing cooperation between Party Committees; and enhancing cooperation in cadre training; thereby, contributing to improving the capacity and fighting strength of each Party in the new situation.

To concretize the cooperation orientations between the two countries, during this visit of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the two sides signed 7 cooperation documents. In particular, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong informed the Lao leaders about the decision of the Party, State and people of Vietnam to present the Lao National Assembly Building in Vientiane and the two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding on this meaningful gift. General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong also presented Bo-ly Kham-xay province with a school. These are vivid manifestations of the special friendship and solidarity between Vietnam and Laos.

PV:During this visit, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong visited and talked with staff and students of the National University of Laos. What is your assessment of this very meaningful talk by the General Secretary?

Mr. Hoang Binh Quan:The General Secretary had a very emotional, profound and touching meeting and talk with 1,800 cadres and students of the National University of Laos. The General Secretary's speech shared his thoughts and major orientations on the Vietnam - Laos, Laos - Vietnam relations, on the path that the two Parties, two countries, and two peoples have chosen as well as the General Secretary's wishes and expectations for the young people, conveying profound messages to the young generation and the public of the two countries.

Firstly, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong vividly and profoundly portrayed the elements that make up the traditional friendship and special solidarity between the two Parties, two countries and peoples. The similarities and close, objective attachment in history, nature, culture, the process of revolutionary struggle, construction, development and protection of the Fatherland have created a special, exemplary, loyal and pure relationship between Vietnam and Laos, Laos and Vietnam, which has been diligently cultivated by successive generations and is a priceless asset that needs to be preserved and passed on by the two Parties, two countries and peoples.

Second, the extraordinary efforts of the people of the two countries, under the leadership of the two Parties, in the current renovation process. In the context of many difficulties in the region and the world, the great and historic results and achievements that the two Parties, the two countries and the people of the two countries have achieved over 30 years of renovation are vivid evidence affirming that the path chosen by the two Parties and the people of the two countries is very wise and correct, and is the basis for the people of the two countries to confidently and firmly step on the path of renovation and building socialism.

Third, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong conveyed his thoughts and wishes to the youth of the two countries; affirming that the youth are the “pillars of the country”, “a great social force of the present, and a creative subject of the future”. The General Secretary hoped that the young generation would be worthy of being a powerful shock force, a high-quality human resource contributing to the development of each country and to the preservation and increasingly dynamic and effective development of the special solidarity relationship between Vietnam and Laos, Laos and Vietnam in the new period.

PV:Dear Comrade, the leaders of the two Parties and the two countries have agreed and affirmed the major orientations and focuses for the cooperative relationship between the two countries in the current period, especially in this term. Please give your assessment of the prospects for the cooperative relationship between the two countries in the coming time.

Mr. Hoang Binh Quan:The major orientations, policies, and measures that the two sides agreed to propose during this visit will pave the way and create momentum for cooperation between the two Parties, two countries, and two peoples to go deeper, with higher quality and efficiency, with the prospect of achieving many new results in the coming time.

Overall, comprehensive cooperation between the two countries in all fields will certainly be promoted more strongly. Political relations will be increasingly strengthened, cooperation mechanisms will be expanded and their effectiveness will be enhanced.

Economic cooperation will have important new changes. The agreement and determination of both sides to resolve obstacles, remove difficulties, promote connectivity in both institutions and infrastructure, transportation, and energy will certainly create favorable conditions to strongly promote cooperation, trade, and investment between the two countries in the coming time.

In the field of Party building, the two sides have a number of cooperation and exchange mechanisms. With the orientations set forth by the two General Secretaries, cooperation in this field will certainly be expanded and further promoted throughout the political system, especially between Party Committees and Party agencies of the two countries.

In addition, the consensus on international and regional issues will further enhance coordination between the two countries in foreign and international affairs, especially at multilateral forums, actively contributing to ensuring a peaceful and stable environment in the region and the world.

PV:Thank you, comrade./.

According to VOV