Lao Defence Minister pays official visit to Vietnam
Defence Minister Phan Van Giang held talks with his Lao counterpart Khamliang Outhakaysone on December 18 during the latter's official visit to Vietnam and attendance at the Vietnam International Defence Expo 2024.
Defence Minister Phan Van Giang (left) and his Lao counterpart Khamliang Outhakaysone review the Guards of Honour on December 18 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - Defence Minister Phan Van 𓆏Giang held talks with his Lao counterpart Khamliang Outhakaysone on December 18 during the latter's official visit to 💯Vietnam and attendance at the Vietnam International Defence Expo 2024.
Minister Giang congratulated Laos on its successful organisation of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM), the ADMM-Plus, and other related meetings between ASEAN defence ministers and their partners. He noted that these events have significantly contributed to the success of Laos’ ASEAN Chairmanship in 2024, further enhancing ASEAN’s solidarity, centrality, and Laos’ international standing.
Minister Outhakaysone extended his congratulations to the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) on its 80th founding anniversary and highlighted the VPA's remarkable growth.
Both sides acknowledged that Vietnam-Laos defence cooperation, particularly the implementation of the protocol on defence cooperation for the 2020–2024 period, has yielded significant and substantive outcomes in recent years,
Highlights include a higher level of strategic political trust, stronger solidarity between the armed forces of both countries, more diverse cooperation mechanisms and formats, strengthened security and order along the shared border, and greater focus on human resource training with improvements in both quality and quantity. Cooperation in building defence capacity and the defence industry has become more targeted and effective.
Both ministers praised the successful organisation of the second Vietnam-Laos Defence Border Friendship Exchange in October 2024, which created a positive ripple effect, fostering solidarity and mutual support between the Parties, States, armed forces, local governments, and people of Vietnam and Laos.
Looking ahead, the two ministers committed to the comprehensive and effective implementation of the protocol on defence cooperation for the 2025–2029 period and the 2025 cooperation plan. Key priorities include enhancing the effectiveness of the defence policy dialogue mechanism and maintaining the annual trilateral meeting of the defence ministers of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
Collaboration on Party and political work will be strengthened with an emphasis on promoting awareness of history, significance, and importance of the special Vietnam-Laos relationship. The two sides will work closely together to advance cooperation in training, human resource development, and border management
Following the talks, the two defence ministers signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in military and defence law./.
A political consultation between the Vietnamese and Lao ministers of foreign affairs took place in Vientiane on December 16, reviewing the past cooperation between their ministries and discussing future joint work and international and regional matters of common interest.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam has affirmed that Vietnam always stands side by side and supports the Party, State and People of Laos in implementing the country's development goals.
Lao Minister of National Defence Khamlieng Uthakaysone on December 5 said that his ministry will continue to cultivate the Laos-Vietnam special relationship when he received a delegation of the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos led by Ambassador Nguyen Minh Tam.
The Party and State of Vietnam always attach great importance to and give top priority to the development of Vietnam–China relations. Vietnam is ready to work with the Chinese Party and State to further deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and promote the building of the Vietnam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.
Under the leadership of President Ho Chi Minh and the CPV, President Cuong said, the press has been a steadfast force on the ideological and cultural front, rallying the masses to pursue national aspirations.
NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man stressed the need to accelerate the application of artificial intelligence and smart teaching equipment, innovate teaching and assessment methods, and further improve the quality of formal education.
He also pledged that the NA will promote its ongoing supervision, making sure that every promise must lead to results, and every commitment must bring about real changes.
Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien welcomed the proposals put forward by the US side and reiterated Vietnam’s request for consideration of key areas of interest, including reciprocal tariff policies and access for Vietnamese key export products to the US market.
Deputy PM Le Thanh Long proposed countries promote shared values, including building trust, sincerity, and solidarity among nations and peoples; fostering cooperation spirit and responsible behaviour as well as upholding international law and the UN Charter; and placing people at the centre and as the goal, the key player, and the driving force of all policies.
The show, together with a grand parade to be held silmutaneously at Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi, will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution, the National Day, and the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA).
In particular, in April 2023, the two sides successfully carried out a joint operation that dismantled a major organised, transnational drug trafficking ring involving both Vietnamese and Cambodian suspects.
The Vietnamese Embassy in Israel is closely coordinating with relevant local agencies to stay informed and provide the utmost support possible for Vietnamese nationals.
The launch of Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper in 1925, even before the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam, is considered a testament to President Ho Chi Minh’s strategic foresight and strong belief in the guiding power of the revolutionary media.
New Zealand is currently one of Vietnam’s most important partners in the region, marked by a high level of political trust, strong and reliable defence and security cooperation, and increasingly open economic, trade, and investment ties.
Party General Secretary To Lam stressed that the Central Public Security Party Committee must be fully aware of the extremely important role of the People's Public Security force in the country's new revolutionary phase, so as to guide each branch and level of the force as the nation undergoes transformation.
Addressing concerns over university education spending, Son explained that as public universities gain greater autonomy, the Ministry of Finance has scaled back recurrent state funding. “Over the past decade, as autonomy has increased, the State's support has steadily declined”, he noted
Lao Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavanh Phomvihane affirmed that the presence of Vietnamese press offices in Laos vividly demonstrates the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations, as the press is not only a means of communication but also an important bridge for spreading consciousness about the history, values, and strategic depth of the Laos – Vietnam relationship to the people of both countries and the international community.
The country is willing to participate in collective efforts to promote cooperation and mobilise resources to advance the current priority issues of developing countries, such as trade, investment, infrastructure connectivity, making the most of scientific and technological advances for development, and people-to-people exchanges, Hang said.
During the negotiations, the US highly evaluated Vietnam’s goodwill and efforts, affirmed its appreciation for the bilateral relationship, acknowledged Vietnam’s proposals and concerns, and considered these an important basis for continuing discussions and moving towards a final agreement.
The Chairman stressed the need for stricter fiscal discipline, faster digital transformation, and more efficient management of State budget revenues and expenditures.
