The year 2022 marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations (September 5, 1962 – 2022) and the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (July 18, 1977 – 2022), between Vietnam and Laos. To celebrate these special milestones, the Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022, was officially launched and held successfully, with a wide variety of rich, unique and exciting activities, contributing to tightening the close relationship, trust and special solidarity between the two countries.

As one of the important events, the solemn celebration took place simultaneously in Hanoi and Vientiane capitals, with the highlight of the speeches by Party General Secretary of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong and Party General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, which spotlighted many important and profound contents, about the long-standing special relations between the two Parties and nations. On the occasion, the two sides solemnly organised ceremonies to award noble medals, to the Party and State leaders from the two countries, in which, PM Pham Minh Chinh was honoured to receive the National Gold Medal from the Lao Party and State.

In the joyful and exciting atmosphere of Solidarity and Friendship Year, the two sides exchanged many high-level delegations at both central and local levels, as well as conducted many outstanding cultural, artistic and people-to-people exchanges in 2022. The art programmes praised the nations and the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation, between the two Parties, two States and two peoples. The special relationship between the two countries and two peoples has also been featured through many books, films, reports, and radio and television programmes, published and screened over the past year. Many contests to learn the history of relations between the two countries were also held, receiving wide attention from people of all strata, from the two countries.

The rich, diverse and practical activities mentioned above have  contributed to widely spreading and helping people of all strata, especially the younger generations from the two countries, to thoroughly understand and instill in them the cohesion between the two peoples.

On the occasion of his official visit to Laos, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone co-chaired a ceremony to review the Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022. Speaking at the event, the two countries’ leaders expressed their delight at the fact that the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States and countries’ people in recent times have been firmly strengthened to become deeper and more effective. Announcing the conclusion of the Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022, both Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone wished the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, to remain evergreen and sustainable.

At the talks and meetings within the framework of the visit, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Lao leaders also agreed to promote the outcomes of the Solidarity and Friendship Year to continue stepping up communication about the tradition of the Vietnam-Laos special relationship, especially to the two countries’ younger generations.

In recent years, the bilateral relationship has become more sustainable and deepened. Political trust was strengthened through delegation exchanges at all levels and channels. Bilateral cooperation mechanisms continued to be promoted effectively. Notably, economic, trade and investment cooperation was enhanced and promoted in the right direction. Trade was also a bright spot when the total bilateral trade value reached nearly 1.7 billion USD in 2022, up 21% against the previous year and exceeding the target. Vietnam’s 2022 investment in Laos reached over 180 million USD, up 52.5% from a year earlier.

In an open, intimate and trusted atmosphere of the talks and meetings within the framework of the official visit to Laos, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and high-ranking Lao leaders continued to affirm the two Parties and States’ consistent policy of attaching importance to and giving the highest priority, to strengthening and cultivating the Vietnam-Laos great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation.

On this visit, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Lao Party and State leaders, set out directions to create an important framework for deepening the cooperation between the two countries, in the new period. This has been concretised in the agreement at the 45th meeting, and the agreement on the 2023 cooperation plan, of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committee, as well as cooperation documents in many fields, signed during the visit.

To further improve the efficiency of bilateral cooperation, the two sides agreed to try their best to effectively implement the Vietnam-Laos strategic cooperation agreement in the 2021-2030 period, the bilateral cooperation agreement from 2021-2025 and many others, as well as inked cooperation plans in many fields; continue delegation exchanges at all levels and through all channels, to constantly consolidate their political relations, intensify the exchange of political theory, coordinate in ensuring security, and social order and safety, and forge cooperation in national defence and security.

The two sides attached great attention to bolstering economic partnership and agreed to support each other in the post-pandemic recovery, socialist-oriented market economy building, and international integration. They will continue to improve their business and investment environments and strengthen the connectivity of the two economies, from hard infrastructure connections of transport, telecommunication, and energy, to soft infrastructure connections such as mechanisms, policies, e-commerce, digital economy, finance and banking. The two sides set a target to raise the two-way trade growth of at least 10-15% each year, and continue expanding investment partnerships, with a focus on projects in border localities.

In addition, the two countries will enhance the effectiveness of cooperation in justice, science-technology, culture, tourism and people-to-people exchanges, as well as cooperation among localities, especially those along the shared border. They pledged to continue to closely collaborate in information and communications, concentrating on educating the youth of the two countries on the tradition of the Vietnam-Laos special relation, and paying greater attention to cooperation in education training, especially the training of public officials at all levels.

Regarding regional and international issues of shared concern, the two sides agreed to foster their coordination, information exchange and mutual support at regional and international multilateral forums, especially the UN and ASEAN, as well as sub-regional cooperation mechanisms. They will work together with other ASEAN countries, to maintain ASEAN’s intra-bloc solidarity and central role, while maintaining the bloc's common standpoints on strategic matters, including the East Sea/South China Sea issue. Vietnam is ready to assist Laos to perform international tasks in the coming time, including the role as the host of the 10th Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Summit in 2023, and Chair of ASEAN and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) in 2024.