Viet Nam, Laos convenes 48th meeting of Intergovernmental Committee on Bilateral Cooperation

During the meeting, the two Prime Ministers reviewed the implementation of cooperation agreements under the Viet Nam–Laos Cooperation Plans for the 2021–2025 period and for 2025, and discussed orientations and tasks for cooperation in 2026 and for the 2026–2030 period. 

The pair also discussed ways to advance the outcomes of the recent high-level meeting between the Communist Party of Viet Nam and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party.

The two leaders agreed to work closely and promptly to promote bilateral ties to a new level characterized by "great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic cohesion."

They affirmed that political relations remain the backbone of bilateral ties; defense–security and economic cooperation serve as key pillars; science, technology, and education–training constitute strategic breakthroughs; business and people-to-people ties form a solid foundation; and cooperation among localities serves as an important driving force.

The two Prime Ministers agreed to further strengthen political trust; enhance defense and security cooperation; and create breakthroughs in economic, trade, investment, and infrastructure cooperation. This includes advancing economic connectivity, boosting infrastructure linkage, ensuring economic and energy security, removing institutional obstacles, and improving the effectiveness of joint programs and projects.

From 2026 onward, both sides will focus on effectively implementing the Viet Nam–Laos Joint Statements and the agreements reached at the 48th meeting. 

Both sides agreed to adopt practical measures to deepen political and diplomatic relations, reinforce the defense–security cooperation pillar, and continue prioritizing cooperation in education and training.

The two sides committed to further strengthening political and diplomatic ties to better orient overall bilateral cooperation; maintaining and enhancing the effectiveness of existing cooperative mechanisms; and organizing high-level visits, meetings, and exchanges flexibly and efficiently.

The two leaders also agreed to accelerate economic connectivity and promote bilateral trade and investment. The Lao Government will continue offering favorable conditions for Viet Nam's major investment projects, consider adjusting regulations governing hydropower and mining project timelines to match new realities, and strive to increase bilateral trade by 10–15 percent in 2026 compared to 2025.

The two countries target to raise annual trade volume to US$5 billion in the near term, moving toward US$10 billion. Infrastructure connectivity and cooperation in agriculture and rural development will be emphasized as key elements of economic cooperation.

Cooperation among ministries, agencies, and localities will continue to be strengthened. Both sides will prioritize human resources development, particularly by enhancing cooperation in education and training. Viet Nam will maintain its annual provision of 1,300 scholarships for Lao officials and students and continue sending Vietnamese-language teachers to Laos.

At the meeting, the two sides signed the Cooperation Agreement between the two Governments for the 2026–2030 period; the Agreement on the 2026 Cooperation Plan between the two Governments; the minutes of the 48th meeting; and the Cooperation Plan for 2026 between the Ministries of Education and Training of Viet Nam and Laos.

As of April this year, Viet Nam had 267 projects in Laos with registered capital of US$5.63 billion. Vietnamese investment reached US$566.1 million in the first 10 months of 2025, focusing on sustainable, high-quality projects in clean energy, mining, and agriculture. Many Vietnamese-invested projects have produced positive economic and social impacts, generating employment, increasing incomes, and contributing to Laos’ state budget.

Bilateral trade reached US$ 2.6 billion in January–October period, up 50.4 percent from the same period in 2024, with Viet Nam posting a trade deficit of US$626.2 million.

Cooperation in education, training, science and technology, culture, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges remained active. The two countries also sustained close coordination in regional and multilateral forums, especially within ASEAN, backed community-building efforts and upheld the bloc's unity and consensus on regional strategic issues./.