Vietnam - Laos relations are a priceless common asset of the two peoples.

Affirming that the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic ties between Vietnam and Laos are invaluable assets left by the ancestors and previous generations of revolutionary leaders of the two countries, the General Secretary emphasized the need to care for, preserve, cultivate and promote this invaluable asset.

On the morning of December 1, in the capital Vientiane, the official welcoming ceremony for General Secretary To Lam and his wife Ngo Phuong Ly, along with the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation on a state visit to the Lao PDR, to attend the 50th anniversary of the Lao PDR's National Day and co-chair the high-level meeting between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party took place solemnly at the Presidential Palace according to the highest protocol reserved for heads of state.

General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and General Secretary To Lam review the Honor Guard of the Lao People's Army.

PHOTO: VNA

General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and his wife hosted the welcoming ceremony. After the welcoming ceremony, General Secretary To Lam held talks with General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith.

General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith presents General Secretary To Lam with the National Gold Medal of the Lao State.

Photo: VNA

Adding new content to deepen bilateral relations

Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith warmly welcomed General Secretary To Lam and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to the State visit to Laos; highly appreciated the important significance of the visit, which demonstrates the importance of the Party, State of Vietnam and General Secretary To Lam personally to the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.

General Secretary To Lam expressed his joy in revisiting the beautiful country of Laos on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Laos' National Day and the 105th birthday of President Kaysone Phomvihane.

General Secretary To Lam's visit to Laos this time once again affirms Vietnam 's consistent foreign policy of always giving top priority to the special solidarity relationship with Laos.

At the talks, the two leaders expressed their delight at the special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, which is increasingly developing, deepening, becoming practical and effective in all fields. The two sides agreed to effectively implement high-level agreements and plans, especially the results of the 2025 High-level Meeting between the two Parties and the Third Meeting between the three heads of the three Parties of Vietnam , Laos and Cambodia. The two sides agreed to effectively promote cooperation mechanisms, deepening the relationship between the two Parties and the two countries through existing cooperation mechanisms. The two sides agreed to deepen bilateral relations by adding new connotations: "Great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, strategic cohesion". The two sides agreed to continue promoting defense and security cooperation, closely coordinating and supporting each other in responding to increasingly diverse and complex security challenges; linking security and defense with socio-economic development.

The two sides also agreed to strengthen strong economic, infrastructure, banking - finance, tourism connections between the two countries, striving to increase the turnover to 5 billion USD in the near future and towards 10 billion USD in the coming time. The two leaders agreed to strongly promote and create breakthroughs in economic, cultural, scientific - technical cooperation; agreed to promote connectivity in transportation, electricity, telecommunications, tourism; continue to improve the quality of education - training and human resource development; promote people-to-people exchanges and between localities.

The two leaders affirmed their interest in and support for each other at multilateral and regional ASEAN forums; and to protect each other's legitimate interests in accordance with international law, including the East Sea issue that affects peace, stability and cooperation in the region and the world.

At the end of the talks, the two leaders witnessed the exchange of 12 important cooperation documents between ministries, branches, localities and relevant agencies of the two countries in pillar areas.

General Secretary To Lam respectfully invited General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith and his wife to visit Vietnam at an appropriate time. General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith sincerely thanked him and happily accepted the invitation.

On the same day, in the capital Vientiane, General Secretary To Lam had a meeting with Lao National Assembly Chairman Saysomphone Phomvihane and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone.

Great friendship, special solidarity

On the same afternoon, General Secretary To Lam and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation visited the Lao National Academy of Politics and Public Administration. Also attending were General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith; leaders of the Lao Party and State; the leadership of the Lao National Academy of Politics and Public Administration; and a large number of teachers, staff and students of the academy.

General Secretary To Lam delivers a policy speech at the Lao National Academy of Politics and Public Administration.

Photo: VNA

Here, General Secretary To Lam delivered a policy speech with the theme: Inheriting the great friendship, fostering special solidarity, consolidating comprehensive cooperation and promoting strategic ties between Vietnam and Laos in the new period.

General Secretary To Lam stated that Vietnam and Laos are two neighboring countries with the same aspirations, the same living space and development. Over the centuries, the people of the two countries have gone through great challenges of history, faced the harshness of nature to survive, and were invaded by colonialists and imperialists... In that context, the special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos is the only correct choice, a historical necessity of strategic survival. Therefore, the Vietnam - Laos relationship, which was painstakingly cultivated by President Ho Chi Minh, President Kaysone Phomvihane, President Souphanouvong and generations of leaders of the two Parties and States, has become a special, pure, and loyal relationship that is rare in history, a priceless common asset of the two brotherly peoples of Vietnam and Laos.

General Secretary To Lam emphasized that solidarity and closeness are the source of Vietnam - Laos relations. The General Secretary suggested raising the level from cooperation to "connection"; emphasizing three directions of connection: Bilateral connection; sub-regional connection - especially the three Indochinese countries; regional and international connection.

To inherit the great friendship, foster special solidarity, consolidate comprehensive cooperation and promote strategic ties between Vietnam and Laos in the new period, General Secretary To Lam suggested that it is necessary to firmly adhere to a number of strategic foundations, namely: firmly adhere to the goal of national independence associated with socialism; jointly build a border of peace, friendship, cooperation and development; supplement and support each other in terms of resources, assets and development space.

General Secretary To Lam said that Vietnam and Laos are also two members of a larger community, ASEAN. In ASEAN, the common voice of Vietnam and Laos will contribute to strengthening solidarity and unity; upholding the principles of consensus and mutual respect; ensuring that ASEAN is the center of regional cooperation structures, without being divided or dragged. In regional and international mechanisms, the coordination of stances and mutual support between Vietnam and Laos will help each country better protect its legitimate interests; contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Affirming that the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic ties between Vietnam and Laos are invaluable assets left by the ancestors and previous generations of revolutionary leaders of the two countries, the General Secretary emphasized the need to care for, preserve, cultivate and promote this invaluable asset. That is the political responsibility, the sentiment, the honor, the reason for living and the conscience of the two peoples.

On the same afternoon, General Secretary To Lam and his wife met with embassy staff and the Vietnamese community in Laos.

Laos awards General Secretary To Lam the National Gold Medal

On the afternoon of December 1, on behalf of the Lao Party and State, General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith presented General Secretary To Lam with the National Gold Medal. This is the most noble medal of the Lao PDR State to General Secretary To Lam for his great contributions to fostering the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, two States and peoples of Laos and Vietnam .

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the National Day of the Lao PDR (December 2, 1975 - December 2, 2025), on December 1, the Central Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam , the President, the National Assembly, the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam , and the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front jointly sent congratulatory messages to the Central Executive Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, the President, the National Assembly, the Government of the Lao PDR, and the Central Committee of the Lao Front for National Construction.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/quan-he-viet-nam-la-tai-san-chung-vo-gia-cua-hai-dan-toc-18525120123424878.htm