During their talks at the Presidential Palace in Vientiane today, General Secretary To Lam and General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith expressed satisfaction with the increasingly deep, practical, and effective special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos across all sectors. This cooperation has significantly contributed to maintaining political stability, national defense, security, and socio-economic development in both countries, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Both sides agreed to effectively implement high-level agreements and plans, particularly the outcomes of the high-level meeting between the two Parties in 2025 and the third meeting of the three Party leaders from Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.

General Secretary To Lam holds talks with General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith on 1/12. Photo: VNA

The two leaders agreed to effectively leverage cooperation mechanisms, deepening relations between the two Parties and states through existing frameworks, flexible high-level visits and exchanges, information sharing, strategic policy alignment, and theoretical discussions, especially on new issues. They committed to close coordination and mutual support in organizing important events for both countries, starting with their respective Party Congresses. This will further affirm the elevated status of Vietnam-Laos political relations.

Both sides agreed to continue promoting and innovating the content and format of communication and education about the traditional history of Vietnam-Laos special solidarity. This effort targets officials, Party members, people, and the youth of both nations, aiming to foster pride, responsibility, and awareness in preserving and promoting the faithful, pure, and strategically aligned relationship between the two Parties and peoples.

Building on the special solidarity, both sides agreed to deepen bilateral relations by adding new content: "Great Friendship, Special Solidarity, Comprehensive Cooperation, Strategic Alignment".

The two leaders emphasized the increasingly close and effective defense and security cooperation as a crucial pillar in bilateral relations. This cooperation has seen new, profound, and effective developments, with positive results across these areas. They also committed to building a stable and sustainable shared border.

Both sides agreed to continue strengthening defense and security cooperation, coordinating closely, and supporting each other in responding to increasingly diverse and complex security challenges. They stressed linking security and national defense with socio-economic development.

General Secretary To Lam and General Secretary and President of Laos witness the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Laos for the 2026-2030 period. Photo: VNA

Both sides also agreed to strengthen economic, infrastructure, banking-finance, and tourism connectivity between the two countries. They committed to implementing effective measures to strive for 5 billion USD in trade turnover in the near future, targeting 10 billion USD subsequently, alongside enhanced connectivity in transport infrastructure, energy, and logistics. Additionally, they will increase the exchange of experiences in macroeconomic management and anti-corruption.

The two leaders agreed to strongly promote and create breakthroughs in economic, cultural, and scientific-technical cooperation. They committed to advancing connectivity in transportation, power energy, telecommunications, and tourism. Efforts will continue to improve the quality of education, training, and human resource development, with a focus on high-quality human resources. They also emphasized boosting people-to-people and local exchanges, considering this a strategic pillar to strengthen emotional bonds and consolidate the long-term, sustainable foundation of solidarity between the two nations.

Following the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing ceremony of 12 important cooperation documents in key sectors including defense, security, health, justice, education and training, finance and banking, and strategic infrastructure.

Ngoc Anh