Vientiane, October 9, 2026 – The Europe Today: Vietnamese Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng and President of the Lao National Assembly Sonexay Siphandone have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the longstanding friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion between Vietnam and Laos.
The two leaders met in Vientiane on October 8 during Prime Minister Hưng’s official visit to Laos, underscoring the importance both countries attach to deepening bilateral relations and translating high-level commitments into tangible results.
Prime Minister Hưng said he was honoured to visit Laos in his new capacity and become the first foreign leader to visit the country following the consolidation of its leadership and Sonexay’s assumption of his new position.
He congratulated Sonexay on his election as President of the Lao National Assembly and conveyed greetings and best wishes from General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President Tô Lâm, Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn, and other senior Vietnamese leaders.
The Vietnamese prime minister also congratulated the Lao Party, State and people on their achievements in national development, expressing confidence that Laos would overcome challenges and successfully implement the Resolution of the 12th National Congress of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and its 2026–2031 socio-economic development plan.
Briefing Sonexay on his discussions with Lao Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith and General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee and President Thongloun Sisoulith, Hưng said both sides had reached broad consensus on major directions for advancing bilateral relations in a more substantive and effective manner.
He emphasized the need to implement agreements and commitments reached by the senior leadership of both countries, moving from good cooperation to effective cooperation and from commitments to concrete results.
For his part, Sonexay welcomed Hưng’s first official visit to Laos as head of the Vietnamese government, describing it as evidence of Vietnam’s high regard for the special relationship between the two neighbouring countries.
He congratulated Vietnam on its achievements, particularly in socio-economic development, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and conveyed his greetings to Tô Lâm, Trần Thanh Mẫn and other Vietnamese leaders.
Expanding Cooperation Across Key Sectors
The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the positive development of Vietnam–Laos relations across multiple fields, noting that political ties had become increasingly close and reliable.
They welcomed continued cooperation in defence, security and foreign affairs, alongside positive developments in trade, investment and economic engagement.
Cooperation in education and training, transport, energy and culture has also become increasingly substantive, supported by growing people-to-people exchanges and collaboration among ministries, government agencies and local authorities.
Both sides agreed to intensify people-to-people exchanges, particularly among younger generations, while strengthening public awareness and education about the historical foundations and traditions of friendship and special solidarity between the two nations.
They also agreed to coordinate preparations for the Vietnam–Laos and Laos–Vietnam Year of Solidarity, Friendship and Cohesion in 2027. The commemorative year will mark the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations, established on September 5, 1962, and the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam–Laos Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, signed on July 18, 1977.
Strengthening Parliamentary Cooperation
Prime Minister Hưng commended the Lao National Assembly’s role in developing and improving the legal framework and overseeing policies related to socio-economic development, public budgets and monetary affairs.
He reaffirmed Vietnam’s continued support for Laos’s renewal process, national development and international integration, expressing readiness to work closely with the Lao side to help it capitalize on opportunities for rapid and sustainable growth.
Emphasizing the importance of practical progress in bilateral cooperation, Hưng called on the Lao National Assembly to support appropriate policies and regulations to remove existing obstacles, mobilize public and private resources, and accelerate key joint projects.
He also stressed the need to create more favourable conditions for businesses from both countries to invest and operate in each other’s markets, generating tangible benefits for their populations.
Highlighting the contribution of both legislatures to bilateral relations, the Vietnamese prime minister proposed increasing parliamentary exchanges and sharing experiences in lawmaking, oversight and decision-making on major national issues.
He further called for closer coordination at regional and international parliamentary forums and a stronger legislative role in promoting trade, investment, economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.
Sonexay affirmed that the Lao National Assembly would coordinate closely with its Vietnamese counterpart to oversee the implementation of high-level agreements and signed cooperation arrangements, particularly major economic projects.
Commitment to Long-Term Strategic Partnership
The two leaders agreed that, amid increasingly complex regional and international developments, consolidating and strengthening Vietnam–Laos relations remained of long-term strategic significance for national development in both countries.
They reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining close coordination, implementing existing agreements effectively and expanding cooperation across political, economic, security, legislative and cultural fields.
The meeting highlighted the determination of both countries to preserve their longstanding special relationship while ensuring that bilateral cooperation delivers concrete outcomes and supports sustainable development and prosperity for their peoples.
