Kuala lumpur: On October 27, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR, Mr. Thongsavanh Phomvihane, held a bilateral meeting with his Vietnamese counterpart, Mr. Le Hoai Trung, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summit and related meetings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where Minister Thongsavanh was accompanying Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone.

According to Lao News Agency, Minister Thongsavanh congratulated Vietnam on the National Assembly’s official confirmation of Mr. Le Hoai Trung as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs on October 25. During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening and deepening the friendship and cooperation between their countries and foreign ministries. They agreed to urge relevant ministries to implement the outcomes of the two Politburos’ meetings and the results of the 47th session of the Laos-Vietnam Cooperation Committee. This includes promoting joint strategic cooperation projects.

The two Ministers also discussed preparations for the upcoming visit to the Lao PDR by Mr. To Lam, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam. His visit will include participation in the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Lao National Day and attendance at the meeting between the two Politburos. Preparations for the 48th session of the Laos-Vietnam Cooperation Committee, scheduled to be held in the Lao PDR at the end of 2025, were also discussed.

Both sides valued the close coordination between the two Foreign Ministries in recent years. They agreed to review the implementation of the current cooperation agreement and draft a new one for the next phase. The forthcoming agreement will focus on promoting exchanges of experience in economic diplomacy, enhancing research and consultations on regional and international issues, and strengthening cooperation between the ministries’ departments, including exchanges between their women’s unions.