Politburo member Le Hong Anh has conveyed Vietnamese leaders’ New Year wishes to Lao Party General Secretary and State President Choummaly Sayasone on the occasion of the local traditional Bun Pi May festival.

Anh, who is also a permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat, was received by the Lao leader in Vientiane on April 11.

He congratulated Lao Party, State and people on their achievements during the national construction and defence as well as reform processes, believing that under the leadership of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, the country will continue to prosper.

The achievements are not only significant to Laos’ national development, but also contribute positively to consolidating and enhancing the Vietnam-Laos special relations as well as to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world, affirmed Anh.

Vietnam will always collaborate with Laos and do its utmost to continuously nurture and educate future generations about the bilateral ties, he added.

Choummaly Sayasone, in turn, expressed his delight at and pride of the growing time-honoured friendship, special solidarity and all-round cooperation between Laos and Vietnam, which he considers an important factor in ensuring the stability and development of both countries.

He thanked the Vietnamese Party, State and people for supporting Laos over the years, confirming that his country will also exert every effort to maintain relations.

Earlier, the Vietnamese official held talks with Bounnhang Volachith, Politburo member, permanent member of the Lao Party Central Committee’s Secretariat and Vice State President.

During the meeting, both agreed to continue visits and meetings between the two countries’ high-ranking leaders, intensify information and experience sharing in Party building, regularly organise seminars and conferences on both theoretical and practical issues, and strengthen cooperation in defence, security, economics, trade, investment, education and culture.

They also reached a consensus on instructing ministries and localities to effectively carry out agreements reached during the 37 th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committee on Bilateral Cooperation.

The same day, the Vietnamese official paid a New Year visit to Sisavat Keobounphan, former Lao Prime Minister and former President of the Lao National Liberation Front Central Committee.-VNA