The high-level meeting between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, co-chaired by General Secretary and President To Lam and General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, took place on September 11, 2024, in Hanoi.

The online newspaper of the Communist Party of Vietnam respectfully presents the full text of the Vietnam-Laos Joint Statement:

"1. At the invitation of the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, To Lam and his wife, the 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, along with a high-level delegation of the Lao Party and State, will pay a State visit to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam from September 10 to September 13, 2024.

During the visit, General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith held talks with General Secretary and President To Lam; met with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man; received the delegation from the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association; visited former high-ranking Vietnamese leaders; met with former Vietnamese volunteer soldiers, experts, and students in Laos, representatives of the younger generation of Vietnam and Lao students studying in Vietnam; laid wreaths at the Monument to the Heroes and Martyrs and visited the Mausoleum of President Ho Chi Minh; and met and worked with leaders and visited several economic, cultural, and historical sites in Ho Chi Minh City.

2. In an atmosphere of warm friendship, special solidarity, and profound trust, the two sides informed each other about the situation of each Party and country; exchanged views and agreed on orientations, policies, and measures to further develop the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in a comprehensive, effective, and substantive manner across all fields, contributing to the successful implementation of the Resolutions of each Party Congress and the Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Strategy for the period 2021-2030; and also exchanged views on prominent recent regional and international issues of mutual concern.

3. General Secretary and President To Lam, the Vietnamese leaders, and General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith warmly congratulated and highly appreciated the great, comprehensive, and historically significant achievements that each Party, each State, and the people of the two countries have attained in nearly 40 years of reform, and the important results achieved in implementing the resolutions of each Party's Congress; affirming that the achievements of the two Parties and two countries have made an important contribution to maintaining political stability, socio-economic development, ensuring national defense and security, and expanding foreign relations of each country. Both sides expressed firm belief that, under the wise leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, continuing the work of previous generations of leaders of the two Parties and two countries, the process of renovation, national construction and defense in Vietnam and Laos will continue to achieve new and greater achievements, successfully implementing the Resolutions of the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the 11th National Congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party; successfully organizing Party Congresses at all levels and the National Congresses of each Party, building Vietnam and Laos into increasingly prosperous, democratic, just, and civilized countries, constantly enhancing the role and position of each country in the region and the world, and steadily advancing on the path of socialism.

4. Both sides affirmed the continuation of the glorious historical traditions of the two nations throughout the past nearly a century; emphasizing the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, founded by the great President Ho Chi Minh, the beloved President Kaysone Phomvihane, and President Souphanouvong, and diligently nurtured by generations of leaders of the two Parties, two States, and the people of the two countries. This is an invaluable common asset of the two nations, an objective necessity, a historical law, and the greatest source of strength for the two countries, serving as the foundation for both countries to jointly develop and pass on to future generations.

Both sides emphasized that Vietnam and Laos are not only neighboring countries but also brotherly and comrade nations sharing a common origin from the Indochinese Communist Party, always steadfast in their goals of national independence and socialism; continuing to prioritize these goals in their foreign policies; and standing shoulder to shoulder, supporting each other in the process of renovation, construction, development, and defense of their countries today and in the future.

The two Parties, the two States, and the people of the two countries have the responsibility to jointly preserve, protect, and cultivate the special solidarity relationship between Vietnam and Laos, ensuring its continued development to new heights, deepening its impact, and making it more practical and effective in all fields. This should be based on promoting the spirit of independence, self-reliance, self-strength, equal and mutually beneficial cooperation, appropriately combining the special nature of the Vietnam-Laos relationship with international practices, giving priority and preferential treatment to each other, supporting and facilitating each other's development for the prosperity of each country, and contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in Southeast Asia and the world.

Both sides sincerely thanked each other for the immense, valuable, heartfelt, and loyal support and assistance that the two Parties, two States, and the people of the two countries have given each other in the process of national liberation and reunification in the past, as well as in the current process of renovation, construction, and development of the country.

5. Both sides agreed to continue deepening political relations, which will serve as the core guiding principle for overall cooperation between the two countries. They agreed to cooperate closely on strategic issues, policies, and strategies related to the security and development of each country; maintain visits and meetings between high-level leaders of the two Parties and countries in various forms; proactively and strengthen exchanges on theory, information, and sharing experiences on new issues in Party building, political systems, socio-economic development, ensuring macroeconomic stability, and expanding international integration; organize effective seminars and discussions on new issues facing each Party and country; and coordinate research, compilation, and publication of books on Kaysone Phomvihane Thought.

Both sides will strengthen the dissemination and education of the traditional special relationship between Vietnam and Laos, as well as the Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia relationship, among cadres, Party members, and all strata of the people, especially the younger generation and the armed forces of the two countries; actively implement teaching at educational institutions in both countries on the contents of the History of the Special Relationship between Vietnam and Laos; soon commence construction of several historical relics of significance in the Vietnam-Laos relationship; and coordinate to successfully organize the commemoration of important events of the two Parties and two countries, including the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, the 80th anniversary of Vietnam's National Day, and the 50th anniversary of Laos' National Day.

6. Both sides agreed to make strong efforts to promote breakthroughs in economic, cultural, educational, and scientific-technical cooperation to match the stature of the political relationship, based on leveraging the potential and strengths of each country; and to effectively implement the agreements and cooperation arrangements between the two governments and ministries, localities, and businesses of the two countries. They also agreed to continue negotiating, amending, or signing new agreements and arrangements to suit the actual situation, creating a favorable legal framework for cooperation, especially in the economic field, including the Vietnam-Laos Bilateral Cooperation Agreement for the period 2026-2030 and the Cooperation Strategy in the field of transport for the period 2026-2030.

Both sides have concrete measures to strengthen connectivity and complementarity between the Vietnamese and Lao economies, and between the three economies of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, especially in terms of institutions, finance, transportation infrastructure, electricity, telecommunications, and tourism. They will also actively encourage suitable international partners to participate in and support strategic connectivity projects between the two countries.

Emphasis should be placed on improving the quality and effectiveness of investment cooperation, focusing on the implementation of key projects to ensure progress and quality; strengthening the exchange of experience in macroeconomic management between the two countries; and implementing preferential policies to encourage businesses from both countries to invest in areas where both sides have the most potential and strengths, especially in the energy sector (clean energy, renewable energy), digital transformation, technology, agriculture, minerals, and tourism. The implementation of border economic zone models along the East-West economic corridor should be promoted.

Both sides are striving to implement solutions to maintain an average annual growth rate of 10-15% in bilateral trade; promote trade promotion activities, brand building, and distribution channels for Vietnamese and Lao goods in each country to create sustainable outlets for various products and goods; and promote the use of the local currencies between the two countries in trade and investment transactions. Vietnam will create all favorable conditions for Laos to import and export goods through Vietnamese seaports.

Both sides emphasized the strategic importance of cooperation in education, training, and human resource development, accordingly continuing to effectively implement the Protocol on Training Cooperation between the two Governments for the period 2022-2027; promoting the implementation of tasks and solutions identified in the Project to improve the quality and effectiveness of Vietnam-Laos cooperation for the period 2021-2030; strengthening short-term training and refresher courses for officials and civil servants at all levels in Laos, especially management personnel, with a focus on training high-quality human resources. They also promoted cooperation in skills development and vocational training at both the central and local levels.

Both sides will closely coordinate to effectively implement cooperation in other areas such as law and justice; culture, sports, and tourism; health, science, technology, and innovation; information and communication; and labor and social affairs. They will also accelerate the implementation of cooperation projects between the two countries.

Both sides effectively implement the Agreement on Overseas Citizens, the Agreement on Consular Affairs, the Agreement on Labor between the two countries, and the Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Civil Matters; creating favorable conditions for Vietnamese people in Laos and Lao people in Vietnam to live, work, and study in accordance with the laws of each country and international practices.

7. Both sides emphasized the importance and agreed to further strengthen the pillar of cooperation in defense and security, ensuring a solid foundation for each other to address increasingly diverse and complex security challenges, contributing to maintaining political stability, defense, and security in each country. They agreed to effectively implement the Protocol and Cooperation Plan on defense and security; the Agreement on the management regime of land borders and border crossings; and the Protocol on the border line and border markers. They also agreed to build a peaceful, stable, and sustainably developing Vietnam-Laos border; affirming that the security of one country is also the security of the other; and preventing hostile forces from exploiting the territory of one country to undermine the other and sow discord in relations between the two countries. Furthermore, they agreed to strengthen information exchange and close cooperation in preventing and combating "peaceful evolution," "subversion," and preventing and combating transnational crimes, especially drug trafficking. Continue coordinated efforts to search for, exhume, and repatriate the remains of Vietnamese martyrs, volunteer soldiers, and experts who died in Laos, and to restore the monuments commemorating the Vietnam-Laos fighting alliance.

8. Both sides agreed to enhance timely information exchange, consultation, close coordination, and effective mutual support in international and regional forums, especially within the framework of ASEAN cooperation and ASEAN-led mechanisms, the United Nations, the Mekong Subregion cooperation mechanisms, the World Trade Organization, and the Asia-Europe Cooperation Forum, contributing to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.

Both sides will strengthen coordination with Cambodia to effectively implement the Conclusion of the Meeting between the three Heads of the Parties of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia; the Agreement between the three Prime Ministers on the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam (CLV) Development Triangle; the Joint Statement between the three Speakers of Parliaments; actively implement the Action Plan for connecting the three economies of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia by 2030; the cooperation mechanism between the three Ministers of Defense and Public Security; and establish new cooperation mechanisms between the three Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Planning and Investment, Transport, and Culture, Sports and Tourism of the three countries. Vietnam supports and assists Laos in successfully assuming the roles of ASEAN Chair and AIPA Chair in 2024.

Both sides agreed to continue strengthening cooperation and closely coordinating with Mekong sub-region countries, partners, and relevant international organizations in the effective, equitable, and sustainable management and use of water and other resources, while comprehensively monitoring and assessing impacts, including transboundary impacts, exchanging meteorological and hydrological information coupled with early warning systems to enhance drought and flood prevention capabilities, contributing to sustainable development in the Mekong sub-region in line with the common interests of the Mekong riparian countries.

Both sides cooperate closely within the framework of the 1995 Mekong Cooperation Agreement on sustainable development cooperation in the Mekong sub-region, as well as within the framework of the member states of the International Mekong Commission and other related cooperation mechanisms, promoting and strengthening the integration of sub-regional cooperation mechanisms and the ASEAN community building process; encouraging ASEAN countries and partners outside the region to actively participate in supporting and investing in the Mekong sub-region in important areas such as infrastructure connectivity, energy, innovative technology and human resource development in the spirit of cooperation "One Mekong, One Ideal".

Both sides affirmed their strong agreement with ASEAN's principled stance on the South China Sea issue as stated in ASEAN Declarations. They emphasized the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, resolving disputes in the South China Sea through peaceful means based on international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982), and working with relevant parties to promote the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and to achieve a substantive, effective, and internationally compliant Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC), including UNCLOS 1982, as soon as possible.

9. Both sides agreed to continue promoting and enhancing the effectiveness of cooperation between Party committees, government ministries and agencies, parliamentary bodies, the Fatherland Front, mass organizations, people's organizations, and localities of the two countries, especially those sharing a common border. They agreed to actively exchange information, share experiences, provide mutual assistance and support for development, and strengthen people-to-people exchanges, especially among the younger generations of both countries.

10. Both sides agreed and highly appreciated the positive results of the State visit to Vietnam by General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith and the State visit to Laos by Comrade To Lam in his capacity as President in July 2024, which marked a milestone in the history of Vietnam-Laos relations, making an important contribution to consolidating and nurturing the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos to a new level, for the prosperity of the people of both countries, and contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.

General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith and his wife respectfully thanked General Secretary and President To Lam and his wife, the senior leaders of the Vietnamese Party and State, and the Vietnamese people for the extremely warm and cordial reception, which deeply reflects the special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos; and respectfully invited General Secretary and President To Lam and his wife, and other senior leaders of the Vietnamese Party and State, to pay official visits to Laos. General Secretary and President To Lam and the senior leaders of Vietnam sincerely thanked them and happily accepted the invitation; the specific dates of the visits will be arranged through diplomatic channels.

Hanoi, September 13, 2024

Source: dangcongsan.gov.vn