The upcoming official friendly visit to Vietnam by General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith aims to affirm Laos’ policy of treasuring the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith

This is the second official friendly visit of the Lao leader during his tenure (2016-2021). 

The visit is also expected to strengthen solidarity and political trust between the two Parties and countries. This is also a chance for Vietnam to affirm support to Laos during its cause of national defence and development.

The Vietnam-Laos relationship has been growing in all fields. The two sides have worked closely together to effectively implement joint statements and agreements as well as deals reached at the 39th meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee and other cooperation programmes.

Bilateral political relations have been promoted, with high-level meetings regularly organized and collaboration mechanisms constantly strengthened.

Both sides have worked together closely in popularizing the Vietnam-Laos ties and holding celebrations of the 55th anniversary of their diplomatic relations and 40 years of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation.

At the same time, defence-security and external relation partnership has been fruitful. Vietnam and Laos have coordinated to build a shared border of stability and sustainable development. They have completed a joint project to upgrade and build more border markers, with 1,002 markers upgraded and built.  

The two countries’ governments have also finalised legal procedures for a protocol on land border.

Meanwhile, two-way trade reached 720.4 million USD this year to October, up 8.7 percent over the same period last year, with Vietnam’s exports hitting 426.2 million USD, a year on year rise of 12.4 percent.

The two countries have implemented the “one-stop-shop” mechanism in Lao Bao-Densavanh border gates.

According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Vietnamese investors have received licences for 409 investment projects worth 3.6 billion USD in 17 out of 18 cities and provinces of Laos. The two countries have also signed an agreement on developing hydropower projects in Laos and electricity trade to 2030.

In 2017, Vietnam grants 1,246 scholarships for Lao students. So far, the country has hosted 14,209 Lao students, while 209 Vietnamese students are studying in Laos.

Vietnam and Laos have also shared fruitful cooperation in transport, science-technology, society, agriculture, information technology, labour, culture, sports, tourism and museum.

The Lao Party chief and President is expected to arrive in Vietnam on December 19 for the official friendly visit from December 19-21 at the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong and President Tran Dai Quang.-VNA