Vientiane (VNA) - National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man met with President of the Lao NA Saysomphone Phomvihane in Vientiane on February 5, as part of the ongoing state visit to Laos by Party General Secretary To Lam.
NA Chairman Man congratulated the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) on the great success of its 12th National Congress, affirming that the Congress marked an important milestone demonstrating the Party’s determination to follow the renewal policy, with clear directions, goals, and tasks for national construction and development in the new period. He also congratulated Saysomphone on his re-election to the Politburo of the 12th LPRP Central Committee.
Congratulating Laos on its major, comprehensive, and historically significant achievements over the past four decades of reform, along with the successful implementation of the 11th National Party Congress’s Resolution and the ninth five-year socio-economic development plan (2021–2025), he said these accomplishments are not only a source of pride for the Lao Party, State, and people, but also a great encouragement to the Vietnamese counterparts.
He believed that under the LPRP’s sound leadership, the NA’s increasingly effective supervision, and the Government’s resolute direction, Laos and its people will overcome all challenges and realise the goals of the 12th National Party Congress’s Resolution and the 10th five-year socio-economic development plan.
Vietnam always gives the top priority to its special, unique traditional relationship with Laos, standing shoulder to shoulder with and strongly and fully supporting Laos in its cause of national defence, construction and development, he said, adding Vietnam always values invaluable assistance and contributions by generations of Lao leaders and people, and remains committed to nurturing the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations.
The top Vietnamese legislator briefed his host on the outcomes of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and activities marking the 80th anniversary of the first general election. He also provided updates on preparations for the elections of deputies to the 16th NA and People’s Councils at all levels, scheduled for March 2026, describing it as a major political event in Vietnam this year - a broad, in-depth democratic political activity through which every Vietnamese citizen will fully exercise their rights to mastery, responsibilities, and duties toward the country.
He thanked Saysomphone for sharing details of Laos’s preparations and electoral structure for the next term, believing that the elections for the 10th NA and the fifth People’s Councils will be a great success.
Saysomphone, in reply, said that General Secretary Lan and his entourage are the first state guests to Laos following the congresses of both Parties, considering it a historic visit amid shared celebrations of congress outcomes and preparations for new legislative elections. He said it vividly reflects the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic cohesion between Laos and Vietnam.
He praised Vietnam's major, comprehensive socio-economic achievements, which have preserved political stability, improved living standards, and enhanced its global standing, affirming them as a great source of encouragement for Laos' national defence and construction efforts. He extended particular thanks to the Vietnamese NA for its practical and effective assistance to the Lao counterpart.
Despite complex and unpredictable global and regional developments, bilateral ties keep thriving across various fields, from politics and national defence-security to economy and trade, with both sides committed to advancing key projects and deepening legislative ties.
Both chairmen expressed satisfaction with the strong momentum in Laos-Vietnam relations across various sectors. On legislative cooperation, they commended the joint publication of a book marking 50 years of relations between the two NAs, viewing it as a concrete evidence of their all-around collaboration. The publication, they noted, reaffirms the sound and enduring leadership and cooperation between the two Parties and States, as well as the proactive, creative role of the two NAs in bilateral ties in recent years.
The two sides agreed to sustain public awareness campaigns on bilateral relations in general and inter-parliamentary ties in particular, especially among younger generations.
According to them, frequent visits and exchanges between NA leaders and deputies facilitate the sharing of experience in lawmaking, supreme oversight, and decision-making on important national issues. Close liaison at multilateral parliamentary forums, especially within the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), has bolstered each country’s prestige and standing, while amplifying a common voice for regional peace, stability, and sustainable development.
Host and guest suggested continued close collaboration, including strengthened oversight of high-level agreements, enhanced NA committee-level cooperation, expanded exchanges among parliamentary friendship groups, women and young parliamentarians; more delegation exchanges, including those at the local level and among local People’s Councils; intensified people-to-people and border exchanges, and maintenance of a border of friendship, cooperation, and development, and sharing of experience in streamlining NA bodies.
The two sides agreed on directions for future inter-legislative cooperation and assigned the Vietnamese NA Committee for National Defence, Security and Foreign Affairs and the Lao NA’s Committee for Foreign Affairs to promptly draft a cooperation document for submission to the chairmen. They also committed to exploring a new cooperation agreement aligned with current conditions./.
