Vietnam-Laos ties crucial to each country’s development

The view was shared by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Party General Secretary and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith during their talks in Vientiane on November 24, following a welcome ceremony for the Vietnamese Party leader.

The two Party General Secretaries underlined the importance of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s official visit to Laos which takes place after the two Parties successfully organised their national congresses earlier in 2016 and began a new tenure. They believed that the visit will help deepen the Vietnamese-Lao friendship, special unity and comprehensive cooperation, thereby meeting the two peoples’ aspirations and ensuring peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and around the world.

They informed each other about the situation of their respective Parties and countries, and the implementation of the resolutions of the Parties’ congresses.

The Lao Party General Secretary congratulated Vietnam on its enormous achievements during the three decades of reforms, voicing his belief that the country will reap even greater attainments. He also offered sympathies to Vietnamese people, especially those in the central region, on the recent damages caused by natural disasters.

For his part, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong also congratulated Laos on their reform accomplishments and wished the country further success in national development.

The two leaders rejoiced at the increasingly substantive relations in all spheres between the two Parties and countries, reiterating their strong support for each nation’s reform and national development and protection.

They agreed to enhance political connections by maintaining meetings between their Party and country leaders, sharing theoretical research and experience in strengthening the Party and enhancing officials’ capacity. The two sides will coordinate to successfully organise activities marking big anniversaries in 2017 so as to educate younger generations on the Vietnam-Laos special unity.

They also stressed the need for stronger defence-security cooperation and economic connectivity, especially in terms of institutions, transport infrastructure, energy and tourism. Vietnam and Laos will expeditiously fine-tune mechanisms and policies while tackling obstacles to facilitate economic partnership.

They will also improve the effectiveness of bilateral collaboration in education, training and human resources development, while closely supervising and pushing forward the execution of the high-level agreements and cooperation programmes and projects between the two Parties and countries.

The two leaders agreed to bolster coordination at international and regional forums, particularly the United Nations, ASEAN and cooperation mechanisms in the Greater Mekong Sub-region.

Vietnam and Laos will also work together to manage and effectively use water resources of the Mekong River in order to ensure the harmony of interests among the Mekong nations and the region’s sustainable development, they said.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong highly valued Laos’s clear expression of its viewpoint on the East Sea issue as the ASEAN Chair in 2016.

He and Bounnhang Vorachith underscored the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security and safety in the East Sea. They agreed to boost the ASEAN unity regarding the East Sea problem while pushing for the peaceful settlement of disputes on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, and efforts towards soon finalising a Code of Conduct in the waters.

The Vietnamese Party leader invited Bounnhang Vorachith to visit Vietnam. The Lao Party General Secretary and President thanked and accepted the invitation