Vietnam gives the highest priority to its special relationship with Laos.

The visit of the Lao Prime Minister to Vietnam once again affirms the consistent foreign policy of the Vietnamese Party and State, which is to always attach great importance and give the highest priority to the special Vietnam-Laos relationship.

At the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and his wife will pay an official visit to Vietnam to co-chair the 46th session of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee from January 6 to 7, 2024.

Exactly one year ago, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh was also the first high-ranking foreign leader to visit Laos in 2023 and the first foreign partner that Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone welcomed after taking office.

During this visit by the Lao Prime Minister, the two sides are expected to review and assess the outstanding achievements in Vietnam-Lao relations in 2023; set out some key directions for 2024; promote the effective implementation of key cooperation issues; and coordinate the successful organization of major events in the bilateral relationship and for each country, especially Laos's role as ASEAN Chair in 2024.

The two sides will exchange views on measures to strengthen political and foreign policy cooperation; promote security and defense cooperation; boost economic, trade, and investment cooperation; strengthen the linkage between the two economies; effectively implement key projects; coordinate between Vietnam and Laos, as well as at regional and international forums, especially within the framework of ASEAN, Mekong sub-regional cooperation, and at the United Nations.

Over the past period, the Vietnam-Laos relationship has continued to be close and develop well.

Political and diplomatic relations continue to be strengthened, with increasing trust, playing a core role in guiding the overall relationship between the two countries. Both sides successfully coordinated the organization of the annual meeting of the two Politburos, the 45th session of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee, and the closing ceremony of the "Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Solidarity Year 2022" (January 2023); actively implemented the Agreement on bilateral cooperation between Vietnam and Laos for the period 2021-2025 and the Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Strategy for the period 2021-2030; actively organized visits by high-level leaders and officials at all levels; and strengthened exchanges of theory and experience in Party building, socio-economic development, and international integration.

Defense and security cooperation continues to be maintained and developed, strengthened both qualitatively and quantitatively, playing a crucial role as a pillar in the bilateral relationship. Both sides actively implement protocols and cooperation plans in the field of defense and security; coordinating the search for and repatriation of remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Laos during the war (during the 2022-2023 dry season, both sides repatriated 194 sets of remains). The Lao People's Army Ethnic Culture School and the Lao People's Public Security Political School were also inaugurated.

Both sides will strengthen cooperation in combating reactionary elements and organizations involved in "peaceful evolution," and coordinate effectively in resolving and combating cross-border crimes, especially drug trafficking and human trafficking.

Economic, trade, and investment cooperation continues to show positive developments. The two sides have signed a "Memorandum of Understanding on the Development and Connectivity of Vietnam-Laos Border Trade Infrastructure"; and are coordinating the revision of the Vietnam-Laos Trade Agreement and the Vietnam-Laos Border Trade Agreement to create the most favorable conditions for businesses and people of both countries.

Vietnam currently has 241 investment projects in Laos with a total registered capital of US$5.47 billion, maintaining its position as the third largest investor among countries/territories (after China and Thailand). In the first 11 months of 2023, Vietnam approved 7 new projects and 2 projects with increased capital, totaling over US$114 million (a 71.7% increase compared to the same period). After 11 months of 2023, bilateral trade reached US$1.5 billion. To further strengthen the connectivity between the two economies, both sides completed and handed over the Nong Khang Airport Project.

Cooperation in other important areas such as culture, education, science, technology, and cooperation between localities... continues to evolve and be strengthened, becoming increasingly concrete, in-depth, and comprehensive.

Cooperation in education, training, and culture continues to receive attention and is being actively implemented through the Vietnam-Laos Education Cooperation Project for the period 2021-2030, the Protocol on Vietnam-Laos Training Cooperation for the period 2022-2027; the Plan for Cultural, Artistic, and Tourism Cooperation for the period 2021-2025, and support for Laos in developing its Sports Development Strategy for the period 2023-2030.

Both sides completed the construction of the Xieng Khouang Provincial Friendship Hospital, handed over the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Vocational School in Nongbok District, Khammouane Province; and launched the project to build the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Park in Vientiane (August 25, 2022). Currently, there are approximately 14,600 Lao students studying at more than 170 educational institutions in Vietnam.

Both sides are also urgently coordinating the preparation of a dossier to submit to UNESCO for recognition of Hin Namno National Park (Laos) as an extended transboundary natural heritage site of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park (Vietnam); and conducting surveys to recognize the Western Truong Son Road in Lao territory as a national historical site.

Cooperation between localities, especially those sharing a common border, continues to be strengthened, becoming increasingly concrete, in-depth, and comprehensive in all fields, ensuring security, order, and safety in the border areas of the two countries.

The two sides cooperate closely and support each other in regional and international cooperation forums, especially within the framework of ASEAN, the United Nations, and sub-regional mechanisms. In 2023, in addition to official visits, high-level leaders of the two countries regularly met on the occasion of attending multilateral conferences and forums.

Vietnamese Party and State leaders have repeatedly affirmed and emphasized the consistent foreign policy of always valuing and giving the highest priority to the special relationship between Vietnam and Laos. This visit by the Lao Prime Minister is of great significance in further promoting the effective implementation of high-level agreements between the two Parties and two countries, contributing to the continuous development of the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, making it deeper, more substantive, and more effective, especially in the fields of economics, security, defense, education, and training.