 Party General Secretary To Lam and his wife (Photo: nhandan.vn) |
First and foremost, the visits reaffirm the special, steadfast, and strategic nature of relations among the three neighboring countries, which share a history of struggle for independence, have a close bond of destiny, and have followed similar development paths.
This is the first overseas trip by Party General Secretary To Lam since the successful 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam. The visits send a message that relations with Laos and Cambodia are top priority and a pillar of Vietnam’s foreign policy.
A visit of special significance
Party General Secretary To Lam’s visit to Laos comes at a moment when both countries have just held a Party Congress (the 12th Congress of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party from January 6–8 and the 14th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam from January 19–23), and are entering a new term with clearly defined development orientations. This makes the visit not only a ceremonial event, but a connection of vision and strategic priorities between the two ruling Parties, laying a solid foundation for bilateral cooperation and regional coordination in the new phase.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Cuong said: “During this visit, Party General Secretary To Lâm and Lao leaders will exchange views and assess cooperation between the two Parties and countries in recent years, while identifying key directions to promote future cooperation through a relationship that has just been elevated to one of ‘great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic connectivity’.”
Vietnam’s Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Minh Tam said: “This is a process of concretizing the resolutions of the Party Congresses through close, coordinated, and effective cooperation between the two Parties and the two States. Both sides aim for the strategic goal of further advancing Vietnam-Laos relations politically and economically via integrated infrastructure connectivity, economic development planning, and close bonds between the peoples of the two countries, building on existing traditions, mechanisms, and modes of cooperation.”
Party General Secretary To Lam’s visit to Cambodia takes place as bilateral relations continue to develop steadily with many bright spots. Cooperation between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Cambodian People’s Party plays a guiding role and bilateral defense and security cooperation has been strengthened substantively, particularly coordination in border security, combating transnational crime, and thwarting hostile plots.
Vietnam is Cambodia’s third-largest trading partner globally, and largest trading partner within ASEAN. Cooperation in culture, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges continues to expand, and the resolution of legal documentation for people of Vietnamese origin in Cambodia has seen progress. These are important foundations for a relationship of “good neighborliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, and long-term sustainability” between the two countries.
Laying the groundwork for closer strategic coordination
During the trip, Party General Secretary Tô Lâm will participate in a high-level meeting with the Party leaders of Laos and Cambodia. This meeting has profound political significance because the ruling Party plays a guiding role in national development in all three countries.
Strengthening exchanges at the highest level demonstrates the three countries’ determination to ensure the sustainability and longevity of trilateral relations amid unpredictable regional and global developments.
Through close consultation and coordination on security and development, the three countries are sending a clear message of solidarity and responsibility in shaping a peaceful, stable regional environment.
With each country facing new development issues, Vietnam has accelerated implementation of its goals for 2030 with a vision to 2045, and Laos and Cambodia have stepped up reforms and enhanced national governance capacity. Party General Secretary To Lam’s visits will enhance solidarity among the three nations and lay a foundation for closer strategic coordination in a new stage of development.