Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan and Vice President of Laos Pany Yathotou at the welcoming ceremony on April 26. Photo: VNA

Could you share the meaning and key contents of these high-level visits between the two countries?

The official visit to Vietnam by Lao Vice President Pany Yathotou and the official visit to Laos by Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son are important for the bilateral relations.

This is Pany Yathotou's first official foreign visit as Vice President of Laos. She chose Vietnam as the first country to visit. This is also Bui Thanh Son's first official visit to Laos after being appointed by the Party and State to hold the position of Foreign Minister of Vietnam.

The two visits take place in the context that the world and regional situation continues to be complicated, unpredictable and has many impacts on both Vietnam and Laos. This once again confirms the importance of Vietnam and Laos' strategic, the special relationship between the two countries.

These visits are an opportunity for the leaders of the two sides to officially meet and discuss important issues in the two countries' relations, especially strengthening cooperation in all fields. I am confident that these visits will be a great success and will be two practical and important events to celebrate the Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022. It contributes to bringing the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries to new heights.

The two countries still well maintained high-level visits and shared valuable materials in pandemic prevention, control and post-pandemic recovery. Cooperation between the ministries, agencies and localities of the two countries in the prevention of the Covid-19 pandemic has also been an important content during the past 2 years, achieving positive results. The two countries have signed many action programs and agreements in many fields, especially economic. They resumed trade in goods, aiming to enhance investment, trade and other areas of cooperation.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Ba Hung. Photo: ND

2022 has special significance for the people of Vietnam and Laos, as the Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year, how will people-to-people exchange activities be fostered in the coming time?

Every five years, Vietnam and Laos together celebrate the two most important events of the two countries' relations - the day of establishing diplomatic relations and the date of signing the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation. In 2022, the two countries will celebrate the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Vietnam-Laos Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation. Towards the activities to celebrate the Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022, the two sides have held many conferences to discuss the preparation for this event.

The two sides will organize the 5th Vietnam-Laos Friendship Festival; publishing bilingual publications with the theme of the two countries' friendship and the legendary Truong Son trail; organize competitions about the history and relations of the two countries. The two countries will also organize exchanges between the people of the border provinces, contributing to a peaceful, and sustainable Vietnam-Laos border.

The two countries consider people-to-people exchanges important and will coordinate to strengthen them through a number of practical activities.

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