Hanoi (VNA) – President of the Lao National Assembly Sonexay Siphandone and his spouse, Vandara Siphandone, arrived in Hanoi, beginning their official visit to Vietnam from November 2 – 5, at the invitation of Vietnam’s National Assembly President Tran Thanh Man and his spouse.
They were welcomed at Noi Bai International Airport by NA Vice President Nguyen Doan Anh; Sen. Lieut. Gen. Le Tan Toi, Chairman of the NA’s Committee on National Defence, Security, and Foreign Affairs; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Hoang Long.
In an interview on the visit and bilateral cooperation, Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Minh Tam said that, from a strategic perspective, the visit is important in further translating the concept of “strategic cohesion” into concrete action and making it a guiding principle underpinning Vietnam-Laos relations.
Accordingly, the two countries will continue to consolidate political trust and strengthen coordination on strategic issues related to their respective development, particularly in the areas of economy, national defence and security, infrastructure connectivity, energy and human resources development. Beyond continuing to accompany and support each other and share development experience, the two countries will gradually deepen their connectivity, complementarity and interwoven interests, creating fresh momentum and greater development space for each while bringing the strategic interests of the two nations into closer alignment.
Meanwhile, Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Khamphao Ernthavanh expressed her confidence that the official visit to Vietnam by Lao NA Chairman Sonexay Siphandone would be of great significance, reflecting the special importance the Lao Party, State and National Assembly attach to consolidating, nurturing and developing the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion between Laos and Vietnam.
She noted that Sonexay Siphandone was elected Chairman of the 10th Lao National Assembly on October 5. Therefore, the visit is particularly significant for relations between the legislative leaders of the two countries in the new period. It will provide a foundation for effectively implementing existing cooperation agreements while opening up new avenues of cooperation suited to each country's development needs in the current period.
She added that the visit will provide an opportunity for the two legislatures’ leaders not only to exchange views and review the outcomes of bilateral cooperation but also to agree on orientations and specific measures to improve the quality and effectiveness of their legislative bodies' work, and strengthen coordination in lawmaking, supreme oversight and decision-making on major national issues./.
