Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh warmly welcomes Lao Vice President Bounthong Chitmany in Hanoi. (photo: VGP/ Nhat Bac)

At a reception for Lao Vice President Bounthong Chitmany in Hanoi on Monday, Prime Minister Chinh said the two countries should maintain all-level delegation exchanges and effectively implement the agreement reached at the 44th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos inter-governmental committee.
He urged the two sides to cooperate to develop independent, self-reliant economies while strengthening intensive and extensive international integration. He called for efforts to quickly remove obstacles to businesses, create a stable and transparent legal corridor and a favorable business environment to raise investor confidence.
The two sides can also expand collaboration in national defense and security, borders, education-training, science-technology, culture, sports, tourism, cooperation between localities, and people-to-people exchanges, he said.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Lao Vice President Bounthong Chitmany agree to urge their agencies to accelerate the implementation of major cooperation projects. (photo: VGP/Nhat Bac)

He highlighted Vietnam-Laos close cooperation and mutual support at international forums, saying the two countries need to enhance their support to maintain their independence and self-reliance, while significantly contributing to maintaining ASEAN’s solidarity and centrality.
They praised the positive developments of the bilateral relationship in all fields, and shared the view that the regular meetings by high-ranking leaders have helped to foster the relationship and handle obstacles to the implementation of cooperation tasks.
The two sides agreed to urge their agencies and localities to implement signed agreements, and accelerate major cooperation projects to celebrate the Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022.
Chitmany said the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties and 45 years of the signing of the Vietnam-Laos Treaty of Amity and Cooperation has helped the international community understand the “unique” special relationship between the two nations.