Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh begins official visit to Vietnam.
On the morning of January 8th, a high-level delegation of the Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, led by Comrade Phankham Viphavanh - Member of the Political Bureau and Prime Minister, arrived in Hanoi to begin an official visit to Vietnam from January 8th to 10th, 2022, at the invitation of Comrade Pham Minh Chinh, Member of the Political Bureau and Prime Minister.
 |
| Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh. Photo: khmertimeskh.com |
The high-level delegation of the Lao Government included: Politburo member and Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh; General Chansamone Chanyalath, Politburo member, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence; Sonexay Siphandone, Politburo member, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning and Investment, and Chairman of the Lao-Vietnam Cooperation Committee; and Saleumxay Kommasith, Politburo member and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Also present were Central Committee members: Minister of Industry and Commerce Khampheng Saysompheng; Minister and Head of the Prime Minister's Office Khamjane Vongphosy; Governor of the State Bank Sonexay Sitphaxay; Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Suanesavanh Vignaket; Minister of Finance Bounchom Ubonpaseuth; Minister of Public Works and Transport Viengsavath Siphandone; Minister of Education and Sports Phout Simmalavong; and Minister of Health Bounfeng Phoummalaysith. Minister of Energy and Mines Daovong Phonekeo.
Accompanying them were: Lieutenant General, Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Deputy Minister of Public Security Vanthong Kongmany; Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Thongphut Vongmany; Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Sengphet Houngbounnguang; Deputy Minister, Deputy Head of the Prime Minister's Office, Secretary to the Prime Minister Kingmano Phommahaxay; Vice Chairman of the Lao-Vietnam Cooperation Committee Viengsavanh Vilayphone.
Comrade Phankham Viphavanh was born on April 14, 1951; his educational background is a PhD.
Comrade Phankham Viphavanh's career path: From 1970-1975, he was a teacher at the Central Lao Patriotic Front Teacher Training School in Viengxay district, and Secretary of the school's Youth Union; from 1975-1977, he was an official at the Ministry of Education, Deputy Head of the Youth Union Establishment Campaign Committee. From 1977-1983, he studied at a university in the former Soviet Union. From 1983-1985, he was the Party Secretary and Principal of the Political Theory Training School, Ministry of Education and Sports. From 1985-1988, he was a postgraduate student in Marxist-Leninist theory in the former Soviet Union.
From 1988-1989, he was the Vice Rector of Vientiane University of Education; from 1989-1996, he was a Party Committee member of the Ministry of Education and Sports and Rector of Vientiane University of Education. From 1996-1998, he was a Standing Member of the National Steering Committee on Human Resource Development.
From 1998-2001, he was Deputy Head of the Central Organization Department, a member of the Steering Committee and Project Manager on administrative reform; from 2001-2003, he was Deputy Minister and Deputy Head of the Prime Minister's Office in charge of Administration and Public Service Management; from 2003-2005: Deputy Minister and Head of the Prime Minister's Office.
From 2006-2010, he was a member of the Central Committee of the Party, 8th term; Secretary and Governor of Hua Phan province; from 2011-2014, he was a member of the Politburo, 9th term, Secretary of the Party Committee and Minister of Education and Sports, and President of the Central Committee of the Lao-Vietnam Friendship Association.
From 2014-2015, he was a member of the Politburo, Deputy Prime Minister, Party Secretary - Minister of Education and Sports, and President of the Central Committee of the Lao-Vietnam Friendship Association. From January to April 2016, he was a member of the Politburo of the 10th Party Congress, Standing Member of the Secretariat, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Education and Sports, and President of the Central Committee of the Lao-Vietnam Friendship Association. From April 2016 to January 2021, he was a member of the Politburo, Standing Member of the Secretariat, and Vice President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic; in January 2021, he became a member of the Politburo of the 11th Party Congress. From March 2021 to the present, he has been a member of the Politburo and Prime Minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic.
The official visit of Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavan to Vietnam is the first visit by a high-ranking foreign leader to Vietnam in 2022. The visit also demonstrates the determination of the high-ranking leaders of both countries to promote the special Vietnam-Lao relationship in a deeper, more practical way and to effectively implement the Vietnam-Lao Joint Statement of June 2021. At the same time, it is the first significant event within the framework of the Vietnam-Lao, Laos-Vietnam Friendship and Solidarity Year, aimed at further strengthening the special relationship between the two countries.
