Bộ trưởng Ngoại giao Bùi Thanh Sơn gặp Phó Thủ tướng, Bộ trưởng Ngoại giao Lào. (Source: NDO)

Lao official said that during the past struggle for national liberation in both countries, Vietnam and Laos gave whole-hearted support to each other and joined hands together to fight common enemies.

Currently, the bilateral partnership has been expanded and deepened in all fields from politics and security to culture and society. Particularly, economic cooperation between the two sides has developed strongly, with Vietnam being a large trade partner and the third biggest investor of Laos, he said.

Saleumxay underlined that Vietnam and Laos have also enjoyed fruitful collaboration in communications, education, and human resources development, with Vietnam receiving over 50,000 Lao students in the past 10 years and about 14,000 studying in Vietnam currently.

Regarding the significance and goals of the Laos-Vietnam, Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year in 2022, the Lao Deputy PM said that Laos' relationship with Vietnam is a rare one that is not similar to that with any other countries.

This year is an important year for Vietnam and Laos when the two countries are celebrating the 60th founding anniversary of Vietnam-Laos diplomatic relations (1962-2022) and the 45th anniversary of the signing of the bilateral Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (1977-2022). This is a historical event marking a milestone in the ties between the two countries' Parties, States and people.

Various activities have been implemented throughout the year, aiming to popularise the Vietnam-Laos ties to the world and among people of both sides, especially youngsters, he said.

Saleumxay said that during his meeting with Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, who always underlined that Vietnam and Laos have not only shared a friendship but a fraternity.

The ongoing Laos-Vietnam, Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year is expected to give people of both countries and the international community a deeper insight into the uniqueness of the Vietnam-Laos ties, and inspire youngsters of both countries to inherit and promote the solidarity tradition built by older generations, he stressed.

“The important thing that we want people of the two countries and the international community to understand is that the current cooperative relationship between Vietnam and Laos is similar to the ties that the two countries shared in the past struggle for national liberation.

Laos and Vietnam are still supporting and helping each other in socio-economic development while collaborating with each other in all fields. This shows the uniqueness of the special partnership between Laos and Vietnam, a relationship that brings practical benefits to the two countries' people,” stated the Lao official.