(KPL/VNA) Lieut. Gen. Vongsone Inpanphim, Deputy Minister of Defence, Chairman of the General Department of Politics of the Lao People’s Army (LPA), and his spouse are paying an official visit to Vietnam from August 10 - 14, at the invitation of General Trinh Van Quyet, Chairman of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA).

At their talks, following a welcome ceremony on August 11, the two sides exchanged views on the global and regional situation as well as on the current state of each country’s armed forces.

Regarding the East Sea issue, Vietnam reaffirmed its consistent stance of solving all disputes through peaceful means, in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). It emphasised the importance of fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and called for the early conclusion and signing of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) that is consistent with international law.

Quyet emphasised that the Party, State, armed forces, and people of Vietnam always bear in mind the great, valuable, sincere, and effective support that the Party, State, armed forces, and people of Laos have extended to Vietnam, both during the past struggle for national independence and in the current cause of national construction and protection.

In all circumstances, Vietnam always attaches great importance to preserving and continuously strengthening its great friendship, special solidarity, and loyal, faithful relationship with Laos, he said.

In terms of defence cooperation, based on signed agreements and documents, both sides have actively and proactively implemented various areas of collaboration, achieving tangible results. Notably, they have closely coordinated efforts in communication and education on the great friendship and special solidarity between the two Parties, States, armed forces, and people of Vietnam and Laos, and given priority to the exchange of high-level and all-level delegations.

The two sides agreed to continue focusing on key areas of cooperation, including enhancing high-level meetings and exchanges; maintaining communication efforts; strengthening collaboration in journalism, and social media management through experience sharing, training, professional development, and the exchange of experts.

They also committed to actively promoting delegation exchanges and visits, and further bringing into full play existing cooperation mechanisms and models, such as young officer exchanges, military women’s exchanges, military-civilian twinning programmes, and annual conferences between military regions, armed services, and border protection forces of the two countries.

More efforts will be made to search for, recover, and repatriate remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who sacrificed their lives in Laos during wartime; and to successfully organise the annual meeting of the defence ministers of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia in Laos later this year.

KPL