Over the years, the special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation relationship between Vietnam and Laos, which was founded by President Ho Chi Minh, President Kaysone Phomvihane, and President Souphanouvong, has been cultivated by generations of leaders and people from both countries and continues to grow, becoming a model relationship, faithfulness, and transparency, which is uncommon in international relations

On the occasion of President Nguyen Xuan Phuc's official friendship visit to Laos, let's take a look at Vietnam-Laos relations over the last five years (2016-2021) as they move towards a new stage of continued comprehensive development and deepening the relationship between the two countries.

Under the leadership and direction of two parties, two states, ministries, departments and localities of the two countries have actively cooperated and effectively implemented cooperation agreements, agreements, plans, and programs between the two sides to achieve practical results in all fields over the last five years, enhance the position and prestige of the two parties and countries in the international arena, actively contribute to peace, stability, cooperation, and development of the region and the world; strengthen relations of great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, while enhancing the position and prestige of the two parties and countries in the international arena; and actively contribute to peace, stability, cooperation, and development of the region and the world.

Political ties between the two nations are strengthening, with politics playing a key role and providing a framework for the relationship.

The two sides have always affirmed their great friendship and special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos is exemplary, faithful, rare, and pure, is the law of development, the decisive factor for the victory of each country's revolution, is the priceless common property of the two parties, two peoples, and should be preserved, protected, nurtured, and passed on to future generations.

The two sides have activated existing cooperation mechanisms while also deploying new cooperation mechanisms; strong coordination on strategic issues; regular exchanges of high-level delegations and all levels in various forms, all of which contribute to the strengthening of Vietnam-Laos relationships. Highlights include visits to Laos by the General Secretary, President, Prime Minister, and President of the National Assembly of Vietnam, as well as visits to Vietnam by the General Secretary, State President, Prime Minister, and Chairman of the National Assembly of Laos. Furthermore, the visit of Politburo members, the Secretary of the Party Central Committees of both sides;... Many important cooperation documents have been signed between the two parties and two governments, establishing a favorable legal corridor to promote cooperation relations; emphasis has been placed on implementing well the agreements and the Joint Statement signed by senior leaders of the two parties and two states... contribute to promptly removing difficulties and obstacles in the implementation of agreements.

The two countries' National Assembly, Front, ministries, departments, mass organizations, and localities have signed it and actively implement bilateral cooperation agreements and programs, as well as regular visits; sharing experiences on Party building work, political system building, state management, socio economic development, and international integration, as well as other professional fields of mutual interest. From 2016 until the present, the two sides have collaborated to arrange four theoretical seminars on the following topics: theoretical and practical concerns, and sharing experiences on the reconstruction and growth of the country. International integration: Vietnam's experience, Laos' experience; rapid and sustained growth; Current status, challenges, and answers; Party building effort and political system under the new circumstances.

Many important events with abundant and extensive activities have been organized in the last 5 years, with practical significance, spreading widely to all classes of people and ministries, departments, and localities; especially the successful organization of activities to mark the occasion the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Vietnam-Laos Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation (in 2017). Senior leaders of the two Parties and States exchanged letters and telegrams to congratulate and visit each other on important holidays. On the occasion of significant events in the relationship between the two countries, the two sides have always coordinated in-depth propaganda on the special solidarity relationship between Vietnam and Laos, particularly among the young generation; implementing a number of projects and embellishing historical relics of Vietnam-Laos relations in each country, such as completing the Monument of Solidarity of the Laos-Vietnam Fighting Alliance in Xaisomboun; President Kaysone Phomvihane's revolutionary historical relic site was inaugurated in the Lao Kho relic site in Son La province in 2017; completing the effort of translating Marx's classic volumes - Engels, Lenin, and Ho Chi Minh in their entirety into Lao and the documentary President Kaysone Phomvihane into Vietnamese; awards and medals to people and groups that have made remarkable contributions to establishing and strengthening the unique solidarity partnership between Vietnam and Laos.

Due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences in 2020 and the early months of 2021, Vietnam and Laos had to cease many international operations, but they were still able to continue some regular visits and high-level interaction through proper channels. The two sides worked together to effectively arrange each party's National Congress and elect deputies to the National Assembly in each nation. Phone conversations between the two General Secretaries, Presidents, Prime Ministers, and the Presidents of the National Assembly are common, as are online discussions between the Defense Minister, the Head of the Party Central Committee's Foreign Affairs Committee, and a number of ministries and branches of the two countries. The 42nd and 43rd meetings of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee were successfully arranged. The official friendship visit to Vietnam by the General Secretary, Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith, at the end of June 2021 marks a new development in the two countries' relations, continuing to affirm the solidarity, attachment, trust, fidelity, pure, always as one between the two parties, the two States, and the two peoples; affirming the consistent foreign policy of both countries is to attach special importance to preserving, constantly developing Vietnam - Laos relations, consolidating and strengthening the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.