Brunei darussalam: Thongsavanh Phomvihane, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR, held a bilateral meeting with Le Hoai Trung, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, on April 28 in Brunei Darussalam.
According to Lao News Agency, the meeting occurred on the sidelines of the ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting. Mr. Thongsavanh congratulated his Vietnamese counterpart on his reappointment as Foreign Minister during the inaugural session of Vietnam's 16th National Assembly. He expressed gratitude on behalf of the Lao Party, Government, and multi-ethnic people for Vietnam's assistance, particularly during energy shortages in Laos.
Mr. Le Hoai Trung reciprocated by congratulating Mr. Thongsavanh on his appointment as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR during the inaugural session of the 10th National Assembly of Laos. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their friendship, solidarity, and cooperation, noting the continued development of relations across politics, defense, security, and economic sectors.
The ministers emphasized progress in economic ties and aimed to increase bilateral trade to between 5 billion and 10 billion U.S. dollars over the next five years. They praised the regular exchange of high-level visits and the successful implementation of agreements by the two Politburos. The outcomes of the 48th Meeting of the Laos-Vietnam Cooperation Committee were also recognized, focusing on economic connectivity and strategic infrastructure projects.
The two ministers agreed to maintain close coordination between their foreign ministries to ensure effective implementation of cooperation agreements. Preparations for upcoming mechanisms, including the 13th ministerial-level political consultation in Laos and the 11th deputy ministerial-level consultation in Vietnam, were discussed. Future high-level visits, including an official visit by the Prime Minister of the Lao PDR to Vietnam, were also on the agenda.