PM’s Lao visit brings fresh air to Vietnam - Lao relations: Friendship association chairman
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s just-concluded visit to Laos brings fresh air into the Vietnam-Laos relations, contributing to deepening their special friendship and comprehensive cooperation, Chairman of the Laos - Vietnam Friendship Association Boviengkham Vongdara in Vientiane has said.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh receives Chairman of the Laos - Vietnam Friendship Association Boviengkham Vongdara on January 11. (Photo: VNA)
Vientiane (VNA)ꦑ – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s just-concluded visit to Laos brings fresh air intothe Vietnam-Laos relations, contributing to deepening their special friendshipand comprehensive cooperation, Chairman of the Laos - Vietnam FriendshipAssociation Boviengkham Vongdara in Vientiane has said.
Speaking to the Vietnam News Agency, he emphasised that itis the first time Chinh visited Laos since he took office, and also the firsttime that Lao PM Sonexay Siphandone received a foreign leader after he was elected to the position on December 30, 2022. Those factors bringfresh air into the two countries, he said.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (L) and his Lao counterpart Sonexay Siphandone at the ceremony concluding the Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022 on January 11. (Photo: VNA)
During his 30-hourvisit to Lao, Chinh co-chaired a ceremony to conclude the Vietnam-Laos,Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022. The two PMs also co-chaired the 45th meeting of the Lao-VietnamInter-Governmental Committee and witnessed the signing ceremony of 10 cooperation documents. According toBoviengkham, over the years, Vietnam has discussed and negotiated with manycountries about a digital cooperation partnership but has not signed any suchpartnership agreement with any country. He said Vietnam choosesLaos as the first digital cooperation partner and Vietnam is also the firstdigital cooperation partner of Laos, which not only shows the specialrelationship between the two countries but also proves that they are close cooperation partners in digital transformation for theirsocio-economic development. Evaluating the resultsof the Vietnam - Laos and Laos – Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022,the official said that diverse eventsthat the two countries organised throughout the year help the two peoples understand more about the special friendship, contributing to strengthening their special solidarity and further developing the relationship. Regarding the cooperation prospects between Laos and Vietnam in the coming years, Boviengkham saidthe potential for the bilateral cooperation is still very huge and needsto be exploited, especially in socio-economic development. That is the reason whythe two countries have set a goal of continuing to strengthen socio-economiccooperation in the same way as they did during their fights for nationalindependence, he said, adding that the two countries target economiccooperation to meet the political requirements in the new period./.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Chairman of the Laos - Vietnam Friendship Association Boviengkham Vongdara in Vientiane on January 11, part of his official visit to Laos.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Lao host Sonexay Siphandone co-chaired the 45th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committee in Vientiane on January 12.
Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lt. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien paid a courtesy call to Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Chansamone Chanyalath in Vientiane on January 12, within the framework of the ongoing official visit to the neighbouring country by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh wrapped up his two-day official visit to Laos on January 12, during which he co-chaired the 45th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committee.
The official visit to Laos by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is a success, contributing to realising diplomatic policy set by the 13th National Party Congress which advocates valuing the development of ties with neighbouring and ASEAN countries, with the top priority given to Laos, said Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son.
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.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh receives Chairman of the Laos - Vietnam Friendship Association Boviengkham Vongdara on January 11. (Photo: VNA) 
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (L) and his Lao counterpart Sonexay Siphandone at the ceremony concluding the Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022 on January 11. (Photo: VNA) 
