A high-ranking delegation of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) led by Lieut. Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich, Head of VPA’s General Department of Politics, began a four-day official friendly visit to Laos on Oct. 16.

The visit is being made at the invitation of Lieut. Gen. Sengnouane Sayalat, Deputy Defence Minister and Chief of the General Political Department of the Lao People’s Army.

The visit aims to strengthen and develop the traditional friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and mutual trust between the Parties, States, armies and people of the two countries.

It is also seen as a step to realise policies on military and defence cooperation which were approved by leaders of the two Parties and States during the official friendly visit to Laos by Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in June, 2011, and the official friendly visit to Vietnam by Lao Party General Secretary and President Choummaly Sayasone in August./.