Vietnam leader’s visit to Laos illustrates resolve to boost solidarity

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s working visit to Laos renewed the countries’ resolve to intensify their special solidarity, Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung told the press.

During the visit from September 13-14, made at the invitation of Lao PM Thongsing Thammavong, PM Nguyen Tan Dung toured the capital city of Vientiane and the central provinces of Savannakhet and Khammouane.

He had talks with his Lao counterpart and met with Lao Party General Secretary and President Choummaly Sayasone and National Assembly Chairwoman Pany Yathotu, along with former Lao leaders, Trung said.

During the meetings, the two sides affirmed that the close relations and special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos are priceless assets and vital to their revolutionary causes.

They agreed to coordinate to thoroughly prepare for the 38th meeting of the countries’ Inter-governmental Committee and exchange mechanisms between their sectors and localities, including the annual consultations between Deputy PMs and Foreign Ministers later this year.

Vietnam and Laos will continue working together to successfully organise their 2015 celebrations, including Laos’s 40th National Day and the 95th birthday of the late Lao President Kaysone Phomvihane in December.

The leaders were unanimous in boosting the nations’ economic connections through recently inked trade agreements, transport cooperation, energy and electricity production affiliation; improving the disbursement of Vietnamese companies’ direct investment in Laos; and effectively implementing underway projects and facilitating new efforts.

The two sides will also consider settling policy, mechanism and procedure obstacles so as to promote the two business circles and bilateral trade in 2015.

Vietnam is willing to cooperate comprehensively in Laos’s strategic project of building an oil pipeline from Hon La port of Vietnam’s central Quang Binh province to Khammouane province, noted Deputy Foreign Minister Trung.

Regarding regional and international matters, they concurred to enhance bilateral cooperation and links with other ASEAN members to maintain the bloc’s common viewpoints on important issues in the region, including the East Sea.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung vowed Vietnam’s maximum support to Laos as the latter assumes the ASEAN Chair in 2016. Meanwhile, the two countries will also continue realising agreements on the Mekong sub-regional cooperation reached by the two Political Bureaus.

During the visit, the Vietnamese leader attended a ceremony to officially open a potash salt mine exploiting and processing project of the Vietnam National Chemical Group in Khammuane province. The project, worth over 522 million USD, is Vietnam’s biggest overseas investment and makes the country the second largest foreign investor in Laos.

Trung cited PM Nguyen Tan Dung as saying at the ground-breaking ceremony that the project economically benefits both countries and demonstrates Vietnam’s willingness to actively contribute to its neighbour’s socio-economic development.

On this occasion, the Vietnamese and Lao Governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the transport cooperation strategy for 2016-2025, considered a crucial measure to foster economic connectivity.

As part of his working visit, the Vietnamese cabinet leader visited the President Ho Chi Minh memorial site in Xieng Vang village and met with the Vietnamese community there, the Deputy Minister said.

Trung underlined the success of PM Nguyen Tan Dung’s working visit to Laos, which highlighted their mutual resolve to uphold their special political relationship so as to reinforce win-win cooperation.

He also described the visit as an important political event as the nations prepare for their respective Party Congresses next year.-VNA