Hanoi (VNA) – Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Tran Thanh Man had meeting with visiting General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith on January 26, affirming the Vietnamese NA's commitment to expanding cooperation with its Lao counterpart to new areas, contributing to the two countries' parliamentary ties and their special relationship.
Chairman Man noted that his guest's state visit takes place at a time when the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and the 12th National Congress of the LPRP have just been held with great success, marking important milestones in the development process of each country. He said the visit provides an opportunity for the two Parties, States, and peoples to share valuable achievements and experience, and to agree on strategic orientations for a new phase of development.
The NA Chairman stressed that the success of each congress vividly demonstrates the clear-sighted leadership of each Party while reflecting the solidarity, resolve and determination of the entire Parties, peoples, and armed forces of Vietnam and Laos.
This success, he said, has laid a solid political foundation for the two countries to further strengthen comprehensive cooperation and deepen their special solidarity, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic cohesion, described as a “one-of-a-kind” relationship in international relations.
On behalf of the Vietnamese NA and people, the host congratulated Thongloun Sisoulith on being re-elected as General Secretary of the LPRP Central Committee. He expressed strong confidence that the LPRP leader, with his leadership capacity, political prestige, and rich experience, will continue to make major and important contributions to national construction, defence and development of Laos, leading the successful implementation of the Resolution of the 12th LPRP Congress and the 10th five-year socio-economic development plan (2026–2030), and further promoting the country's stature and prestige in the region and the world.
On this occasion, the top legislator of Vietnam also offered congratulations to Saysomphone Phomvihane, Chairman of the Lao NA, and other high-ranking leaders of Laos who have been entrusted with key positions.
He stated that Vietnam always attaches great importance to and wishes to continue working closely with Laos to nurture and further deepen the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.
Chairman Man congratulated Laos on the major, comprehensive and historically significant achievements recorded over 50 years of national construction, 40 years of reform, and during the tenure of the 11th Party Congress (2021–2025). He commended Laos for fruitfully implementing the Resolution of the 11th Congress and the ninth five-year socio-economic development plan, maintaining macroeconomic stability and sustaining annual growth of nearly 5%, thereby creating a solid stepping stone for the 12th Congress to chart strategic directions for a new development stage, consolidate the LPRP's leadership role, and promote fast and sustainable national development.
The NA Chairman expressed satisfaction with the breakthrough progress in Vietnam – Laos economic and trade cooperation, a key pillar of the great friendship and special solidarity between the two countries. Bilateral trade in 2025 reached nearly 3 billion USD, up about 32.7% from 2024, marking a record high and far exceeding the set targets. These results, he noted, clearly reflect the complementarity of the two economies, helping to improve people's life quality and boost sustainable development.
He added that both sides are striving to raise bilateral trade to 5–10 billion USD by strengthening connectivity in transport infrastructure, energy, logistics, tourism, and investment.
Chairman Man proposed that the two legislatures continue to enhance coordination at regional and international parliamentary forums, especially the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), thereby helping to elevate the collective voice and standing of developing countries globally.
He affirmed that the Vietnamese NA will further increase high-level exchanges, share experience in legislation and supervision, promote the effective implementation of the signed cooperation agreements, support Laos at regional and international forums, and work closely to address difficulties and expand cooperation to new areas such as the digital economy, energy transition, infrastructure connectivity, and education – training.
Vietnam, he added, stands ready to share experience in conducting digital transformation, building a digital parliament, and applying artificial intelligence to parliamentary activities. He also called for stronger cooperation and regular exchanges among their NA committees, offices and affiliated agencies, as well as increased interaction between lawmakers of the two countries, especially young ones.
The Vietnamese NA will continue to expand cooperation to new areas, contributing to more substantive and effective parliamentary cooperation and the special Vietnam – Laos relationship in the new period, the Chairman remarked.
For his part, the Party General Secretary and President of Laos expressed his pleasure at being the first foreign leader to pay a state visit to Vietnam following the successful 14th National Congress of the CPV. He highly valued the significant achievements recorded by the Vietnamese Party, State, and people, particularly the outstanding success of the 14th National Congress.
Expressing strong agreement with his host's opinions and proposals on enhancing cooperation between the two legislatures, he voiced his wish for the NAs of both countries to further step up cooperation and experience-sharing in legislation and supreme supervision, especially in the implementation of bilateral economic cooperation agreements and key joint projects.
Over the next five years, the two legislatures will strengthen coordination to fruitfully implement the resolutions of the two Parties, further deepening substantive parliamentary cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, he went on.
The visiting leader affirmed that the Lao NA will continue to work closely with its Vietnamese counterpart to share experience, improve parliamentary performance, and enhance supervision over the implementation of the high-level cooperation agreements already signed./.
