NA Vuong Dinh Hue (L) meets with representatives of Vietnamese businesses in Laos on May 15.
(Photo: VNA)
According to the article, the visit from May 15-17 is an important event in the history of the two countries’ traditional relationship, especially in preparation to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations (September 5, 1962 - September 5, 2022) and the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (July 18, 1977 - July 18, 2022), and to celebrate the Year of Friendship and Solidarity between the two countries.
The editorial affirmed that the visit allows the two countries to continue jointly inheriting, cultivating and developing the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation.
It asserted that Laos-Vietnam are friend countries and close neighbours, whose friendship and solidarity are a good tradition that has been preserved and cultivated to today.
The two countries share a common border of more than 2,000 km, and the close relationship between the two countries has been cultivated since the historical period of national construction and defense in each country.
The great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Laos and Vietnam continue to see deepening development in all fields of cooperation. Political closeness and trust are increasingly strengthened.
Despite the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders of the two countries still regularly exchange high-level delegations in various forms from central to local levels. The highlight was the official friendship visit to Vietnam by Prime Minister Phankham Viphavan and Vice President Pany Yathotou.
The two countries have implemented cooperation mechanisms in all fields, especially defense-security cooperation; coordinated in the protection of the borderline of peace and friendship; and boosted economic, cultural, educational and scientific-technical cooperation.
In 2021, bilateral trade turnover reached USD1.37 billion, an increase of 33% compared to 2020, exceeding the target set by the two countries' senior leaders for the two countries' industry and trade (10%)./.