Vietnamese, Lao Prime Ministers agree to lift ties

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) and his Lao counterpart Thongloun Sisoulith meet the press after their talks (Photo: VNA)

The two government leaders reached the consensus during their talks in Vientiane on April 26 on the occasion of Phuc’s first official visit to Laos in his position as Vietnamese Prime Minister from April 26-27. Both leaders vowed to build on the outcomes gained at the 39th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee on bilateral cooperation and do their best to carry out the Vietnam-Laos bilateral cooperation agreement in 2016-2020. 



The two PMs also agreed to enhance high-level delegation exchanges and effectively deploy bilateral cooperation mechanisms along with increasing political trusts and cooperation efficiency in the fields of politics, external affairs, security-defence, economics, trade and investment. 



The leaders pledged to carry out efficiently signed agreements, particularly the protocol on cooperation in defence and security in 2016-2020, the protocol on border line and national border markers, the agreement on border and border gate management regulations, the Memorandum of Understanding on bilateral transport cooperation strategy in 2016-2025 with a vision towards 2030, and the agreement on building Vientiane-Pacxan-Thanh Thuy-Hanoi highway. 

They agreed to enhance cultural and people-to-people exchanges and jointly organise activities to celebrate the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the 40th anniversary of signing the Vietnam-Laos Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation. 



The Vietnamese and Lao governments will map out long-term collaboration orientations for the sustainable development of the two countries’ relations, driving economic-trade growth while ensuring social welfares and environmental protection. 



The two sides aim to increase two-way trade value in 2017 by 10 percent against 2016 and step up connectivity between the two economies, particularly in energy and transport. 



PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc took the occasion to present his Lao counterpart and the Lao people with the Vietnamese-Lao and Lao-Vietnamese dictionaries with the hope of helping the two countries’ people, especially the youngsters, to learn each other’s languages, thus increasing mutual understanding and strengthening special solidarity. 



The two PMs agreed to bolster affiliation in education and training, which has been a bright spot in bilateral cooperation. 

They also affirmed to strengthen coordination at regional and international forums such as the United Nations (UN), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and sub-regional cooperation mechanisms, as well as support each other’s initiatives and activities within the framework of ASEAN. 



Host and guest vowed to step up cooperation with each other and with other countries and international organisations for the sustainable and effective use and management of water resources in the Mekong River on the basis of ensuring the harmony in benefits of countries in the Mekong basin, especially those downstream.

They noted the need to have mechanisms for bilateral coordination and coordination with other stakeholders to assess and monitor the impacts of the use of river water resources. 



After the talks, the two PMs witnessed the signing of cooperation documents between Vietnam and Laos. 

The two countries have issued a Joint Statement on the occasion of PM Phuc’s official visit to Laos.