The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that at the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh thanked Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone for the warm, respectful and thoughtful reception given to the Vietnamese delegation; affirmed that Vietnam especially values and gives the highest priority to the great relationship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation with Laos, always striving to foster and bring the Vietnam - Laos relationship to continue to develop sustainably and increasingly go into depth.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that the relationship between the two countries is at the highest level of trust and attachment, with more effective economic and trade cooperation, closer defense and security cooperation, stronger cultural and tourism cooperation, and more substantive local cooperation.
The Prime Minister emphasized that in the coming time, the two sides need to continue to strengthen effective cooperation in the fields of digital transformation, green transformation, circular economy, agriculture, high-tech livestock farming, ensuring food security; focusing on training high-quality human resources, coordinating to preserve and protect relics marking the special solidarity relationship between Vietnam and Laos. The Prime Minister hoped that Laos would continue to create favorable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to do business in Laos.
Impressed by the thorough preparations for the ASEAN Summit, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh highly appreciated Laos' role as ASEAN Chair 2024; expressed his wish that the two countries would coordinate more closely with each other and with ASEAN member countries to maintain and strengthen ASEAN's solidarity and consensus, ensuring that ASEAN expresses a unified stance on regional issues.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that at the ASEAN Summit to be held on October 9, 2024 as well as the 45th AIPA to be held 10 days later, Vietnam is ready to strengthen coordination with Laos and other countries so that these conferences will be successful, contributing to promoting the prestige of Laos and the solidarity and consensus of ASEAN.
Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone agreed with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's assessment of the bilateral relationship; sincerely thanked Vietnam for its wholehearted assistance and selfless, pure support for Laos in the past struggle for national liberation as well as in the country's development today; emphasized that the two sides' concern, visits and mutual support in overcoming the effects of recent natural disasters demonstrated the close comradely and brotherly affection and the tradition of mutual love between the two peoples; affirmed that the Lao Government will closely coordinate with the Vietnamese Government to effectively and on schedule implement projects invested by Vietnamese enterprises in Laos.
Regarding the direction of cooperation in the coming time, the two Prime Ministers agreed to closely coordinate to effectively implement high-level agreements between the two countries, including the results of the recent meeting between the two Politburoes of Vietnam and Laos; continue to increase delegation exchanges at all levels and through channels to continuously consolidate the special and strong political relationship of trust; coordinate to ensure security, order and social safety; strengthen security and defense cooperation; enhance comprehensive connectivity between the two economies, especially in infrastructure, transportation, investment and tourism.
In the context of the complex and changing world situation with many challenges intertwined with opportunities, the two Prime Ministers emphasized the value of the solidarity between Vietnam - Laos and Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia; agreed to continue to coordinate with Cambodia to make the cooperation between the three countries more substantive and effective, meeting the practical needs of the three countries and in line with development needs in the new period.
