Vietnamese, Lao Prime Ministers hold talks in Vientiane

Kommasith warmly welcomed the Vietnamese leader's first official visit to Laos, highlighting the special significance of the visit, which reflects the high level of political trust and the enduring relationship between the two Parties, the two States, and their peoples.

He expressed confidence that the visit would help deepen the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic cohesion between the two nations.

Le, for his part, reiterated that Viet Nam stands ready to accompany and support Laos, particularly by sharing experience in macroeconomic management, finance and budgeting, institutional reform, infrastructure development, and human resource training, adding that Viet Nam would continue to help Laos train officials, experts, and highly qualified personnel.

Viet Nam would build and donate two schools to the people of Houaphanh and Champasak provinces in Laos, with a total value of US$2 million, shared Le.

He took the occasion to invite the Lao Prime Minister to attend the Ayeyawady–Chao Phraya–Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy Summit (ACMECS) and the Cambodia–Laos–Myanmar–Viet Nam Cooperation Summit (CLMV) in Viet Nam in November this year.

Both sides vowed to maintain all-level visits and exchanges, make full use of cooperation mechanisms across all channels, and effectively implement high-level agreements, cooperation plans between the two Governments, and cooperation programs between their ministries, sectors, and localities.

Defense and security cooperation still remain a key pillar of Viet Nam–Laos relations, they noted, pledging to continue close coordination to maintain political stability, public order, and social safety in each country; foster collaboration in combating transnational crime, drug-related crime, human trafficking, smuggling, and high-tech crime; and enhance border management and protection.

They also agreed to step up collaboration in several emerging areas, including defense industry and cybersecurity.

Both sides underlined the need to encourage investment in sectors with high added value, promote connectivity in transport, infrastructure, logistics, and border gates, and join hands to raise bilateral trade turnover to US$5 billion, with a view to achieving the trade goal of US$10 billion annually in the coming period.

The two Prime Ministers agreed to accelerate the implementation of major projects, work together to resolve issues relating to mechanisms and procedures, and improve the investment efficiency of businesses from both countries.

They discussed measures to strengthen and improve the effectiveness of cooperation in other fields, including science and technology, transport, energy, and mining.

Both sides pledged to prepare activities for the 2027 Viet Nam–Laos Year of Solidarity, Friendship and Strategic Cohesion, marking the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and Laos (September 5, 1962) and the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Viet Nam–Laos Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation (July 18, 1977).

The two Prime Ministers occurred to strengthen information sharing and consultations on strategic issues related to each country's security, stability, and development.

They affirmed to continue close coordination and mutual support within ASEAN, the United Nations, Mekong subregional mechanisms, and other multilateral frameworks of which both countries are members.

Following the talks, the two Prime Ministers witnessed the signing and exchange of 11 cooperation documents covering security, justice, finance, energy, education and training, ethnic affairs, religious affairs, and cooperation between their localities.

They also attended the handover ceremony for the data centre and citizen identification project and the launching ceremony for the Laos–Viet Nam Friendship University project./.