Phu Tho Nurtures Vietnam - Laos Great Friendship and Comprehensive Cooperation

Within the framework of an official visit to Vietnam, on the afternoon of November 4, a high-level delegation from the National Assembly of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic led by National Assembly Chairman Sonexay Siphandone and his Spouse visited and worked in Phu Tho province.

The high-level delegation of the National Assembly of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Phu Tho provincial leaders taking a commemorative photo.

Participating in the delegation on the Central Government side were Members of the Party Central Committee: Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Doan Anh — Vice Chairman of the National Assembly; Vu Hai Ha — Permanent Vice Chairman of the Committee for National Defense, Security and Foreign Affairs; and leadership representatives of the National Assembly Office.

Lao National Assembly Chairman Sonexay Siphandone speaking at the working session.

Receiving and working with the delegation on the Phu Tho province side were: Pham Dai Duong — Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, and Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation; Tran Duy Dong — Alternate Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, and Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee; Standing Members of the Provincial Party Committee, Members of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee; leaders of the Provincial People’s Committee and several departments, boards, and sectors.

Delivering welcoming remarks, Provincial Party Secretary Pham Dai Duong expressed joy and honor as the Party Committee, government, and people of Phu Tho province welcomed the National Assembly Chairman, his Spouse, and the high-level delegation of the National Assembly of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic to visit and work in the province.

Particularly, Phu Tho province congratulated Comrade Sonexay Siphandone on being trusted and elected as Chairman of the Lao National Assembly for the 2026–2031 tenure; while expressing confidence that in his new position, he will continue making vital contributions to the cause of building and developing Laos and nurturing the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.

Provincial Party Secretary Pham Dai Duong delivering welcoming remarks to the high-level delegation of the Lao National Assembly visiting and working in Phu Tho.

Affirming the strategic significance of the visit, the Provincial Party Secretary emphasized that the Lao National Assembly Chairman’s visit to Vietnam takes place in the context of the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic alignment between Vietnam and Laos continuing to develop fruitfully. Both Parties and countries are deploying major orientations following their respective Congresses, opening up a new phase of development.

Alongside state visits by General Secretary and President To Lam (February 2026) and Prime Minister Le Minh Hung (October 2026), the presence of the Lao National Assembly Delegation this time strongly re-affirms political trust, faithful attachment, and common development aspirations between both nations.

He emphasized: On the foundation of faithful, pure traditional relations painstakingly nurtured by generations of leaders and citizens of both countries, he expressed confidence that the National Assembly Chairman’s visit will contribute to enhancing attachment and trust between high-level leaders of both Parties and States, taking cooperation across fields into deeper substance.

Among these, cooperation between localities of both countries makes particularly important contributions, helping the Vietnam–Laos great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic alignment become increasingly substantive and efficient.

Central and local delegates attending the working session.

Also during the working program, Provincial Party Secretary Pham Dai Duong provided a brief overview of Phu Tho’s potential, advantages, and development orientations post-consolidation. He highlighted positive results in cooperative relations between Phu Tho and 6 Northern Lao provinces, which have contributed to strengthening solidarity, friendship, and driving increasingly effective local cooperation.

During the 2021–2025 period, Phu Tho awarded over 800 full scholarships to Lao students and supported funding for key infrastructure projects.

The high-level delegation of the National Assembly of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic at the working session.

Heading toward the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations establishment and the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Vietnam–Laos Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in 2027, Provincial Party Secretary Pham Dai Duong proposed 5 core cooperation orientations for the upcoming period, including: Consolidating political relations, stepping up delegation exchanges and sharing experience in Party building, government building, management, administration, and socio-economic development; education–training and human resource development cooperation; expanding economic, trade, and investment cooperation; stepping up cultural, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges; expanding cooperation in healthcare, science–technology, and digital transformation.

Provincial Party Secretary Pham Dai Duong expressed the desire for these cooperation contents to be concretized into practical, key-point-oriented programs and plans—clearly defining priority fields and coordination mechanisms to ensure feasibility, efficiency, and sustainability.

Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People’s Council Bui Duc Hinh providing brief information on the operations and task execution results of the 20th Phu Tho Provincial People’s Council to the delegation.

Speaking at the working session, Lao National Assembly Chairman Sonexay Siphandone respectfully thanked Phu Tho provincial leadership for their respectful and thoughtful reception; while expressing delight at visiting a land rich in historical tradition with immense potential and advantages for socio-economic development.

He highly evaluated the comprehensive achievements Vietnam has attained under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, especially economic growth outcomes, investment attraction, and industrial development in Phu Tho province. These represent valuable experiences for the Lao Party, State, and People to research and learn from.

Informing about working results with Vietnam’s high-level leaders, the Lao National Assembly Chairman stated that both sides agreed on many important cooperation orientations—focusing on strengthening coordination between both legislative bodies; reviewing and perfecting cooperation agreements; supervising the implementation of signed accords and documents; and driving cooperation in economics, trade, investment, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. Concurrently, encouraging localities, especially provincial-level People’s Councils, to step up exchanges, share experiences, and deploy practical, effective cooperative activities.

Highly evaluating cooperation results between Phu Tho province and 6 Northern Lao provinces, Comrade Sonexay Siphandone expressed the desire for both sides to continue promoting close relations, enhancing experience sharing in leadership, management, and local People’s Council operational organization.

He also expressed profound gratitude for the valuable support and assistance from the Party, State, and People of Vietnam to Laos during national liberation struggles, nation-building, and defense; affirming the special, faithful solidarity between both nations in the spirit of “sharing a grain of rice, splitting a stalk of vegetable.”

Lao National Assembly Chairman Sonexay Siphandone presenting a commemorative gift to Phu Tho province.

On this occasion, the Lao National Assembly Chairman requested Phu Tho province to continue coordinating with Lao localities to organize activities celebrating the Lao–Vietnam Friendship Solidarity Year 2027; focusing on propaganda and traditional education for the younger generation to preserve and promote the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic alignment between both Parties, States, and peoples. He expressed confidence that cooperative relations between Phu Tho and Lao localities will grow increasingly deep, substantive, and efficient.

Provincial Party Secretary Pham Dai Duong strongly concurred with the directives of the Lao National Assembly Chairman regarding directions to tighten bilateral relations. The province commits to coordinating closely with Central agencies and Lao localities to effectively deploy cooperation programs suited to reality—contributing to preserving, inheriting, and promoting the special solidarity between both nations, continuing to nurture the Vietnam–Laos great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation to remain forever green and eternally sustainable.

Provincial Party Secretary Pham Dai Duong presenting an “Ancestral Land Gem” ceramic vase to Lao National Assembly Chairman Sonexay Siphandone.

Within the framework of the working program, Chairman of the Provincial People’s Council Bui Duc Hinh exchanged information with the Lao National Assembly delegation regarding the organization, activities, and task execution outcomes of the 20th Phu Tho Provincial People’s Council (2026–2031 tenure); while discussing several orientations to continue elevating the quality of local elected body operations and enhancing exchanges and experience sharing between both sides.

Accordingly, the Provincial People’s Council continues to innovate, elevating the quality of sessions, appraisal, oversight, and questioning activities; enhancing delegate responsibility in voter contacts, resolving citizen petitions, accelerating digital transformation, and elevating coordination efficiency among agencies.

Overview of the working session.

From the beginning of the tenure to date, the Provincial People’s Council has organized 6 sessions, issuing 78 resolutions focused on perfecting the organizational apparatus, socio-economic development, budget allocation, public investment, defense, security, and social welfare. Oversight, questioning, voter contact, and citizen reception activities continue to receive focus; digital transformation and coordination with the Provincial People’s Committee, Provincial Fatherland Front Committee, and Provincial National Assembly Delegation have been strengthened—contributing to elevating the efficacy and efficiency of elected body operations.

Phu Tho province welcoming the Lao National Assembly Chairman in an atmosphere filled with friendship and solidarity.

In February 2026, Phu Tho province signed a Friendship Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding with 4 Northern Lao provinces: Luang Namtha, Luang Prabang, Bokeo, and Houaphanh. On that foundation, the Provincial People’s Council wishes to step up exchanges, delegation visits, and experience sharing with Lao elected bodies regarding organizational apparatus, session operations, oversight, questioning, voter contacts, citizen receptions, and digital transformation—thereby contributing to elevating operational efficiency for each side and driving Vietnam–Laos cooperative relations to become increasingly practical and sustainable.

Duc Anh