Prime Minister concludes visit to Laos with success

Vientiane (VNA) - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh wrapped up his two-day official visit to Laos on January 12, during which he co-chaired the 45th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committee.

This is the first visit by PM Chinh to Laos, marking the successful conclusion of the Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022.

He is the first foreign leader to visit Laos in 2023 and also the first foreign guest that the new Lao PM has welcomed in 2023.

During his 30-hour stay in Laos, PM Chinh engaged in 20 different activities, including talks with his Lao counterpart Sonexay Siphandone, and meetings with incumbent and former Party and State leaders of Laos.

He and the Lao PM chaired and joined many important events of the two countries, including the closing ceremony of the Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022, the 45th session of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committee, and a Vietnam-Laos investment cooperation conference.

Both Vietnamese and Lao leaders reiterated the consistent policy of the two Parties and States towards each other, affirming that they always give highest priority to reinforcing and promoting the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive partnership between the two countries.

They agreed to work closely together to implement bilateral high-level agreements, while continuing to optimise their tradition of close and trustworthy collaboration in politics, defence and security, enhancing the efficiency and quality of cooperation among Party agencies, ministries, sectors, legislative bodies, the fronts, and unions of the two countries.

They pledged to support each other in building independent and self-reliant economies, extensively and effectively integrating into the world, and advancing to socialism.

The two sides concurred to work hard together to realise the bilateral cooperation strategy for the 2021-2030 period, and an agreement on Vietnam-Laos collaboration in the 2021-2025 period as well as other deals in all fields.

PM Chinh stressed the need for the two sides to bolster economic and investment partnership to match their sound political relations.

The two sides agreed to promote joint efforts in improving the business and investment environment in each country and foster connections between the two economies.

Leaders of the two sides concurred to maintain two-way trade growth of at least 10-15% per year, and expand ties in justice, science-technology, culture, tourism, people-to-people exchange, and collaboration among localities, especially those along the shared border.

Vietnam and Laos also agreed to strengthen cooperation in information and communications, and education-training. Leaders of the two sides underlined the need to educate the youth of the two sides on the special ties between the two countries.

During PM Chinh's visit, the two sides signed 10 cooperation agreements in finance-banking, transport, economic diplomacy, science-technology, ICT, education and training, and health care, creating an important legal corridor for the promotion of bilateral partnership in all fields.

PM Chinh underlined that the Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022 was a success, motivating the growth of bilateral relations for the benefit of both peoples./.