Hanoi (VNA) – National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man on June 8 met with Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone on the occasion of the latter’s official visit to Vietnam, where he will also attend the third ASEAN Future Forum 2026.
Chairman Man said the Lao PM’s first Vietnam visit since starting a new term vividly reflects the special Vietnam - Laos relationship and injects new momentum into the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic cohesion between the two Parties, States, and peoples.
On this occasion, he conveyed his greetings and best wishes to Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith, NA President Saysomphone Phomvihane, and other high-ranking Lao leaders.
He congratulated Laos on its major, sweeping, and historically significant achievements attained by the Lao Party, State, and people in recent years. He voiced confidence that under the sound leadership of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, the NA’s oversight, and the Government’s directions led by PM Sonexay, the Lao people will successfully realise the Resolution of the 12th National Party Congress and the 10th five-year national socio-economic development plan, thus elevating Laos’ role and international standing.
The Vietnamese Party, State, and NA will always stand shoulder to shoulder in support of Laos’ reform and development, he said.
PM Sonexay, in turn, conveyed greetings and invitation from NA President Saysomphone to the host to pay an official visit to Laos.
The PM congratulated the fraternal Vietnamese people on their great and broad achievements under the leadership of the Communist Party of Viet Nam and the NA’s close oversight, citing sustained high economic growth, improved living standards, and stronger national security and social order that have bolstered Vietnam’s growing global and regional standing.
The two leaders expressed delight at the positive strides in bilateral ties across various fields, from politics, diplomacy, and defence-security to economy, culture, education, and locality-to-locality cooperation.
They described the addition of the “strategic cohesion” to the bilateral relationship framework as a step of important significance, reflecting long-term vision and strong political commitment by leaders of both Parties and States to deepen the special Vietnam-Laos relationship in the new period.
Commending the outcomes of the two PMs’ talks and bilateral cooperation between the two Governments, the host said the two legislatures have actively worked together to realise bilateral agreements through diverse and practical forms. These include regular exchanges of delegations, legislative experience-sharing, supreme oversight, and joint monitoring of major agreements and key cooperation projects.
Looking ahead, both sides agreed to further solidify political trust, maintain high-level and all-level exchanges across Party, State, NA, People’s Council, and people-to-people channels; and enhance professional cooperation and experience sharing between the NA ethnic councils, committees, and friendship parliamentary groups in lawmaking, oversight, and decision-making on major national issues.
They also committed to mutual support at global and regional parliamentary forums such as ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), and the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), contributing to the protection of shared interests of both countries and the region.
The Vietnamese NA will closely work with its Lao counterpart to establish a solid legal framework, accompany and provide maximum support for the two Governments to successfully realise the agreed cooperation programmes, the host said.
Host and guest also discussed ways to lift economic and trade ties to match the level of political relations. They promised to tackle obstacles for key infrastructure projects in transport, energy, trade, and investment, including expressways and railway links to the sea, while facilitating business cooperation in clean energy, hi-tech agriculture, and cross-border trade.
Both sides also pledged to jointly celebrate the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Vietnam - Laos Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in 2027, thereby spreading the tradition of special solidarity and friendship between the two countries among all segments of society, especially youth.
Expressing profound thanks to the Vietnamese Party, State and people for their timely and effective support to Laos over the past years, the Lao PM affirmed that the Lao Government will continue to team up with the Lao NA and relevant Vietnamese agencies, particularly the Vietnamese Government led by PM Le Minh Hung, to ensure ministries and agencies effectively realise high-level agreements and the outcomes of the 48th session of the Vietnam - Laos Inter-Governmental Committee, bringing practical benefits to their people and further nurturing the everlasting Vietnam - Laos relationship./.
