Prime Minister Chinh Strengthens Strategic Cohesion with Laos

Vientiane: Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith as part of his working trip to Laos to co-chair the 48th Meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee on Bilateral Cooperation. General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith expressed his thanks and appreciation to Prime Minister Chinh for his participation, which followed the state visit by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and the high-level meeting between the two Parties. According to Lao News Agency, President Thongloun Sisoulith conveyed his gratitude to the Vietnamese Party, State, and people for their support of Laos in its national construction and development. PM Chinh expressed his pleasure at meeting again with General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith, offering congratulations on Laos' successful organisation of the 50th National Day celebration. During the meeting, PM C hinh congratulated Laos on its achievements in 50 years of national construction and development, as well as 40 years of renovation. He acknowledged Laos' rising international profile, especially following its assumption of the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2024. PM Chinh expressed his belief that under the leadership of the LPRP and the governance of the Lao Government, Laos will successfully implement the 11th National Party Congress Resolution and the 9th Five-Year Socio-Economic Development Plan. He emphasized the deepening relationship between the two nations, noting Laos' strengthened national defence and security. Reaffirming Vietnam's priority to its relationship with Laos, PM Chinh underlined Vietnam's support for Laos' national safeguarding and development. He appreciated the contributions of Lao leaders in nurturing the friendship and cooperation between the two countries. PM Chinh highlighted Vietnam's wish to continue consolidating political trust, considering it vital for cooperation across all field s. He shared the outcomes of the 48th Meeting and the Vietnam-Laos Investment Cooperation Conference 2025, focusing on high-level visits and agreements. He proposed measures to promote cooperation, aiming to build connected and internationally integrated economies. The two sides will enhance their friendship and solidarity, adding "strategic cohesion" in all areas, particularly the economy. The PM suggested cooperation in data centres, human resource training, and developing educational institutions in Laos, proposing that Laos create conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to invest there. Both sides expressed satisfaction with their cooperation from 2021-2025, especially in 2025, noting strengthened political relations, economic cooperation, and local partnerships. Coordination mechanisms were maintained, with improvements in politics, national defence-security, economy, culture-education, and people-to-people exchanges. The leaders emphasized that the positive outcomes will advance strategic cohesion bet ween Vietnam and Laos. President Thongloun valued the outcomes of the meeting, affirming its success and effectiveness with concrete measures and timelines. The Lao leader expressed confidence that the meeting's results will create momentum for future cooperation, confirming the policy to enrich bilateral relations as agreed by the high-ranking leaders of the two Parties.