General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and his spouse Naly Sisoulith arrived in Hanoi on January 26 morning, beginning a two-day state visit to Vietnam at the invitation of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam and his spouse.
Welcoming the Lao leader and his delegation at Noi Bai International Airport were Politburo members: Standing Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Do Van Chien and Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung; Secretary of the Party Central Committee and State Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan; Members of the Party Central Committee: Chairman of the Presidential Office Le Khanh Hai, and Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Vu Dai Thang; along with Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Minh Tam.
The Lao leader is accompanied by a high-ranking delegation comprising Politburo members, senior Party and State leaders, a deputy prime minister, ministers, and heads of key central agencies, reflecting the importance Laos attaches to relations with Vietnam.
Speaking to Vietnam News Agency (VNA) correspondents in Laos, Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Minh Tam highlighted that Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith’s selection of Vietnam as the first country to visit following the successful National Congresses of both Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and Communist Party of Vietnam carries profound political and diplomatic significance.
The visit, he said, underscores the exceptionally high level of political trust between the two Parties and States, as well as among their top leaders. It also reaffirms that the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic cohesion between Vietnam and Laos remain a top priority in the foreign policies of both countries.
Meanwhile, Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Khamphao Ernthavanh expressed her confidence that the state visit would further strengthen bilateral cooperation, particularly by adding new substance to the concept of “strategic cohesion.” The visit is expected to generate fresh momentum for both sides to closely coordinate in implementing high-level agreements and advancing development goals identified by each Party and country in the new development period./.
