General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and State President Nguyen Phu Trong held a phone talk with Party General Secretary and Prime Minister of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith on February 2, two days after he was ratified in the post.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and State President Nguyen Phu Trong at the phone talk. Photos: Vietnam News Agency

The phone talk is Mr. Trong’s first conversation with foreign leaders after he was elected as the CPV’s chief for the third term.

During the talk, Mr. Trong thanked the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee, ministries, agencies, the Lao Front for National Construction and political organizations of Laos for sending letters of congratulations to Vietnam on the success of the 13th National Party Congress, vividly reflecting the Vietnam-Laos special solidarity, according to Vietnam News Agency.

He also congratulated Laos’ recent achievements and believed that under the leadership of the LPRP led by Thongloun Sisoulith, the Lao people will continue reaping greater successes in the cause of national defense and construction, as well as successfully realizing the Resolution adopted at its 11th National Party Congress.

Vietnam strongly and fully supports the cause of national renewal, defense and construction in Laos, he affirmed.

In turn, Thongloun Sisoulith hailed Mr. Trong’s contributions to the Laos-Vietnam special solidarity. He expressed his profound thanks to the CPV, State and people of Vietnam for providing valuable support for the Lao people.

He believed in Mr. Trong’s role in the national development in the years ahead.

They affirmed that under any circumstance, the two sides will do their best to foster the bilateral special solidarity.

The Vietnamese and Lao leaders invited each other to their countries at convenient time.

Party General Secretary and Prime Minister of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith on conversation with the Vietnamese counterpart.

Special ties

The two neighboring countries set up diplomatic relationship in 1962.

Vietnam remains Laos’ third largest investor in the period 2016-20 with registered capital of US$4.2 billion, up 35% against 2010. In 2020, Vietnam’s investment capital to Lao rocketed by 130% on-year.

Vietnam and Laos share a long border, long-lasting historical and cultural ties, common struggles for independence, and close commercial and economic ties.

“The bilateral cooperation ties in politics have climbed to new heights witnessed by the regular exchange of high level visits of leaders from the two parties and governments,” Lao media reported.

The phrase “special relations” came into general use by both parties after 1976, and in July 1977, the signing of the Lao-Vietnamese Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation opened up a new era for the relationship.

Another element of cooperation involved hundreds of Vietnamese advisers who mentored their Lao counterparts in virtually all socio-economic sectors of the neighboring country.

The Vietnam-Laos relationship was the common invaluable treasure of the two nations and an important element ensuring the success of the revolutionary cause of each country, said a joint statement issued on June 22, 2011 in Vientiane, Laos.

The joint statement noted that the Party, State and people of Vietnam and Laos affirmed the importance, strategic significance, as well as determination to maintain and promote the bilateral traditional friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation in the new stage.