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At the invitation of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic Thongloun Sisoulith and his wife, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam, his wife and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation paid a State visit to Laos, attended the 50th National Day Celebration of the Lao People's Democratic Republic; and co-chaired the High-level Meeting between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party from December 1 to 2, 2025.
Taking place at a time when the two countries are celebrating many important events in the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, General Secretary To Lam 's visit to Laos demonstrates the special respect of senior Vietnamese leaders for Laos; affirming that Vietnam gives top priority to Laos in its foreign policy. The visit has profound significance for the people of the two countries; reaffirming that the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos are valuable assets that generations of leaders and people of the two countries have the responsibility to preserve and promote. The visit contributes to strengthening substantive cooperation, bringing practical benefits to the people of the two countries.
General Secretary To Lam met with Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith, who came to Vietnam to attend the signing ceremony of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, at the Party Central Committee Headquarters, October 25, 2025. (Photo: VNA)
Laos has achieved many comprehensive achievements on the path of development.
After nearly 40 years of implementing the renovation process, the Lao Party, State and people have achieved important and comprehensive achievements on the path of national construction. Under the leadership of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, Laos has transformed strongly, with stable socio-politics; national defense and security maintained; people's lives have been increasingly improved; national cultural identity has been preserved and promoted, considered the spiritual foundation of development.
Laos has a rich and diverse culture, influenced by neighboring cultures such as Thailand, Cambodia, China and Vietnam. Buddhism plays a dominant role, deeply influencing the spiritual life, festivals and customs of Lao people. Temples, pagodas, royal palaces, especially Buddhist temples are important symbols of Laos. Wood and stone carvings, carvings of Buddhist symbols and traditional motifs in the artistic life of Laos. Traditional music, using musical instruments such as pipes, drums, gongs and percussion instruments and traditional dances are cultural beliefs and festivals of Laos. "Lao pipes" was recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2017.
Economically, Laos' economy maintained a fairly good growth rate (4.2% growth in 2024) thanks to the strong recovery of foreign investment and tourism; budget revenue met the National Assembly's target, in which many localities exceeded the budget revenue plan; inflation was controlled below single digits; the number of tourists to Laos increased to a record high...
Laos continues to adhere to the policy of peace, independence, friendship and cooperation; and implement diverse, multilateral and multi-level cooperation.
In recent times, Laos has carried out a series of important foreign affairs and diplomatic activities to strengthen cooperative relations with countries and international organizations, while focusing on consolidating and strengthening relations with neighboring countries and ASEAN countries, and promoting relations with major countries and important partners.
In terms of foreign affairs, Laos currently has diplomatic relations with about 150 countries and has held the ASEAN Chair three times (2004, 2016 and 2024), successfully assuming the AIPA 45 Chairmanship in 2024. Laos highly values ASEAN and strives to gain support from ASEAN and ASEAN's development partners.
"The past 50 years have been a brilliant and glorious historical journey of the Lao people, a heroic journey, full of faith and perseverance on the chosen path, believing in the bright future of the country."
- President Luong Cuong -
Preserving Vietnam-Laos relations, a precious common asset of the two countries
At the ceremony to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National Day of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (December 2, 1975 - December 2, 2025) and the 105th birthday of President Kaysone Phomvihane (December 13, 1920 - December 13, 2025), President Luong Cuong emphasized: The Party, State and people of Vietnam are always proud to have a loyal, steadfast friend with the same aspirations; every victory of the Vietnamese Revolution in the past struggle for national liberation, as well as in the cause of national construction and development today, is associated with the special solidarity, with the spirit of "sharing the same fate, sharing the same rice grain, sharing the same vegetable stalk, sharing the same joys and sorrows" of the brotherly Lao people.
The special Vietnam-Laos relationship was directly founded by great leaders such as President Ho Chi Minh, President Kaysone Phomvihane and President Souphanouvong; and has been painstakingly built, preserved, nurtured and increasingly developed by generations of leaders and people of the two countries.
During his State visit to Laos on July 11, 2024, President To Lam held talks with Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith. (Photo: VNA)
Political and diplomatic relations continue to develop well, closely and with trust. After the High-level Meeting between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (February 2025), promoting existing cooperation mechanisms, while reviewing, adjusting and building new mechanisms, the two sides focused on discussing strategic issues, guidelines and policies related to security and development.
The two sides have maintained exchanges of high-level delegations and all levels in many forms, as well as successfully organized many important foreign affairs activities between senior leaders of the two Parties and States. Notably, from the fourth quarter of 2024 to now, General Secretary To Lam and General Secretary and President of Laos have met five times and exchanged in-depth, comprehensive and substantive content on core issues to deepen the close relationship between the two Parties and two countries.
General Secretary To Lam received Comrade Thongsalith Mangnomek, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Chief of the Office of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee, at the Party Central Committee Headquarters on May 30, 2025. (Photo: VNA)
Cooperation between the two countries' parliaments has always been nurtured and developed by generations of leaders of the two countries' parliaments. The two sides regularly exchange experiences and support each other in drafting the Constitution and the legal system; perfecting the organization, functions and tasks of the National Assembly Committees; training experts and specialists; coordinating with the Government and the Fatherland Front in domestic and foreign affairs of the State; supporting each other in regional and international forums has greatly contributed together with the political system in building and developing a socialist rule-of-law state of the people, by the people and for the people in each country through exchange delegations at different levels, signing cooperation agreements, and ratifying cooperation agreements between the two governments, creating a special nature of the relationship between the National Assembly of Vietnam and the National Assembly of Laos.
During his attendance at the 46th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-46) on September 18, 2025, in Kuala Lumpur, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man met with Lao National Assembly Vice Chairman Sounthone Xayachack. (Photo: VNA)
Defense-security cooperation continues to be enhanced in both quality and quantity. The two sides closely coordinate and support each other in maintaining political stability, ensuring national defense, security and social order and safety; effectively implementing the Cooperation Protocol for the 2025-2029 period and the Security and Defense Cooperation Plan for 2025; successfully organizing the 5th Vietnam-Laos Defense Policy Dialogue; and effectively coordinating the search, excavation and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Laos during the war.
Economic, trade and investment cooperation continues to have positive changes. The two sides signed four documents on the occasion of the 47th meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee. Many Vietnamese investment projects in Laos are operating effectively, contributing positively to the socio-economic development of Laos, creating jobs, increasing income for thousands of workers and supplementing the budget, especially in the fields of telecommunications, banking, energy, mining, rubber and food processing. Notably, Vietnamese investment in Laos is increasing again in a sustainable direction, reaching 322 million USD in the first 8 months of 2025 (6 times higher than the same period in 2024), focusing on energy, mining and transportation. Many basic strategic projects have been completed, notably the inauguration of wharf No. 3 of Vung Ang port.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone witnessed the signing ceremony of the cooperation plan agreement between the Vietnamese and Lao governments and the minutes of the 47th meeting of the Joint Commission. (Photo: VNA)
The two sides continue to maintain security, order and peace on the border; ensure internal political protection. At the same time, the two sides strengthen cooperation in preventing and combating transnational crimes, especially drugs, human trafficking, smuggling, immigration management, illegal migration and residence.
In multilateral cooperation, the two countries closely coordinate and support each other at regional and international forums, especially within the framework of ASEAN, the United Nations and sub-regional cooperation mechanisms. Vietnam is actively supporting and assisting Laos to successfully assume important international roles in 2025.
"Vietnam believes that the special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos, founded by President Ho Chi Minh, President Kaysone Phomvihane and President Souphanouvong, will increasingly develop deeply and substantially, making important contributions to the prosperous development of both peoples."
- Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Thanh -
General Secretary To Lam's visit to Laos takes place at a time when the two countries are moving towards important development goals: Laos is implementing the Socio-Economic Development and Structural Reform Strategy, and Vietnam is implementing the 2045 Strategy. In that context, the visit will contribute to strengthening political trust, opening up new directions of cooperation and opportunities for the two countries to develop and prosper together.
Publication date: November 29, 2025
Directed by: Chu Hong Thang - Pham Truong Son
Content: Nguyen Ha - Minh Hang
Presented by: Nha Nam
Source: According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Vietnam News Agency
Source: https://nhandan.vn/special/tong-bi-thu-to-lam-tham-lao-1/index.html
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