Top Vietnamese leader holds talks with Lao counterpart

Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong (L) is welcomed by General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith in Vientiane capital on February 24, 2019.

Bounnhang Vorachith  said Trong’s first foreign visit since he became top leader of the Vietnamese Party and State demonstrates the great friendship, special solidarity, close relationship, mutual trust and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States and people of Viet Nam and Laos.

The visit is also a great source of encouragement for the Lao people to successfully complete the resolution adopted at the 10^th National Party Congress, the host leader said.

Bounnhang Vorachith took the occasion to extend thanks to the Party, State and people of Viet Nam for their great support during the Lao cause of national construction and defense.

He went on to say  that Viet Nam’s reform achievements and its increased international position and prestige have been valuable experience for Laos to realize the tasks of national construction and defense.

Theo Lao leader expressed his belief that Viet Nam will gain greater successes in the cause of national construction and development, contributing to achieve the goal of turning Viet Nam into a modern oriented industrialized country by 2030.

Meanwhile, Trong congratulated Laos on its achievements over the past 30 years of reform, affirming Viet Nam will continue strong and comprehensive support for the neighboring country’s cause of national reform, protection and construction.

Trong conveyed thanks to Lao Party, State and people for their wholehearted support and assistance to Viet Nam’s past struggle for national liberation and the current course of national construction and defense as well.

The two leaders vowed to continue consolidating and advancing the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States and people, regarding it as the crucial factor to guarantee the success of national construction and defense in each nation.

Against the backdrop of complicated development of regional and international situation, the two countries should join hands to move forward the tradition of solidarity, cooperation and mutual support, the pair agreed.

They agreed to foster the bilateral comprehensive cooperation on the principles of equality and mutual benefits, with priorities given to each other suitable with the special relationship. 

In that spirit, both countries agreed to continue stepping up political collaboration, maintaining high-level contacts, expanding exchanges between agencies, organizations and localities, especially the their border localities. 

They also agreed to boost defense and security cooperation, and work together to build a shared border of stability and sustainability.

The Vietnamese and Lao economies should support each other, particularly in transport, electricity, telecommunications and tourism, they said, stressing that cooperation in high-quality human resources development should receive more attention from both sides. 

The pair noted with pleasure that the two countries have shared united viewpoints on regional and international issues and agreed that the two sides should continue close coordination and mutual support, especially within the cooperation framework of the mechanisms like ASEAN, the United Nations and the Mekong Sub-region.

The two countries will work together to ensure sustainable use and management of Mekong River water resources, enhance their cooperation with 3^rd parties within the framework of the East-West Corridor and other multilateral cooperation programs and projects.

The two sides emphasized the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security and safety in the East Sea, supported ASEAN’s role and principles, and agreed to promote the settlement of disputes in the East Sea through peaceful measures in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The leaders vowed to join hands with relevant sides to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC) in the East Sea and soon conclude a practical and effective Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea, thus contributing to maintain peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

On the occasion, Trong thanked Laos for supporting Viet Nam’s candidature for non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for the tenure 2020-2021, and the country’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2020. 

The same day, the two leaders witnessed the signing of several documents between their ministries and agencies, including a cooperation agreement between the two finance ministries for the 2019-2020 period, a cooperation agreement on developing power and mine projects between the two governments, and another agreement between the two governments on building and exploiting the Vung Ang-Vientiane railway.

Also on Sunday, Trong had bilateral meetings with Lao PM Thongloun Sisoulith and President of the Lao National Assembly Pany Yathotou./.

By Quang Minh