Vientiane: General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic Thongloun Sisoulith hosted an official welcome ceremony for General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam and a high-ranking delegation of the Party and State of Viet Nam, who are paying a State visit to the Lao PDR.
According to Lao News Agency, the visit aims to further strengthen and expand the friendship, solidarity, cooperation, and partnership between Laos and Viet Nam, enabling bilateral relations to continue flourishing and to bring practical benefits to the peoples of the two countries. The State visit by General Secretary To Lam signifies a new milestone in consolidating and enriching the close and enduring relationship between the two Parties, States, and peoples.
The visit is significant as it is the first high-level foreign delegation received by the Lao PDR following the conclusion of the 12th National Congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, and also the first overseas visit by General Secretary To Lam since assuming office for another term as CPV General Secretary.
During the talks, both sides expressed their appreciation for the special relationship and comprehensive cooperation between the Lao PDR and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, which has expanded comprehensively and in-depth, achieving new quality across all fields. Political cooperation remains stable and close, characterized by mutual trust, while cooperation in national defence, security, and foreign affairs has been strengthened effectively.
Cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, investment, science and technology, culture and society, education and training, as well as other areas, has continued to grow, delivering benefits to the peoples of both countries.
Both sides reaffirmed their determination to further strengthen and develop the relationship, making it more robust and effective. They appreciated the outcomes of the 2026 annual meeting between the Political Departments of Laos and Viet Nam, which set strategic orientations for cooperation in a more practical and effective manner.
The two sides also commended the success of the 48th Session of the Lao-Viet Nam Intergovernmental Committee for Bilateral Cooperation, which marked breakthroughs in promoting cooperation projects in economic, cultural, and scientific-technical fields, ensuring progress and benefits for the two peoples.
Key cooperation projects discussed include the Vung Ang Port project; the development of the Vientiane-Thakhek-Vung Ang railway line; the construction of a 500-kilovolt power transmission line from northern Laos to northern Viet Nam; the building of the Lao-Viet Nam Friendship Road; oil storage facilities or pipeline systems; and the construction of the Lao-Viet Nam Friendship University in the Lao PDR.
Both sides are preparing for the Lao-Viet Nam Friendship and Solidarity Year 2027, marking the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation.
The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern. The talks were held in an atmosphere of friendship and mutual trust. Both sides valued the outcomes of the visit and expressed confidence that these achievements would serve as a driving force for further strengthening the relationship between Laos and Viet Nam.
During the visit, the Vietnamese Party leader will witness the signing of important cooperation documents between ministries, agencies, and localities of the two countries, creating a framework for deeper and effective bilateral cooperation.
A focus of the visit is to further concretise the concept of 'strategic cohesion', agreed upon by General Secretary To Lam and Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith in December 2025, as a step towards elevating bilateral relations.
