The friendship and special relation between Vietnam and Laos have been fostered by generations of leaders and peoples of the two countries. They have together overcome several ups and downs to develop this rare relationship.

Natural bond

During the early days of the national liberation struggle, President Ho Chi Minh said the maintenance and consolidation of relations between Vietnam and Laos was a vital task of both countries. Over the years, the two countries have fostered their close bond becoming combat comrades sharing everything with each other. During the past national liberation struggles, mutual support, friendship, and voluntary sacrifices were the key factors making the two countries’ revolutions successful.

The special friendship between Vietnam and Laos, the close bond between generations of Vietnamese volunteers and Lao people, and readiness to sacrifice for national liberation have become symbols of the second-to-none friendship. Vietnamese Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong said: "Vietnam and Laos are close neighbors. Peoples of the two countries have fostered a faithful relationship. Since the foundation of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao Revolutionary People’s Party, the bilateral relationship has been expanded, developed, and heightened. President Ho Chi Minh once said helping a friend is helping yourself. The Vietnamese and Laos always stand shoulder to shoulder, help each other, and foster the great, special friendship and comprehensive cooperation which has become a valuable asset and resource and an importance factor to ensure the success of the two countries’ revolutionary cause."

Together on a new path of development

With what they have achieved so far, Vietnam and Laos have a firm foundation to strengthen national renovation and international integration. Their bilateral ties have entered a new era, an era of peace, independence and socialism building. The two Parties and States have reaffirmed their unchangeable special friendship and mutual support in defending national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity and close coordination in external relations activities to raise their international status. This is a firm legal foundation to further the special Vietnam-Laos relationship.

Leaders of the two countries agreed to assign their Ministries and sectors from the central and grassroots level to deepen bilateral political ties, educate their young generations about the traditional friendship, and improve bilateral economic cooperation on a par with their sound political ties. Ta Minh Chau, a former Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos, said: “Vietnam and Laos need to further bilateral ties in the near future. The close bilateral ties will bring practical benefits to both countries and make the Vietnam-Laos relationship stable and the two countries develop further. This will also help ASEAN grow sustainably and strengthen stability in the region.”

Vietnamese people are proud of their special, faithful relationship with Laos during the past national liberation struggle and current national construction and development. The two countries are determined to foster this special tie which will contribute to national construction and defense in each country and maintain peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.