Friendship year contributes to Vietnam’s diplomatic successes in 2017
The Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year and the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year were successful, contributing to Vietnam’s diplomatic achievements in 2017.
The national steering committee for the Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year and the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year holds a meeting on January 24 to review its activities (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam-Laos Solidarity andFriendship Year and the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year were successful,contributing to Vietnam’s diplomatic achievements in 2017, said Deputy PrimeMinister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.
He made the remark at a meeting on January 24reviewing activities of the national steering committee for the Year.
He said Vietnam’s relations with neighbouringLaos and Cambodia were continually reinforced in all aspects last year.
During the Year, Vietnam and Laos coordinated inorganising more than 170 celebratory activities and exchanging nearly 300delegations from central to local levels. Meanwhile, Vietnam and Cambodia heldnearly 70 celebratory activities and almost 100 mutual visits at all levels.
Cooperation between Vietnamese ministries,sectors and localities with their Lao and Cambodian counterparts wasimplemented effectively in politics-security-defence, transport, training,culture, health care, and telecommunications, Minh said, noting that bilateralcooperation mechanisms have been maintained and proved effective.
He added diverse people-to-people diplomaticactivities were organised. Many agencies, sectors, and organisations in Vietnamopened contests on Vietnam-Laos and Vietnam-Cambodia ties, sports and artsprogrammes, and photo exhibitions on their solidarity, friendship, andall-round connections. Media outlets of the three countries also posted a numberof articles on Vietnam-Laos and Vietnam-Cambodia relations.
The Deputy PM affirmed that with diverseactivities, the Year helped improve the awareness of the countries’ traditionalties among Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodian people, especially young generations.
He also applauded efforts and contributions byministries, sectors, localities, and organisations to the Year.
As Laos and Cambodia are especially important toVietnam’s security, stability and development and Vietnam’s sound relationswith the two neighbours have been nurtured for generations, Vietnam must payeven greater attention to enhancing the solidarity, friendship, and sustainablecooperation with them, he stressed.
Minh asked local ministries, sectors,localities, organisations, and businesses to bring into play the outcomes ofthe Year to promote comprehensive cooperation with Laos and Cambodia for thesake of each country’s people.-VNA
The Vietnamese Party, State and army always attach much importance to the relations with Laos, said Minister of National Defence Ngo Xuan Lich, who is visiting Laos from January 15-17.
National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and Cambodia’s Senate Vice President Tep Ngorn stressed the need to continue nurturing and expanding the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries in the coming time.
Cambodian Ambassador to Vietnam Prak Nguon Hong has proposed that Vietnam’s northern province of Thai Nguyen continue receiving more Cambodian students and expanding fields of training for them.
Leaders of Ho Chi Minh City and the Lao province of Savannakhet have inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the formation of bilateral friendly and cooperative partnership to facilitate their ties’ growth in the future.
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.
Thirty years ago, on July 28, 1995, Vietnam’s accession to ASEAN marked a historic strategic decision, opening a new chapter in the country’s integration process and beginning its strong rise.
Ambassador Vu Le Thai Hoang has outlined specific priorities and proposals for cooperation with the UNODA in preparation for the upcoming 11th Review Conference of the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
The Vietnamese Party leader's visit is therefore expected to mark a new stage in the development of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries, with a focus on such areas as digital transformation, supply chains, semiconductors, clean energy, and maritime security, Choe assessed.
At their meeting, which took place in the Angolan capital of Luanda on August 7 as part of State President Luong Cuong’s ongoing state visit to the African nation, the two officials also agreed to make full use of existing cooperation mechanisms, particularly the Vietnam – Angola Intergovernmental Committee, and step up exchanges of delegations at all levels.
President Luong Cuong's talks with his Angolan counterrpart João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, Vietnamese leader's receptions for a delegation from the Japan – Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance, and the Government's regular meeting for July are among news highlights on August 7 evening.
The national steering committee for the Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year and the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year holds a meeting on January 24 to review its activities (Photo: VNA) 
