Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's working trip to Laos: Realizing the connotation of 'strategic engagement' in Vietnam

Photo caption — Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone co-chaired the 48th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee on Bilateral Cooperation. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA

The results of the working trip contributed to shaping and realizing the relationship of "great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion between Vietnam and Laos".

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended and contributed to the great success of the High-level Meeting between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, chaired by General Secretary To Lam and General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, with strategic orientations, including upgrading the content of the Vietnam-Laos relationship to "Great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, strategic cohesion".

At the high-level meeting of the two Parties, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone highly appreciated the results achieved in economic , trade, investment, cultural-educational and scientific-technical cooperation between the two countries in recent times. In particular, the two sides agreed to promote trade and investment cooperation, considering this an important pillar of the Vietnam-Laos strategic partnership.

In particular, the Prime Minister pledged to direct the effective implementation of Joint Statements and high-level agreements; promote connectivity and support between the two economies; actively remove difficulties and obstacles in the implementation process, and realize the content of the relationship "Great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic connection between Vietnam and Laos" through specific programs and projects.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung said that Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that changing mindset is also a very important resource, renewing the existing cooperation contents; at the same time entering new fields, demonstrating the spirit of "strategic connection", promoting the potential and strengths of each country, especially requiring the participation of not only the State sector but also businesses in all fields.

In particular, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone co-chaired the 48th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee. The meeting not only reviewed and assessed the implementation of agreements in the Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Plan for the 2021-2025 period and 2025; discussed and agreed on cooperation directions and tasks for the 2026-2030 period and 2026, but especially discussed tasks and solutions to immediately materialize the results of the High-level Meeting between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party.

At the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that in the current context, the two countries need to have new determination, new approaches, new motivations, creating momentum, creating new strength, creating new spirit for the two countries to develop together; at the same time, further promoting and tightening, building the special Vietnam - Laos relationship, becoming a model in international relations.

In order to promote the relationship between the two countries, especially right after the High-level Meeting between the two Parties, the two Prime Ministers agreed that the two sides should immediately join hands to deepen the content of the Vietnam - Laos relationship to a new height of "Great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, strategic connection", with "political relations being vital, defense - security and economic cooperation being key, science, technology, education - training cooperation being a breakthrough, business and people cooperation being the foundation, local cooperation being the lever".

The two Prime Ministers agreed to jointly raise the level of strategic trust to a higher level; further strengthen cooperation in the fields of defense and security; create a strong, strategic breakthrough in economic, trade, investment and infrastructure development cooperation, by promoting connectivity between the two economies, infrastructure connectivity, ensuring economic security and energy security of each country; removing difficulties and barriers, ensuring the effectiveness of cooperation programs and projects between the two countries...

Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang said that at the meeting, the two sides signed agreements and documents to continue implementing high-level agreements. According to the Minister, the task is very heavy, but with the responsibility of Chairman of the Vietnam - Laos Intergovernmental Committee, the Minister personally will try to coordinate closely with the Chairman of the Laos - Vietnam Intergovernmental Committee to resolutely implement the groups of tasks, solutions, and cooperation contents that have been signed to realize the relationship that has just been agreed upon by the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, which is "Great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, strategic connection".

With the same mindset, during the meeting between Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith, the content mostly focused on implementing and immediately realizing the agreements of the high-level meeting between the two Parties held immediately before.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said that in the spirit of thoroughly implementing the direction of the High-level Meeting between the two Parties held the day before, the two governments will actively concretize it into an urgent coordinated Action Plan to propose measures to strongly promote cooperation to open a new chapter of cooperation between the two Parties and the two countries.

In particular, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Lao Prime Minister attended the Vietnam - Laos Investment Promotion Conference with the theme: "Strategic cooperation - Creating prosperous development" calling on businesses of the two countries - as important subjects, to realize the motto "strategic connection" between the two countries, as Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh pointed out, strategic connection includes connecting businesses together; connecting economic cooperation together; connecting the two economies together and developing together. Businesses must contribute to making this great friendship even greater, solidarity even more united".

The leaders of the two countries emphasized that in the coming time, they will focus on removing bottlenecks and bottlenecks in institutions, human resources and infrastructure; focus on clearing, mobilizing and effectively using all resources... and calling on businesses to invest in large-scale projects in Laos.

With “far-sighted vision, broad-mindedness, deep thinking, big action” and the spirit of “heart-to-heart” relationships, the Prime Minister suggested that Vietnamese enterprises such as Viettel, Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group, Vietnam National Energy Corporation (Petrovietnam), Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN), Rubber Industry Group, Chemical Group, Vinamilk, Truong Hai Group (THACO), Viet Phuong, TH True Milk... continue to invest in Laos, develop transport infrastructure, airports, seaports (of Laos in Vietnam), telecommunications, energy, high-tech agriculture, mineral exploitation and processing...; soon bring two-way trade turnover to 5 billion USD and towards 10 billion USD/year.

Responding to the call of the two Prime Ministers, businesses and investors from the two countries said that investing in the two countries is not only an economic development task but also a responsibility and sentiment “from heart to heart”; at the same time, they committed to investing with a high spirit and responsibility to ensure efficiency, transparency, and accountability for the goal of sustainable development.

Mr. Bounleuth Luangpaseuth, Vice President of the Lao Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that in the coming time, the two sides will continue to coordinate and create conditions to promote trade and investment cooperation between Lao and Vietnamese enterprises in potential fields and in line with Laos' priority development plans in the future; continue to strengthen coordination and close cooperation in promoting trade and investment activities between Lao and Vietnamese enterprises to increase import and export value through organizing fairs, exhibitions, business forums and other activities according to the conditions agreed by both sides.

Mr. Dao Trong Cuong, Deputy General Director of Vietnam Chemical Group, said that in order to realize the direction of the two governments in linking the Vietnam-Laos strategy, state-owned economic groups in general will focus on implementing and prioritizing projects on infrastructure and socio-economic development to solve employment and create the best conditions for Lao localities to develop. For the potash mining project in Laos, the Chemical Group will focus on implementing with the highest responsibility and spirit to ensure progress, quality and completion of work and items in accordance with the direction of the two governments.

The results of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s working trip to Laos not only contributed to providing strategic orientations but also promoted the realization of political commitments through specific programs and projects. In particular, the governments and ministries and branches of the two sides signed 4 cooperation documents; businesses signed and exchanged 9 cooperation agreements in various fields.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, Chairwoman of the Board of Members of Saigontourist Group, said that in order to realize the goal of strategic connection between the two Parties and the two States, Saigontourist Group has coordinated with Vietnam Airlines and the Lao Tourism Business Association to sign a cooperation agreement to increase the flow of tourists between the two countries and thereby act as a bridge to enhance cultural exchange, strengthen the friendship between the two countries as well as connect and explore investment cooperation opportunities and connect more closely in the economic field.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's working trip to Laos this time effectively implemented the goals set by the Politburo at the High-level Meeting of the two Parties; demonstrated new determination, new approach, new motivation, created momentum, created new force, created new atmosphere for the two countries to develop together; at the same time promoted and further tightened, built the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, strategic connection between Vietnam and Laos to become a model in international relations as Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh pointed out.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/chinh-tri/chuyen-cong-tac-tai-lao-cua-thu-tuong-pham-minh-chinh-hien-thuc-hoa-noi-ham-gan-ket-chien-luoctrong-quan-he-viet-nam-lao-20251204120325460.htm

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