President Luong Cuong and Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith. Photo: Lam Khanh/VNA

This is the first official visit to the Lao PDR, and also the first foreign trip in 2025 of President Luong Cuong at a special time when Lao friends have just celebrated Bunpimay 2025, thereby demonstrating the very important message of the Party and State of Vietnam that they always value and give the highest priority to the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos. This is also a visit of affection, an opportunity for the two Parties and two countries to review the tradition of close ties, the "unique" loyal relationship, "deeper than the Red River and the Mekong River" of the brothers and comrades who have stood shoulder to shoulder, sharing the sweet and bitter in the resistance war and building the country.

The visit took place in the context of the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos continuing to develop well; the two sides affirmed their determination to strengthen and enhance the friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in the new situation, in accordance with the actual situation of each country. At the same time, it was also an opportunity for the leaders and people of the two countries to review the history of the fighting alliance and special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos, founded by President Ho Chi Minh, President Kaysone Phomvihane and President Suphanouvong, and cultivated by generations of leaders of the two Parties, two States and people of the two countries. The handshakes, warm hugs, and warm and friendly welcome that the leaders of the Lao Party, State and people gave to the President and the delegation also expressed special affection, and were also evidence of the special relationship "unique" in the world between Vietnam and Laos.

President Luong Cuong and Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith witnessed the signing and exchange of the Letter of Intent between the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense and the Lao Ministry of National Defense. Photo: Lam Khanh/VNA Thongloun Sisoulith. Photo: Lam Khanh/VNA

During his more than 24 hours in Laos, President Luong Cuong had a continuous program of 15 activities including talks, meetings, contacts, and meetings with all senior leaders of Laos, visits to former senior leaders of Laos, and talks with students and overseas Vietnamese communities in the neighboring country. On this occasion, leaders of a number of Vietnamese ministries and sectors also had meetings with Lao partners to discuss specific cooperation contents.

Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith highly appreciated the significance of President Luong Cuong's first visit to Laos in his new position, demonstrating the importance of the Party, State of Vietnam and President Luong Cuong personally to the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos; affirming that the visit marks an important milestone, contributing to promoting the relationship between the two Parties and two countries to develop in depth, effectively and practically, contributing to serving the cause of innovation, national construction and protection in each country.

President Luong Cuong meets with Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone. Photo: Lam Khanh/VNA

During the talks and meetings, the two sides discussed and agreed on major orientations for developing bilateral relations in the coming time, including consolidating the trustful and close political relationship, maintaining regular visits and contacts at high and all levels, and focusing on promoting exchanges and cooperation between the people of the two countries in diverse and flexible forms.

In the friendly atmosphere, full of comradeship, the Lao leaders and President Luong Cuong also spent a lot of time reviewing the mutual support between Vietnam and Laos and the people of the two countries during the past struggle for national independence as well as the construction and development of the country today; affirming that these are invaluable assets built by previous generations and will continue to be cherished, preserved and further promoted by future generations.

The two sides also reaffirmed that they always attach importance to and give the highest priority to consolidating and enhancing the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, considering it a priceless asset and a vital factor for the revolutionary cause of each country; at the same time, they highly agreed on the need to find new and breakthrough ways to improve the effectiveness of economic, cultural, scientific and technological cooperation on the basis of maximizing the potential and strengths of each country.

President Luong Cuong meets with Vietnamese community and businesses in Laos. Photo: Lam Khanh/VNA

The President also met with the Vietnamese community and businesses in Laos, highly appreciating the activities of associations in promoting the role of representing the Vietnamese community in Laos; he was happy to witness the Vietnamese community and businesses in Laos growing stronger, always preserving and promoting the tradition of solidarity, attachment, mutual support and actively contributing to the socio-economic life of Laos as well as developing the Vietnam - Laos friendship. The President believes that the Vietnamese community in Laos will continue to develop, become increasingly stable, integrated, and comply with the laws of the host country, becoming a solid bridge and directly fostering the special friendship between Vietnam and Laos, hoping that associations will continue to promote the role of connecting overseas Vietnamese to create a cohesive community, standing side by side to support each other, creating favorable business conditions in the neighboring country.

In particular, President Luong Cuong and General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith attended the friendship exchange program "Vietnam - Laos, our two countries, love is deeper than the Red River - Mekong River" with the presence of many veterans and representatives of the Laotian generation who studied in Vietnam, as well as Vietnamese students in Laos. The event is a clear and outstanding demonstration of the close and close relationship and comradeship between the Parties and people of the two countries, as well as the steadfast affection that the two sides have for each other throughout the history of the two nations. At the program, the President reiterated the "four words of love" in the great friendship and special solidarity between the two peoples of General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith: "Comradeship, brotherhood, solidarity, friendship", and affirmed that both sides need to be responsible for passing on these heroic pages of history to the younger generation, so that they can clearly understand the value of the special solidarity between Vietnam - Laos, Laos - Vietnam and continue to nurture this relationship.

President Luong Cuong attends the friendship exchange program "Vietnam - Laos, our two countries, love is deeper than the Red River - Mekong River". Photo: Lam Khanh/VNA

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son assessed: "The priceless values ​​of solidarity, attachment, loyalty, purity, and loyalty have been passed on to the younger generation, who carry within them the mission of continuing the fine traditions that their ancestors have worked hard to cultivate, to become worthy successors to the great solidarity between Vietnam and Laos, as President Kaysone Phomvihane said 'Mountains may wear away, rivers may dry up, but the Laos-Vietnam friendship will forever be stronger than mountains and rivers' and our beloved Uncle Ho concluded 'Vietnam and Laos, our two countries, have a love deeper than the Red River and Mekong River'".

It can be seen that the Vietnam - Laos relationship is increasingly good and close based on a long-standing tradition, nurtured and contributed to by many generations of Vietnamese people and is increasingly developing, and these are very important premises for the stability and development of the two countries. Therefore, the Party, State and people of the two countries are responsible for building, nurturing, preserving, consolidating and developing this special relationship. The State visit to Laos by President Luong Cuong was a great success, conveying a strong message about the everlasting value of the special Vietnam - Laos relationship as well as great efforts and determination to bring the relationship between the two countries to a new stage of development, increasingly close, deeper, more substantial and more effective.

According to baotintuc.vn

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/chinh-tri-xa-hoi/minh-chung-ve-moi-quan-he-dac-biet-co-mot-khong-hai-viet-nam-lao-153036.html