Laos and Vietnam Armed Forces Vow to Strengthen Ties, Continue Special Cooperation

President Thongloun, who also serves as General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee, welcomed the Vietnamese delegation and praised the successful bilateral meeting between the political departments of the Lao and Vietnamese armed forces. He said the outcomes of the meeting would further strengthen the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic partnership between the two Parties, the two States, the two armies and the peoples of Laos and Vietnam. Nguyen Trong Nghia thanked Thongloun for the warm reception and briefed him on the objectives of the delegation's working visit to Laos. He reaffirmed Vietnam's commitment to preserving and further strengthening the longstanding friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic partnership between Laos and Vietnam, with the aim of ensuring the bilateral relationship continues to grow from strength to strength. Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone also received General Nguyen Trong Nghia, Head of the General Political Department of the Vietnam People’s Army, on Aug. 6 during the Vietnamese delegation’s official working visit to Laos. The visit took place from Aug. 5–7. Prior to this, on Aug. 4, the Central Party Theoretical Council of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and the Central Theoretical Council of the Communist Party of Vietnam met to review bilateral cooperation and exchange theoretical and practical experience aimed at strengthening ties between the two Parties. Under its one-party system, Laos prioritizes its relations with Vietnam and China. In particular, it maintains close ties with Vietnam, referred to as "special solidarity" due to historical context, with cooperation spanning political, economic, and security sectors. The recent meeting between military officials highlights the importance of collaboration in the military and political spheres, which form the bedrock of this relationship. Economically, Laos remains heavily reliant on infrastructure development and foreign investment. While investment from China drives economic growth, concerns are rising regarding increasing debt to China and its expanding economic influence. Cooperation with Vietnam could also be seen as part of Laos' economic diversification efforts. Information Source: KPL Laos News