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Vietnam President’s visit deepens special ties with Laos

At the invitation of General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, his spouse and a high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese Party and State paid two-day official friendship visit to Laos on August 9-10. The visit has further fostered the Vietnam-Laos special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation. 
The visit is the first official visit to a foreign country by a senior Party and State leader after the 13th National Party Congress, and the first trip abroad by the State leader since he took office. The visit takes place only six weeks after Lao Party and State leader Thongloun Sisoulith visited Vietnam. It is of significance to the bilateral relationship.

Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith hosted an official welcoming ceremony for President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, his spouse and the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation which was held solemnly in Vientiane. Following the welcoming ceremony, the two leader held talks. 
 

The official welcome ceremony for President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, his spouse Tran Nguyet Thu, and a high-ranking delegation
of the Vietnamese Party and State who pay an official visit to Laos is held solemnly in Vientiane. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA

 

Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith and Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc
review the honor guard at the welcome ceremony. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA 



Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith and his spouse and
President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his spouse at the welcome ceremony. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA



President Nguyen Xuan Phuc holds talks with Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA


Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith
witness the signing of cooperation documents between the two ministries of defense. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA



Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith
witness the signing of cooperation document between the two ministries of public security. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA 



Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith witness the signing
of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation of drug prevention and control between the two ministries of public security. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA



Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith witness the signing of
a cooperation agreement between Bac Giang province of Vietnam and Xaisomboun province of Laos. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA



The two leaders witness the signing of cooperation documents of the two countries’ enterprises. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA
 

During the two-day trip, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc had more than ten high-level meetings, talks and receptions. Members of the Vietnamese delegation attended 15 meetings and exchanges of ministries, agencies and localities of the two countries. The two sides signed 14 cooperation documents between the two countries’ ministries, sectors, localities and enterprises. 
At their talks, they expressed their delight at the fruitful development of the bilateral collaboration in recent years, discussed ways to support each other in dealing with difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and agreed to jointly promote cooperation in all fields.

At their talks, they expressed their delight at the fruitful development of the bilateral collaboration in recent years, discussed ways to support each other in dealing with difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and agreed to jointly promote cooperation in all fields.

They agreed to maintain the effective implementation of high-level agreements and the results achieved at the 43rd meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee as well as the Agreement on Bilateral Cooperation for the 2021-2025 period and the Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Strategy for the 2021-2030 period, along with the outcomes achieved during the official friendly visit to Vietnam by the Lao leader in late June and this official friendly visit to Laos by President Phuc.

Both host and guest emphasised the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea; settling disputes through peaceful measures on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); working with relevant parties to promote the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and soon achieve an effective and practical Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law.

After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of 14 cooperation documents between the two countries’ ministries, sectors and enterprises in the fields of defence, security, drug prevention and control, search and rescue, electricity trading, and mineral exploration, exploitation and processing.


During his stay in Laos, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc met with Chairman of the Lao National Assembly Saysomphone Phomvihane; received Vice Presidents Pany Yathotou and Bounthong Chitmany.

He met with Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh; and visited and held separated meetings with former Party and State leaders of Laos.

They include Khamtai Siphandone, former President of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and former President of Laos; and former Party General Secretaries and former Presidents Choummaly Sayasone, and Bounnhang Vorachith.

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc received Sinlavong Khutphaythoun, President of the Lao Front for National Construction Central Committee, and Khambay Damlath, President of the Laos – Vietnam Friendship Association Central Committee.

At these meetings, the current and former leaders of Laos stressed that President Phuc's selection of Laos for his first overseas visit in his new position showed that the Vietnamese Party and State, and the President himself have attached special importance to preserving, protecting and nurturing the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations.



Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has a meeting with Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA


The meeting of Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA


President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has a meeting with Lao former Party General Secretary and former President Bounnhang Vorachith. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA


The Vietnamese President meets with Chairman of the National Assembly of Laos Saysomphone Phomvihane. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA


The meeting of President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Chairman of the National Assembly of Laos Saysomphone Phomvihane. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA


The Vietnamese President lays a wreath at a monument dedicated to unknown martyrs in Vientiane. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA 


Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc attends and delivers a speech at the first session of the 9th National Assembly of Laos. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA


President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith attend the inauguration
and hand-over ceremony of the Lao NA Building, a gift presented by the Vietnamese Party, State
and people to their Lao counterparts. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA



 
The two leaders at the the inauguration and hand-over ceremony of the Lao NA Building. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA
 

Lao newspapers running articles on the official friendly visit to Laos by Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc. Photo: Pham Kien/VNA
 

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended and delivered an important speech at the first session of the 9th National Assembly of Laos. The Vietnamese leader underscored that political relations will continue to become a key pillar in the overall special ties between Vietnam and Laos, in which, the cooperation between the two legislative bodies plays a significant role.

On the occasion, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc met with Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh; visited former President of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and former President of Laos Khamtai Siphandone; and former Party General Secretaries and former Presidents Choummaly Sayasone, and Bounnhang Vorachith.
Expressing his thanks to Phuc, Chairman of the Lao NA Saysomphone Phomvihane affirmed that the two legislatures will exert every effort together to make contributions to the development of the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Laos and Vietnam.

On August 10, President Phuc, General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and NA Chairman Saysomphone attended the inauguration and hand-over ceremony of the Lao NA Building, a gift presented by the Vietnamese Party, State and people to their Lao counterparts.

On the occasion, President Phuc presented first- and second-class Labour Orders to a number of incumbent and former leaders of the Lao NA who made outstanding contributions to the direction of the building’s construction.

The top Lao leader also handed over a first-class Freedom Order to the Ministry of Construction of Vietnam, and two second-class Freedom Orders to the Project Management Board under the Ministry of Construction and Army Corps 11 under the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam.

In Vientiane, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his entourage laid a wreath at a monument dedicated to unknown martyrs, visited the Vietnamese Embassy in Vientiane where he will meet Vietnamese people and businesses in the country. Tran Nguyet Thu, spouse of President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, had a friendly meeting with administrators of Nguyen Du Lao – Vietnamese bilingual language school and presented the school with a collection of Vietnamese textbooks and 10,000 US dollars.
The successful visit has contributed to maintaining the sound tradition of the special ties between the two countries, opening up a new development period in the relations between the two Parties, States and people, aiming to continue to accelerate the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two sides./.

By VNA/VNP

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