Hanoi (VNA) – The upcoming official friendly visit to Vietnam by General Secretary ofthe Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and President of Laos BounnhangVorachith aims to affirm Laos’ policy of treasuring the great friendship,special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

This is the secondofficial friendly visit of the Lao leader during his tenure (2016-2021).

The visit is alsoexpected to strengthen solidarity and political trust between the two Partiesand countries. This is also a chance for Vietnam to affirm support to Laosduring its cause of national defence and development.

The Vietnam-Laosrelationship has been growing in all fields. The two sides have worked closelytogether to effectively implement joint statements and agreements as well asdeals reached at the 39th meeting of the Inter-GovernmentalCommittee and other cooperation programmes.

Bilateral politicalrelations have been promoted, with high-level meetings regularly organized andcollaboration mechanisms constantly strengthened.

Both sides have workedtogether closely in popularizing the Vietnam-Laos ties and holding celebrationsof the 55th anniversary of their diplomatic relations and 40 yearsof the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation.

At the same time, defence-securityand external relation partnership has been fruitful. Vietnam and Laos havecoordinated to build a shared border of stability and sustainable development.They have completed a joint project to upgrade and build more border markers,with 1,002 markers upgraded and built. 

The two countries’governments have also finalised legal procedures for a protocol on land border.

Meanwhile, two-waytrade reached 720.4 million USD this year to October, up 8.7 percent over thesame period last year, with Vietnam’s exports hitting 426.2 million USD, a yearon year rise of 12.4 percent.

The two countries haveimplemented the “one-stop-shop” mechanism in Lao Bao-Densavanh border gates.

According to theMinistry of Planning and Investment, Vietnamese investors have receivedlicences for 409 investment projects worth 3.6 billion USD in 17 out of 18cities and provinces of Laos. The two countries have also signed an agreementon developing hydropower projects in Laos and electricity trade to 2030.

In 2017, Vietnam grants1,246 scholarships for Lao students. So far, the country has hosted 14,209 Laostudents, while 209 Vietnamese students are studying in Laos.

Vietnam and Laos havealso shared fruitful cooperation in transport, science-technology, society,agriculture, information technology, labour, culture, sports, tourism andmuseum.

The Lao Party chiefand President is expected to arrive in Vietnam on December 19 for the officialfriendly visit from December 19-21 at the invitation of General Secretary ofthe Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong and President Tran Dai Quang.-VNA