Prime Minister Le Minh Hung was welcomed at the airport this afternoon by Lao Minister and Head of the Prime Minister's Office Bouakhong Nammavong, Deputy Foreign Minister Maythong Thammavongsa, Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Khamphao Ernthavanh, other officials, the Vietnamese community in Laos, and Lao citizens.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung's visit comes days after the Lao National Assembly elected Saleumxay Kommasith as Prime Minister. The visit also prepares for 2027, when Vietnam and Laos will celebrate 65 years of diplomatic relations and 50 years since signing the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation.

During the visit, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung will engage in extensive discussions with Lao high-ranking leaders on specific measures to promote cooperation and create new momentum for bilateral relations in the coming period. These discussions will focus on practical areas aligned with each country's interests.

The visit aims to further concretize high-level agreements and common understandings, enhance the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation mechanisms, and boost cooperation in economy, trade, investment, infrastructure connectivity, and economic linkages between the two nations.

It also promotes cooperation in education-training, human resource development, science-technology, and new sectors. People-to-people exchanges, especially among the younger generation, will also be strengthened.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung arrived in Vientiane on 8/10. *Photo: VGP*

The great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic ties between Vietnam and Laos continue to develop substantively. Political relations continue to strengthen and elevate as both sides maintain the tradition of high-level and various-level delegation exchanges.

Defense-security cooperation remains a steadfast pillar, closely linked and practically implemented across all levels. Economic, trade, and investment cooperation are increasingly prioritized and promoted towards strengthening "strategic ties," focusing on connecting transport, energy, telecommunications, logistics infrastructure, and linking the two economies.

Lao students welcome Prime Minister Le Minh Hung. *Photo: VGP*

Vietnam-Laos trade turnover reached USD 1.3 billion, with efforts to achieve USD 5 billion and aim for USD 10 billion in the coming years. Cooperation in education-training, human resource development, science-technology, culture, people-to-people exchanges, and cooperation between localities, especially border provinces, continues to receive attention.

Ngoc Anh