Hanoi (VNA) - Lao National Assembly (NA) President Sonexay Siphandone and his spouse, Vandara Siphandone, left Hanoi on the afternoon of November 5, concluding their official visit to Vietnam from November 2 to 5 at the invitation of top Vietnamese legislator Tran Thanh Man and his spouse, Nguyen Thi Thanh Nga.
During the visit, NA President Sonexay Siphandone, his spouse and the high-level Lao delegation paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his Mausoleum and laid a wreath at the Monument to Heroic Martyrs on Bac Son Street in Hanoi.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam received the Lao NA President. National Assembly President Tran Thanh Man presided over the official welcome ceremony and held talks with his Lao counterpart. Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and Permanent Member of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat Tran Cam Tu also met with NA President Sonexay Siphandone.
At the meetings and talks, Vietnamese leaders warmly welcomed Sonexay Siphandone's official visit and congratulated him on his election as President of the Lao National Assembly at the second session of the 10th legislature. They particularly appreciated his decision to choose Vietnam as the first country to visit in his new capacity, describing it as a vivid demonstration of the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion between the two countries.
Sonexay Siphandone congratulated Vietnam on its significant and comprehensive development achievements in recent years. He said that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Vietnamese people will continue to achieve even greater successes in their renewal process, successfully implement the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress, and fulfill the country's strategic development goals for 2030 and 2045. He noted that Vietnam's development achievements and experience serve as a valuable source of inspiration and lessons for Laos as it pursues its own development goals.
The top Lao legislator expressed gratitude for Vietnam's longstanding, substantial, timely, and effective support for Laos, affirming that the Lao NA will continue to work closely with its Vietnamese counterpart to effectively implement agreements reached by the senior leaders of the two Parties and countries, as well as cooperation agreements between the two legislatures, thereby contributing to stable and sustainable bilateral relations.
Both sides expressed satisfaction with the strong development of Vietnam-Laos relations, highlighting increasingly substantive and close ties across all channels, including the Party, State, localities, and people-to-people exchanges.
They agreed to direct their respective agencies, ministries and sectors to enhance close coordination and deepen connectivity across all areas of bilateral cooperation.
The two National Assemblies will also step up exchanges and share legislative experience to improve the effectiveness of their respective functions, duties and powers in accordance with each country's laws. They will work closely with relevant agencies to ensure that agreements and cooperation frameworks between the two Parties and States are translated into institutional mechanisms and implemented effectively, contributing to enhanced performance of both legislatures, meeting each country's development requirements in the new era and the aspirations of their people.
During the visit, NA President Sonexay Siphandone and the Lao delegation attended a session of the second sitting of Vietnam's 16th National Assembly.
The Lao guest also met with Politburo member and President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Bui Thi Minh Hoai, as well as a delegation from the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association. He also met with leaders of the Hanoi Party Committee and People's Council, as well as officials from Phu Tho province.
Meanwhile, the spouses of the Vietnamese and Lao NA leaders visited the Vietnam National Assembly Museum, the archaeological exhibition beneath the National Assembly Building, and Birla Children's Village in Hanoi.
