General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong: Vietnam gives top priority to strengthening special relations with Laos

On the afternoon of January 8, at the Party Central Committee Headquarters, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong received Comrade Phankham Viphavanh, Politburo member and Prime Minister of Laos, on the occasion of his official visit to Vietnam, co-chairing the opening of the Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022 and the 44th meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee.

Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh expressed his pleasure to visit and work in Vietnam and thanked General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong for receiving and showing his warm feelings towards the delegation.

Mr. Phankham Viphavanh congratulated Vietnam on its recent achievements and expressed his belief that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, headed by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the Vietnamese people will continue to gain new and greater achievements in the renewal process, successfully implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress.

The Lao Prime Minister deeply thanked Vietnam for the great, timely and effective support and assistance that Vietnam has given to Laos so far, including assistance to Laos in preventing and fighting the Covid-19 pandemic; affirmed that the Lao Party, State and people will do their utmost to preserve and foster the special Laos-Vietnam relationship, expressed joy at the Laos-Vietnam relationship being constantly consolidated and developed in all fields; and thanked the General Secretary for emphasizing the importance of the relationship between the two Parties and the two countries.

Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh informed General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong about the recent situation in Laos, especially the implementation of the Resolution of the 11th National Party Congress and the 9th Five-Year Socio-Economic Development Plan, the results of the substantive and in-depth talks with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. The two sides agreed that cooperation between the two countries in recent times has developed in all fields, including practical results in economic, cultural and educational cooperation, and affirmed that the Lao Government will continue to closely coordinate with the Vietnamese Government to direct relevant ministries, branches and localities to deploy and implement well the Agreements between the high-ranking leaders of the two Parties and the two countries and the contents of the Agreements at the upcoming 44th Meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee, while effectively implementing activities in the Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022 in a form suitable to the actual situation.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong warmly welcomed Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh on his official visit to Vietnam, co-chairing the opening of the Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022 and the 44th Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee, and highly appreciated the significance and importance of the visit, which deeply demonstrates the close, trusting and special relationship between Vietnam and Laos.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong congratulated Laos on its achievements after one year of implementing the Resolution of the 11th National Party Congress, and believed that under the leadership of the Party, the resolute management of the Government and the direction of the Prime Minister, the Lao people will continue to gain new and greater achievements, successfully implementing the Resolution of the 11th National Party Congress and controlling the Covid-19 pandemic.

The General Secretary affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to and gives top priority to strengthening the special relationship between Vietnam and Laos, which is both comradely and fraternal, and strongly supports Laos's reform and development, highly appreciates their support and assistance in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic; and emphasizes the importance of continuously strengthening the Vietnam-Laos relationship for the stability and development of each country as well as for peace and cooperation in the region and the world.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong highly appreciated the strong coordination and direction of the two Prime Ministers and emphasized the importance of the coordination mechanism between the two Governments along with the efforts of the ministries, branches and localities of the two countries in effectively implementing the High-level Agreements, Agreements between the two Governments as well as cooperation programs and plans of the two sides.

The General Secretary welcomed the talks between the Vietnamese and Lao Prime Ministers that produced concrete results; emphasizing that the working results between the two Governments during Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh's visit will be an extremely important foundation for the two countries to fulfill the goals set in their bilateral relations.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh expressed their joy at the developments in the cooperative relationship between the two countries in recent times, bringing practical benefits to the people of each country, affirming that together they will do their utmost to preserve and foster the good Vietnam-Laos relationship and pass it on to future generations, and emphasized that the special Vietnam-Laos relationship is a priceless common asset of the two Parties and two peoples, a rule of existence and development, a vital relationship and an important resource for the cause of protection and development in each country, actively contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world./.