Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith begins visit to Vietnam

The visit to Vietnam by Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith is a vivid demonstration of the good and deep sentiments of the Vietnam-Laos friendship.

Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith and his wife arrived in Hanoi , beginning a State visit to Vietnam. (Photo: Pham Kien/ VNA)

On the morning of September 10, General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, his wife Naly Sisoulith and a high-ranking delegation of the Lao Party and State arrived in Hanoi, beginning a State visit to Vietnam from September 10 to September 13, 2024, at the invitation of General Secretary and President To Lam and his wife.

Welcoming the delegation at Noi Bai International Airport were: Politburo member, Standing member of the Party Central Committee Secretariat Luong Cuong; Party Central Committee Secretary, Head of the Party Central Committee's Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung; Party Central Committee member, Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan; Party Central Committee member, Head of the Office of the President Le Khanh Hai; Deputy Head of the Party Central Committee's Commission for External Relations Nguyen Minh Tam; Deputy Chief of the Party Central Committee's Office Le Khanh Toan; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet; Chairman of the Hanoi People's Council Nguyen Ngoc Tuan.

Politburo member and Standing member of the Secretariat Luong Cuong welcomed Lao Party General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith and his wife at Noi Bai International Airport. (Photo: Pham Kien/ VNA)

Participating in the high-ranking delegation of the Lao Party and State were Politburo members: Standing member of the Secretariat, Vice President of Laos Bounthong Chitmany; Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone; Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defense Chansamone Chanyalath; Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Inspection Commission Khamphan Phommathat; Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Public Security Vilay Lakhamphong; Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Organization Commission Sisay Ludetmounsone; Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Saleumxay Kommasith.

Also participating in the delegation were Central Party Secretaries: Vice President of the National Assembly Sounthon Xayachak; Chief of the Central Office Thongsalith Mangnomek.

Members of the Party Central Committee: Head of the Office of the President Khemmani Pholsena, Minister of Planning and Investment Phet Phomphiphak - Chairman of the Laos-Vietnam Cooperation Committee, Minister of Energy and Mines Phosay Sayasone, Head of the Central External Relations Commission Thongsavanh Phomvihane; Alternate member of the Party Central Committee, Minister of Industry and Trade Malaythong Kommasith, Minister of Public Works and Transport Ngampasong Meuangmany, Acting Governor of the State Bank of Laos Vathana Dalaloy, Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Khamphao Ernthavanh, Deputy Chief of the Central Office, Assistant to General Secretary Phakham Inseng also joined the delegation.

General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith was born on November 10, 1945, in Houaphan province, Laos.

From 1987 to 1992, he was Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. From 1993 to 1996, he was Minister of Labor and Social Welfare. From 1997 to 2001, he was a National Assembly Delegate, Chairman of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee. From 2001 to 2006, he was Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Planning and Investment Committee; Chairman of the Investment Management Committee; Chairman of the National Energy Commission (LNCE); National Assembly Delegate.

He was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs from June 2006 to March 2016. From April 2016 to March 2021, he was elected Prime Minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

On January 15, 2021, Mr. Thongloun Sisoulith was elected General Secretary at the First Session of the Central Executive Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, 11th term.

A large number of people in Hanoi, along with officials and staff of the Lao Embassy and Lao students studying abroad, went to Noi Bai International Airport to welcome Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith, his wife and the high-ranking delegation of the Lao Party and State on a State visit to Vietnam. (Photo: Pham Kien/VNA)

From March 22, 2021 to present, he was elected President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic at the 1st Session of the 9th National Assembly.

The visit to Vietnam by Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith is the second visit since the beginning of the 11th Congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (January 2021) and follows the State visit of Comrade To Lam as President (July 2024). This is a vivid demonstration of the good and deep feelings of the great friendship, special solidarity, close attachment, loyalty and purity between the two Parties, two States and peoples of Vietnam and Laos.

The visit takes place in the context that the two Parties and two countries are strongly implementing the Resolutions of each Party and actively preparing for Party Congresses at all levels, towards the National Congress of each Party.

The Vietnam-Laos relationship is developing very well and has achieved many important achievements. The visit is one of the important milestones in the history of the relationship between the two countries, contributing to promoting the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos to a new height, increasingly going into depth, effectiveness and practicality, bringing prosperity to the people of each country./.

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