Deputy PM, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son meets Lao leaders
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son on December 17 had meetings with Party General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone on the occasion of his visit to Laos to co-chair the 11th Vietnam-Laos political consultation at foreign ministerial level.
Party General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith receives Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son (left) on December 17. (Photo: VNA)
Vientiane (VNA)🅘 – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son on December 17 had meetings with Party General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone on the occasion of his visit to Laos to co-chair the 11th Vietnam-Laos political consultation at foreign ministerial level.
At the meeting with Party General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, Son reported to the Lao leader on the outcomes of the political consultation with Lao Foreign Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane on December 16. He noted with pleasure the positive developments of bilateral cooperation across various fields, reflected in the meeting of Party General Secretary To Lam with Party General Secretary Thongloun Sisoulith, and various high-level meetings. Economic, trade, and investment cooperation between the two countries has seen significant progress towards the target of 2 billion USD in trade value in 2024. The two countries have also actively addressed obstacles for several key projects.
The Lao leader hailed the results of bilateral cooperation and urged both countries to actively exchange information and experiences in preparing for their respective national Party Congresses, as well as in Party building, political system development, socio-economic management and international integration.
He said he is delighted at the progress in solving problems in several key projects, contributing positively to Laos's socio-economic development and the bilateral relationship. The leader also commended the two Foreign Ministries for maintaining a regular cooperation mechanism to facilitate extensive discussions on important and strategic issues in bilateral relations, as well as regional and international cooperation.
In his meeting with Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Deputy PM Son congratulated Laos on successfully fulfilling its ASEAN Chair in 2024 and affirmed that the two foreign ministries will coordinate with relevant departments to effectively implement bilateral cooperation agreements, programmes, and projects, while actively preparing for important diplomatic activities, including the 47th meeting of Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee for Bilateral Cooperation.
The Lao PM emphasised that the Party, State, Government, and people of Laos prioritise strengthening the special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation with Vietnam.
He highlighted the high political trust reflected in the frequent bilateral contacts between the prime ministers of the two countries in 2024 and appreciated the visit of Deputy PM Son and the political consultation mechanism between the foreign ministries of Vietnam and Laos, which he said positively contributes to boosting the Laos-Vietnam relations and cooperation on international and regional issues of mutual interest.
He said he will direct Lao ministries and sectors to review and promote the implementation of high-level agreements of the two countries, and took the occasion to call on Vietnamese corporations and businesses to invest more in Laos to help develop its economy and improve the lives of its people./.
A political consultation between the Vietnamese and Lao ministers of foreign affairs took place in Vientiane on December 16, reviewing the past cooperation between their ministries and discussing future joint work and international and regional matters of common interest.
The Defence Attaché Office of Vietnam in Laos hosted a ceremony in Vientiane on December 13 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) and the 35th anniversary of the All-People Defence Festival (December 22), bringing together officials of Laos, defence attachés from various countries, representatives of international organisations, and Vietnamese people in the country.
The Party, State, and people of Vietnam strongly support Laos's renovation efforts, Nguyen Duy Ngoc, Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and Chief of its Office told Lao leaders on December 11 during his two-day visit to the country.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony is observed by the 10 ASEAN member countries on August 8 every year, aiming to spread and promote the ASEAN identity and affirm the determination to unite and cooperate for the common aspiration of long-term peace and prosperity of Southeast Asian countries under the common roof of the ASEAN Community.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong highlighted ASEAN’s nearly six decades of development, during which the region transformed from division to harmony, from confrontation to cooperation, and from poverty to dynamic growth, becoming a global bright spot for regional cooperation.
