The leaders of Vietnam and Laos affirmed their determination to strengthen and enhance the friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries in the new situation, in accordance with the actual situation of each country.
At around 4:20 p.m. on April 24, the official welcoming ceremony for President Luong Cuong and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation on a state visit to the Lao People's Democratic Republic took place solemnly at the Lao Presidential Palace in Vientiane.
General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith presided over the welcoming ceremony. The motorcade carrying President Luong Cuong entered the avenue leading to the Lao Presidential Palace to the warm welcome of many students and people of the capital Vientiane in traditional costumes of the Lao ethnic people with the flags of the two countries in hand.
Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith welcomed President Luong Cuong at the parking lot. After receiving a bouquet of flowers from children for President Luong Cuong, the two leaders walked along the red carpet to the position of honor to prepare for the official welcoming ceremony.
The military band played the national anthems of Vietnam and Laos. The leader of the Lao honor guard invited President Luong Cuong to inspect the honor guard. President Luong Cuong and General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith bowed to the Lao national flag and inspected the honor guard together.
At the end of the ceremony, General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and President Luong Cuong cordially greeted and introduced officials from the two countries present at the welcoming ceremony.
President Luong Cuong's visit to Laos took place in the context of the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos continuing to develop well; the two sides affirmed their determination to strengthen and enhance the friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in the new situation, in accordance with the actual situation of each country.
Over the years, senior leaders of the two Parties and States have increased meetings and regularly exchanged delegations through all channels. People-to-people diplomacy activities have received regular attention from both countries, thereby consolidating the close and trustworthy political relationship.
Defense and security cooperation, one of the pillars in the bilateral relationship, continues to be maintained and developed. Both sides actively implement signed protocols and cooperation agreements.
In addition, cooperation between localities, especially those sharing borders, continues to be strengthened, becoming more specific, in-depth, and comprehensive in all fields, ensuring security, order, and safety in the border areas of the two countries.
Economic, trade and investment cooperation continues to have positive changes, in which Vietnam-Laos trade turnover in 2024 will reach 2.25 billion USD, an increase of 37% compared to 2023 and is the first time the trade turnover between the two countries has exceeded the 2 billion USD mark, far exceeding the target set by the two governments, a clear demonstration of the results of the continuous efforts of the governments, authorities and businesses of both countries.
Currently, Vietnam has 267 investment projects in Laos with a total registered capital of 5.63 billion USD, of which many Vietnamese investment projects are operating effectively, contributing positively to socio-economic development, creating jobs and increasing income for thousands of workers, supplementing revenue for the Lao budget, especially in the fields of telecommunications, banking, rubber planting and processing, food production and processing, and milk.
The good traditional relationship and the loyal attachment between the people of Vietnam and Laos, founded by President Ho Chi Minh, President Kaysone Phomvihane and President Suphanouvong, and nurtured by generations of leaders of the two Parties, States and peoples, have become invaluable assets of both nations and the common development law of the two countries on the path of development.
The two countries upgraded their relations to “great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation” in February 2019. This is a milestone of great historical significance, creating a new breakthrough to help the cooperative relationship between the two countries become increasingly close, innovative and developed.
President Luong Cuong's visit to Laos in the first days of the Lao New Year Bunpimay will create new momentum, contributing significantly to nurturing and bringing the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos into deeper, more substantial and effective terms in the coming time, bringing prosperity to the people of each country.
This is also a meaningful visit, an opportunity for the two Parties and two countries to review the tradition of close ties, the "unique" loyal relationship, "love deeper than the Red River and the Mekong Delta" of brothers and comrades who have stood shoulder to shoulder, sharing the joys and sorrows in the resistance war and building the country.
Immediately after the official welcoming ceremony, Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith and President Luong Cuong led high-ranking delegations from the two countries to hold talks to discuss measures to further deepen and effectively enhance the comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.
The two countries' leaders also discussed issues of mutual concern to enhance common understanding as well as continue close coordination and effective cooperation between Vietnam and Laos at international and regional forums./.
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