Hanoi (VNA) – The passing of Xaysomphone Phomvihane, member of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee's Politburo and President of the Lao National Assembly on August 8 is a great loss not only to the Party, State and people of Laos, but also a profound sorrow for the Party, State and people of fraternal Vietnam.
Looking back on his revolutionary career, his great and dedicated contributions to consolidating and developing the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion between the Parties, States and people of Vietnam and Laos become even more deeply appreciated and recognised.
Xaysomphone Phomvihane was born and raised in a family with a rich revolutionary tradition. As the son of President Kaysone Phomvihane, the beloved leader of the Lao people who, together with President Ho Chi Minh and President Souphanouvong, laid a solid foundation for the Vietnam-Laos special relationship, Xaysomphone Phomvihane was exposed from an early age to revolutionary ideals and the enduring solidairty and close ties between the two peoples.
Throughout his revolutionary career, during which he held numerous positions ranging from teacher to local leader and eventually became an important leader of the Lao Party and State, Xaysomphone Phomvihane always devoted his intellect, capabilities and enthusiasm to building a prosperous and happy Laos.
In every position he held, he paid special and profound attention to, and showed sincere affection for the Vietnam-Laos special relationship. He regarded preserving, nurturing and developing Vietnam-Laos special solidarity as a matter of the heart and as a priceless legacy handed down by previous generations of leaders, which he had a responsibility to inherit and promote.
As President of the Lao National Assembly, Xaysomphone Phomvihane made important contributions to making the cooperation between the Vietnamese and Lao legislatures deeper, more effective and practical.
He closely directed the agencies of the Lao NA to strengthen coordination with their Vietnamese counterparts in sharing experience in lawmaking, improving socio-economic institutions, exercising supreme oversight, and deciding on important national issues.
He also directed close coordination and cooperation with the Vietnamese NA in implementing a number of joint supervision programmes for key bilateral cooperation projects, thereby helping to address difficulties and accelerate investment, trade, transport, and energy connectivity projects.
The top Lao legislator consistently attached importance to professional exchanges and personnel training, not only to enhance mutual understanding between the two legislatures but also to improve the capacity of Lao officials and NA deputies. He actively promoted training programmes and thematic seminars between the two legislatures, contributing to the modernisation of parliamentary activities in Laos.
One of his notable achievements as President of the Lao National Assembly was his close coordination with its Vietnamese counterpart in successfully organising major parliamentary diplomacy events, notably the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam (CLV) Parliamentary Summit. The mechanism represents a new cooperation framework of strategic significance, aimed at strengthening legislative ties and contributing to an enviroment of peace, stability and sustainable development in the region.
In the memories of Vietnamese leaders and people, Xaysomphone Phomvihane was always associated with warmth, closeness and sincerity. His official visits to Vietnam were not merely occasions of State diplomacy, but also returns of a close brother and comrade. Each visit left a profound mark through the substantive cooperation outcomes achieved.
In promoting economic cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, he devoted considerable attention and efforts to connecting the two countries by road and rail, opening access to the sea for the Lao economy through Vietnamese seaports such as Vung Ang, and creating new development momentum for both countries.
Regarding trade and investment, he actively encouraged and created favourable conditions for Vietnamese businesses to invest and operate in Laos in areas of strength, including high-tech agriculture, mining, renewable energy and financial and banking services.
Recognising human resources as the key to development, Xaysomphone Phomvihane consistently promoted the expansion of cooperation in education, training and human resource development between the two countries. He strongly supported expanding scholarship programmes and improving the quality of training for Lao students at Vietnamese universities, viewing this as a foundation for nurturing friendship among future generations.
He also placed particular importance on promoting and educating young people in both countries about the history of the Vietnam-Laos special relationship. He repeatedly stressed that the Vietnam-Laos relationship was a priceless asset built with the blood of generations of officials, soldiers and people of the two countries, and that it was the responsibility of the present generation to safeguard and pass on this legacy to future generations.
Beyond bilateral cooperation, Xaysomphone Phomvihane played an important role in strengthening coordination between the two countries at regional and global multilateral parliamentary forums, including the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF).
At these forums, he closely coordinated with Vietnamese NA delegations, demonstrating a high degree of consensus, mutual consultation and support in safeguarding each country’s strategic interests, while making positive contributions to peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world. Such close coordination helped enhance the parliamentary diplomacy standing of both Laos and Vietnam internationally.
With the passing of Xaysomphone Phomvihane, the Party, State and people of Laos have lost a talented and exemplary leader, while the Party, State and people of Vietnam have lost a close, loyal and trusted friend and a comrade who always stood side by side with them.
Although the Lao parliament leader has passed away, his major achievements and contributions and the profound imprint he left on the Vietnam-Laos special relationship will endure over time.
His sincere affection, strategic vision and sustained contributions to strengthening, nurturing and developing the Vietnam-Laos special solidarity will continue to serve as a source of inspiration and a solid foundation for present and future generations to preserve and promote the relationship.
Looking back on Xaysomphone Phomvihane’s illustrious life and revolutionary career, the sacred value of the Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam special relationship is the more deeply cherished. The great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic cohesion between the Parties, States, and people of Vietnam and Laos will continue to be nurtured, strengthened, and flourish, meeting the aspirations of the people of the two countries and contributing to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world./.
