Traditional friendship

The World and Vietnam Report (the mouthpiece of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam) commented that throughout the history of international relations, the Vietnam-Laos friendship is an exemplary model of the strong and effective connection and cooperation between two nations in the struggle for independence, freedom and social progress.

President Ho Chi Minh receives the Head of the LPRP delegation Kaysone Phomvihane. (Source: VNA)

President Ho Chi Minh and Lao President Kaysone Phomvihane laid the foundation for traditional friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.

In 1977, the signing of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Cooperation Treaty set a strong foundation for the two countries to constantly consolidate and develop relations, contributing to the national construction and defense of each country.

Comprehensive cooperation in all fields

In more than 40 years of implementation, Vietnam and Laos have achieved many results in national construction and development and enhanced their international role and position. In recent years, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the two countries have continued to promote relations in various fields.

Political relations continued to develop well, the two sides successfully organized the Annual Meeting of the two Politburos, the 44th session of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee, and the launching ceremony of the “Year of Vietnam-Laos friendship 2022”.

PM Pham Minh Chinh and Lao PM Phankham Viphavanh take a photo together on his official visit to Vietnam in January 2022. (Source: World and Vietnam Report/VNA)

The two sides maintained visits and contacts of senior leaders at all levels. Some in 2022 include the official visit to Vietnam by Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh on January 8-10; the working visit to Lao by Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung on March 21-23; the working visit to Lao by Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Dinh Tien on April 3-6.

Most recently, on April 25, Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Head of the Vietnamese Commission Nguyen Trong Nghia along with Member of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Head of the Laos Commission Khamphan Pheuyavong inked a cooperation agreement.

The Voice of Vietnam reported that in the Agreement, both sides consent to boost collaboration in communication work to raise public awareness of their great friendship, ties of special solidarity, and comprehensive co-operation between the Parties, States, and peoples of the two countries, as well as the numerous achievements they have recorded across a variety of fields. They will also select several documents and publications which will be translated to serve to improve communication work, unite to develop information products in the two countries, and facilitate greater exchange and cooperation between information and education boards at all levels, especially on border localities.

Nguyen Trong Nghia along with Khamphan Pheuyavong at the signing ceremony. (Source: VNA)

Cooperation in the prevention of Covid-19 has been promoted by the two sides and there are many forms of mutual assistance in responding to the pandemic. The World and Vietnam Report summarized that from the beginning of 2021 until now, the Party and the State of Vietnam have donated to Laos 500,000 USD and medical supplies and equipment worth about 2 million USD (on May 4, 2021).

Vietnam also sent a delegation of medical experts and a delegation of the Military Medical Academy to support Laos against the Covid-19 epidemic (on May 10-24 and May 3-20, 2021). Vietnam continued to donate to Laos 2,150,000 USD and some medical supplies worth about 120,000 USD (on October 25, 2021) and 1 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine against Covid-19.

The Lao Party, State, and people have also supported Vietnam with $300,000 to respond to the Covid-19 epidemic. Some Lao agencies, units, and businesses have supported Vietnamese agencies and localities with about 1.4 million USD in the fight against the pandemic.

Cooperation in security and defense between the two nations continued to be consolidated. The two Defense Ministries signed a Letter of Intent to cooperate in rescue and relief; handed over the Political Theory School of the Lao People's Army with a total value of 301 billion VND (about 13 million USD). They also successfully organized the first Vietnam-Laos border defense friendship exchange in Quang Tri province in December 2021 and the 12th Vietnam-Laos Security Cooperation Conference on March 3, 2022.

The two sides strengthen border control and prevent illegal entry to limit the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. They also coordinate in solving problems related to security and social order, especially drug problems, coordinate in searching, gathering, and repatriating the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Laos during the war.

Economic, trade and investment cooperation continued to be well maintained in the context of the Covid-19 outbreak. It is reported that two-way trade turnover in the first two months of 2022 reached 243.2 million USD, up 21.9% over the same period in 2021. Vietnam currently has 417 investment projects in Laos with a total registered capital of 4.7 billion USD. In the first two months of 2022 alone, there were 1 newly licensed project and 2 adjusted capital increase projects, with a total registered capital of 64.3 million USD.

During the official visit to Vietnam by the Lao Prime Minister recently, the two sides coordinated to organize a seminar between the two Prime Ministers and Vietnamese and Laotian businesses.

On the occasion of Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung's visit to Laos, the two sides held a seminar between the two Ministers of Planning and Investment and enterprises of the two countries. They also signed an Agreement between the two Governments on the process implementation of construction investment projects using the aid capital of the Government of Vietnam.

A delegation of Vietnamese medical experts shared experiences and proposed solutions to support Laos in the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic, May 2021. (Source: World and Vietnam Report/Ministry of Health)

Education, training, and cultural cooperation have progressed very well in recent years. The two sides agreed to develop and finalize the Master Plan to implement the tasks of the Project on improving the quality and efficiency of Vietnam-Laos cooperation in education and human resource development in the 2021-2030 period. They also commenced construction of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship High School and Vocational Training School, and repaired and embellished President Ho Chi Minh's memorial site in Khammouane province.

Local cooperation, especially in bordering localities, has always been focused on strengthening, especially in ensuring security, order, and safety in border areas, preventing Covid-19, and creating a safe environment for entry and exit of citizens of the two countries. Vietnam continues to receive patients from Laos for emergency treatment and treatment, which is highly appreciated by the Lao side.

In addition, the two sides closely coordinate and support each other at regional and international cooperation forums; especially within the framework of ASEAN, the United Nations, and sub-regional mechanisms.

Lao Press Commenting on the Friendship

According to the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Online Newspaper, Lao media has recently continued to publish many articles about the great friendship, special solidarity, and the comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.

Lao newspapers on April 18 and April 19 published many articles praising Vietnam-Laos relations. (Source: CPV Online/NDO)

It is reported by CPV Online Newspaper that the articles have emphasized the tradition of solidarity and mutual assistance from the period of struggle against common enemies to the period of national construction and defense, as well as the cooperation in investment and trade between Vietnam and Laos today.

Accordingly, Pasaxon Newspaper, the mouthpiece of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party mentions the solidarity and closeness between the peoples of the two countries, and the shoulder-to-shoulder cooperation of Vietnamese volunteers with the Lao army and people in the struggle for national independence.

Socio-Economic News published an article saying that despite being heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, trade between the two countries still has many bright spots and develops constantly.

CPV Online Newspaper summarized that the Lao press also published articles about the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, highlighting events to celebrate the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Solidarity Year, especially the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Laos-Vietnam Amity and Cooperation Treaty.

Lao scholars have affirmed that the relationship and cooperation between the two countries have always been a decisive factor in all victories of the revolutions in the two countries. The relationship that the two countries have built today needs to be protected, nurtured, and developed in-depth, for the common interests of the two parties, the two States and the two peoples./.

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