Vientiane (VNA) – Professor and Academician Boviengkham Vongdara, President of the Lao–Vietnam Friendship Association, highlighted the growing importance of deepening the special relationship between Laos and Vietnam in the new context in an interview recently granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s resident correspondents in Vientiane.
Boviengkham noted that during Party General Secretary To Lam’s state visit to Laos on the occasion of its 50th National Day, the two sides convened a meeting of their Politburos, where the Vietnamese leader introduced new content to the longstanding Laos-Vietnam relationship, which is “strategic cohesion.”
The bilateral ties have long been defined as “great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation”. Introducing “strategic cohesion,” he said, represents a timely and natural evolution, reflecting new requirements placed on the bilateral ties amid rapid, complex and unpredictable changes in the global and regional landscapes.
The great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation are a priceless legacy built by generations of both countries’ leaders and people, while the “strategic cohesion” element both inherits and advances that legacy under new historical conditions, Boviengkham stressed.
He explained that the Vietnamese Party chief described “strategic cohesion” as the first and foremost alignment in strategic vision and development goals, followed by enhanced policy and strategy coordination. Of particular importance is connectivity in infrastructure and linkages, including economic infrastructure, logistics, transport, postal and telecom services, and digital transformation. These key sectors hold long-term strategic significance for the sustainable development of each country and the wider region.
Beyond infrastructure, the two countries should also reinforce strategic connectivity in workforce development, especially in Party building and personnel training. Collectively, these elements reflect profound and comprehensive strategic alignment between the two Parties, States and people, standing united and moving forward together toward shared goals of prosperity and sustainable development.
During the enforcement of resolutions of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party’s 11th National Congress, Boviengkham said close bilateral cooperation has made substantial contributions. In recent years, Laos has grappled with challenges, including economic and financial strains, global economic volatility, rising fuel prices affecting exchange rates, the heavy toll of the COVID-19 pandemic, and devastation from natural disasters and floods. Against such a backdrop, timely and heartfelt assistance from the Vietnamese Party, State and people proved instrumental in enabling Laos to surmount these obstacles, he said.
The scholar pointed out that Laos’s two national-level strategic programmes tackling economic and financial challenges and drug-related issues have benefited from Vietnamese support. Notably, Vietnam has granted Laos sea access through the use of Wharf No. 3 at Vung Ang Port, considerably expanding the landlocked nation’s global connectivity. Vietnam has also aided Laos in the security sector and in establishing a population database tied to digital transformation, marking a key advance toward modern state governance.
Vietnam ranks among the top foreign investors in Laos, with over 260 projects valued at more than 6 billion USD. Two-way trade has continued to grow, reaching about 3 billion USD in 2025 and projected to reach 5 billion USD annually in the coming years. These efforts have delivered concrete backing to Laos in navigating hardships and advancing socio-economic progress, Boviengkham said.
People-to-people diplomacy has further intensified, with twinning ties and cooperation between localities growing stronger and more impactful. In workforce development, Vietnam granted over 1,600 scholarships to Lao students in 2025 alone.
On the diplomatic front, Laos and Vietnam have maintained tight coordination under bilateral treaties and within the ASEAN framework. Boviengkham underscored Vietnam’s strong support for Laos during its successful 2024 ASEAN chairmanship, including the hosting of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits, which elevated Laos’s standing and reputation in both global and regional arenas./.
