Hanoi (VNA) 𒆙- National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man had a meeting with Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith on September 11 in Hanoi as part of the latter's state visit to Vietnam.

During the meeting, Man expressed his belief that the important visit by the Lao top leader will contribute to further strengthening and developing the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos. The Vietnamese top legislator congratulated the Lao Party, State, and people on significant and comprehensive achievements in implementing the 11th Party Congress's Resolution and the Five-year Economic and Social Development Plan in 2021-2025, saying that he believes under the leadership of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and Thongloun Sisoulith, Laos will successfully organise the 12th National Congress in early 2026 and implement sucessfully its national development strategies. For his part, the guest extended his heartfelt regards to the Vietnamese people, especially to those affected by Typhoon Yagi in recent days, expressing his belief that under the leadership and close attention of the Vietnamese Party, NA, and Government, the Vietnamese people will overcome all difficulties, and life in the affected areas will soon stabilise and return to normal. He showed his pleasure at Vietnam's strong development and comprehensive achievements, especially political and social stability, strong economic growth, improving living standards, and increasing international posittion. He affirmed that Laos always views Vietnam's success as a source of encouragement and inspiration, and a valuable lesson for Laos in its national construction and development efforts. He took the occasion to thanked the Vietnamese NA for its cooperation and effective support to its Lao counterpart, including the Lao NA's role as Chair of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) in 2024. Laos looks forward to welcoming the Vietnamese top legislator's official visit to Laos, and for participating in the AIPA-45 General Assembly in the coming time, he said. He said he hopes the two countries' legislative bodies will continue exchanging and sharing experience in implementing their functions, duties, and jurisdiction, towards furher strengthening their cooperation. Man highly valued the special relationship between the two countries, which is making significant progress in many areas. He affirmed that Vietnam remains determined to strongly and comprehensively support Laos in its efforts to construct and protect the country. According to the Vietnamese top legislator, along with the fruitful development of bilateral relations, cooperation between the two coutries' legislatures has been strengthened closely and effectively. The two sides have been well performing the cooperation agreement between the two NAs, and the outcomes of the first Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam (CLV) Parliamentary Summit held in Laos in December 2023. He affirmed that he will do his utmost to cultivate and step up the traditional friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations in general, and the ties between their legislative bodies in particular, for the sake of the people of both countries. The Vietnamese NA will continue to enhance information sharing, coordination, and support for Laos in international, regional, and sub-regional forums, and support Laos in successfully undertaking its roles as 2024 Chair of ASEAN and AIPA-45, he stated, adding that the legislature is willing to share experience and provide expertise in areas that Laos is interested in and Vietnam is strong in, such as monitoring budget estimates implementation, establishing legal frameworks, and overseeing key cooperative projects between the two countries./.