Prime Minister’s Visit to Laos Achieves Comprehensive, Substantive Results

PM Pham Minh Chinh and his Lao counterpart Sonexay Siphandone at a ceremony to sign important agreements between the two countries. Photo: VNA

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh wrapped up his two-day official visit to Laos on January 12, during which he co-chaired the 45th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committee, VNA reported.

This is the first visit by PM Chinh to Laos, marking the successful conclusion of the Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022.

He is the first foreign leader to visit Laos in 2023 and also the first foreign guest that the new Lao PM has welcomed in 2023.

With a busy schedule of nearly 20 activities in about 30 hours, PM Chinh engaged in 20 different activities, including talks with his Lao counterpart Sonexay Siphandone, and meetings with incumbent and former Party and State leaders of Laos.

He and the Lao PM chaired and joined many important events of the two countries, including the closing ceremony of the Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022, the 45th session of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committee, and a Vietnam-Laos investment cooperation conference.

Both Vietnamese and Lao leaders reiterated the consistent policy of the two Parties and States towards each other, affirming that they always give highest priority to reinforcing and promoting the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive partnership between the two countries.

The Vietnam – Laos investment cooperation conference in Vientiane on January 12. Photo: VNA

They agreed to work closely together to implement bilateral high-level agreements while continuing to optimize their tradition of close and trustworthy collaboration in politics, defense and security, enhancing the efficiency and quality of cooperation among Party agencies, ministries, sectors, legislative bodies, the fronts, and unions of the two countries.

They pledged to support each other in building independent and self-reliant economies, extensively and effectively integrating into the world, and advancing to socialism.

The two sides concurred to work hard together to realize the bilateral cooperation strategy for the 2021-2030 period, and an agreement on Vietnam-Laos collaboration in the 2021-2025 period as well as other deals in all fields.

PM Chinh stressed the need for the two sides to bolster economic and investment partnerships to match their sound political relations.

The two sides agreed to promote joint efforts in improving the business and investment environment in each country and foster connections between the two economies.

Leaders of the two sides concurred to maintain two-way trade growth of at least 10-15% per year, and expand ties in justice, science-technology, culture, tourism, people-to-people exchange, and collaboration among localities, especially those along the shared border.

Vietnam and Laos also agreed to strengthen cooperation in information and communications, and education training. Leaders of the two sides underlined the need to educate the youth of the two sides on the special ties between the two countries.

During PM Chinh’s visit, the two sides signed 10 cooperation agreements in finance-banking, transport, economic diplomacy, science-technology, ICT, education and training, and health care, creating an important legal corridor for the promotion of bilateral partnership in all fields.

PM Pham Minh Chinh (L) meets with former Party General Secretary and President of Laos Choummaly Sayasone on January 11. Photo: VNA

PM Chinh underlined that the Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022 was a success, motivating the growth of bilateral relations for the benefit of both peoples.

The official visit to Laos by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is a success, contributing to realizing the diplomatic policy set by the 13th National Party Congress which advocates valuing the development of ties with neighboring and ASEAN countries, with the top priority given to Laos, said Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son.

Speaking with the press, Minister Son said the January 11-12 visit at the invitation of Lao PM Sonexay Siphandone was the first made by the Vietnamese PM, wrapping up the Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022.

Both sides signed 10 cooperation documents to further boost ties across economic diplomacy, digital partnership, judicial assistance in civil affairs, education training, finance-banking, health care, waterway transport and training of diplomatic officials.

Apart from political, defense and economic ties, both sides also agreed to keep improving the quality of cooperation in education-training, justice, sci-tech, culture, tourism, people-to-people and locality-to-locality cooperation, particularly border provinces.

PM Pham Minh Chinh (R) and Chairman of the Laos – Vietnam Friendship Association Boviengkham Vongdara at the meeting in Vientiane on January 11. Photo: VNA

The Vietnamese PM expressed readiness to help Laos successfully take over international tasks in the near future such as ASEAN/AIPA chairmanship in 2024.

Son concluded that with the above achievements, the visit has generated a new impetus for Vietnam-Laos special cooperative ties for the benefit of the two nations and for peace, stability and development in the region.

Vietnam has a total registered investment of USD 5.34 billion in Laos, making it one of the three biggest foreign investors here. Meanwhile, Laos has continually been the top destination among the 79 countries and territories Vietnamese businesses have invested in.

In 2021, Vietnam invested USD 118.3 million in Laos, up 33.3% year on year. The figure stood at USD 180 million in 2022, rising 52.5%.

Meanwhile, Laos is running 10 investment projects worth over USD 71 million in Vietnam.