Vientiane (VNA) – Party General Secretary To Lam met with President of the Lao National Assembly Saysomphone Phomvihane in Vientiane on February 5, reaffirming that Vietnam always attaches great importance to and gives top priority to its special, unique relationship with Laos.
General Secretary Lam expressed delight at paying a state visit to Laos in his capacity as the top leader of the 14th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), and congratulated Saysomphone on his re-election to the Politburo of the 12th Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee.
He congratulated Laos on its major, comprehensive, and historically significant achievements over the past four decades of reform, as well as the success of the LPRP’s 12th National Congress. He spoke highly of economic development strategy articulated in Laos’ third Political Platform and the key resolutions of the 12th Congress, noting that these documents reflect a long-term, comprehensive, and consistent strategic vision aimed at building an independent, self-reliant economy capable of rapid and sustainable growth.
The Vietnamese leader commended the Lao NA’s role, responsibility, and important contributions in concretising and ensuring the effective implementation of the national development strategy. He expressed his confidence that the Lao NA, as the highest organ of state power, will continue to work closely with the Vietnamese Party and Government to promptly and coordinately institutionalise renewal policies and major socio-economic development orientations, while safeguarding political stability and legitimate interests of the Lao people in pursuit of the 12th Congress resolution’s goals.
Vietnam strongly and fully supports Laos’s cause of national defence and construction, he said, expressing thanks to the Lao Party, State, and people for their great, wholehearted, and invaluable assistance to Vietnam over the past years. He also briefed his host on the situation in Vietnam, particularly the outcomes of the CPV’s 14th National Congress and Vietnam’s active preparations for the elections of deputies to the 16th NA and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026–2031 term.
Saysomphone, for his part, welcomed the state visit by General Secretary Lam and his entourage following the success of the LPRP’s 12th Congress and the CPV’s 14th Congress.
Congratulating Vietnam on its broad and major achievements in recent years, he stressed that General Secretary Lam’s selection of Laos as the first overseas destination following the CPV’s 14th Congress, and shortly after the LPRP’s 12th Congress clearly demonstrates the great importance and top priority that both Parties and States attach to the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion between the two countries. He was also impressed by the highly successful high-level talks held that morning, noting that the simultaneous presence of three key Vietnamese leaders underscored the special nature of bilateral ties.
Both sides expressed their satisfaction with the robust and effective cooperation between the two NAs. Joint activities between NA committees and agencies have proceeded in flexible forms, both bilaterally and at global and regional inter-parliamentary forums. They agreed to further enrich the substance of “strategic cohesion” established in December 2025, thereby affirming a shared vision, intertwined strategic interests, and a long-term orientation to close companionship for the sustainable, self-reliant, and prosperous development of both nations.
Saysomphone vowed to work closely with the Vietnamese NA to effectively oversee the progress of high-level agreements and existing cooperation accords, particularly key economic projects, thus deepening the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion between the two nations.
Under any circumstances, the great relationship and solidarity between Laos and Viet Nam will remain unchanged, he said.
Host and guest committed to intensified oversight of bilateral agreements, frequent exchange of high-level visits among NA leaders and committees, steady expansion of cooperation in such areas as economy-trade, national defence - security, people-to-people and locality-to-locality exchanges, as well as public communications on bilateral ties. They promised to deepen experience-sharing, particularly in institutional and law building.
The two legislatures will continue to capitalise on their respective strengths, extending cooperation from political and defence-security domains into economic and other fields, while establishing and refining favourable cooperation mechanisms and coordinating with governments, local authorities, ministries and sectors to clear obstacles and foster stronger, more closely connected ties in the new phase.
The two sides also pledged mutual liaison and support at global and regional parliamentary forums, more consultations on stances toward global and regional issues consistent with each country’s interests and concerns, and in harmony with ASEAN’s common stance and those of relevant partners, thereby contributing to a peaceful and stable regional environment conducive to development.
On the occasion, General Secretary Lam extended his best wishes to the elections of deputies to Laos’s 10th NA and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026–2030 term./.
