VNA reported that on the morning of December 1, the plane carrying General Secretary To Lam and his wife Ngo Phuong Ly, along with the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation, arrived at Wattay International Airport in Vientinane, starting a state visit to the Lao People's Democratic Republic, attending the 50th Anniversary of the Lao People's Democratic Republic and co-chairing the High-level Meeting between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party at the invitation of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic Thongloun Sisoulith and his wife, from December 1 to 2, 2025.
Welcoming General Secretary To Lam and his wife, along with the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation at Wattay International Airport, on the Lao side were comrades: Bounthong Chitmany - Politburo member, Standing member of the Secretariat, Vice President of Laos;
Vilay Lakhamphong - Politburo member, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Public Security of Laos;
Khemmani Pholsena - Member of the Party Central Committee, Director of the Office of the President;
Phet Phomphiphak - Member of the Party Central Committee, Chief of the Party Central Committee Office; Thongsavanh Phomvihane - Member of the Party Central Committee, Minister of Foreign Affairs;
Atsaphangthong Siphandone - Member of the Party Central Committee, Director of the Capital Vientinane; Valaxay Lengsavad - Deputy Head of the Party Central Committee's External Relations Commission; Khamphao Ernthavanh - Lao Ambassador to Vietnam; Outtama Sithipong - Director of the Department of ceremony, Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On the Vietnamese side, there were Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Minh Tam and his wife, along with representatives of agencies, officials and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos; representatives of the Vietnamese community living and studying in Laos were also present at the airport to welcome the General Secretary and his wife, along with the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation.
In the warm and friendly atmosphere, the young Lao girl and children presented flowers to the General Secretary and his wife, representatives of overseas Vietnamese and Vietnamese students in Laos, as well as a large number of Lao students and people holding the national flags of the two countries to welcome the General Secretary and his wife, along with the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation at the airport.
This is one of Vietnam's particularly important foreign affairs activities in 2025 and is also the first State visit of General Secretary To Lam in his new position to Laos. The visit took place at a time of great significance when Laos celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Lao National Day (December 2, 1975 - December 2, 2025) and in the period before the Congress of the two Parties held in 2026 to make decisions on the development orientation of each country.
The visit continues to affirm the determination of the leaders of the two Parties and countries to always pay special attention to inheriting and promoting the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam - Laos, Laos - Vietnam to develop in accordance with the requirements, vision and strategic interests of the two countries in the new period.
