Vietnam - Laos: Elevating parliamentary cooperation in the new era
The official visit to Vietnam by Lao National Assembly President Sonexay Siphandone (November 2nd to 5th) marks a significant milestone, opening a phase of deeper and more effective cooperation between the National Assemblies of the two countries. It also concretizes the strategic linkage, laying a solid foundation for the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos to continue developing substantively and effectively.
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| National Assembly President Tran Thanh Man and his spouse welcome Lao National Assembly President Sonexay Siphandone and his spouse for an official visit to Vietnam from November 2 to 5, 2026. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
The official visit to Vietnam by Lao National Assembly President Sonexay Siphandone takes place as both Parties and States are actively implementing the resolutions of the 14th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the 12th Congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, concretizing development goals for the new phase. This sets increasingly high demands on law-making, institutional perfection, and enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of state management in each country.
“Keeping the flame” of friendship
Lao National Assembly President Sonexay Siphandone is a close friend of Vietnam and its people, having visited the S-shaped country multiple times as the Prime Minister of Laos. However, this visit holds special significance as it is his first official visit to Vietnam as the head of Laos' legislative body and his first bilateral foreign visit since being elected as National Assembly Chairman by the 10th National Assembly.
The visit reaffirms the special importance that the Party, State, and National Assembly of Laos place on strengthening, nurturing, and developing the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic linkage between the two countries. This contributes to promoting exchanges between the National Assembly leaders of the two countries in the new phase, laying the foundation for effectively implementing existing cooperation agreements and opening new cooperation directions that align with the development needs of each country.
This was once again emphasised during the talks on November 3 between National Assembly President Tran Thanh Man and his Laotian counterpart Sonexay Siphandone. The head of Vietnam's National Assembly affirmed that the S-shaped country always values and prioritizes preserving and nurturing the special Vietnam-Laos relationship.
Notably, the two National Assembly Presidents expressed their delight at the positive developments in Vietnam-Laos relations in recent times. They agreed to continue close coordination to effectively implement high-level agreements, bilateral cooperation documents, and the Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Strategy for 2021-2030.
Both sides also emphasised the need to enhance delegation exchanges, high-level and various-level contacts, effectively utilize existing cooperation mechanisms, and strengthen propaganda and education about the special Vietnam-Laos solidarity tradition, especially for the younger generations of both countries.
| “The prominent significance of the visit lies in the inheritance and continuation of the strategy agreed upon by the high-level leaders of the two countries. Therefore, this visit is of special importance, demonstrating the proactive and active role of the head of the National Assembly, thereby clearly conveying the message about Laos' foreign priority focuses in the new term.” Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Minh Tam. |
In-depth discussions on the work from the beginning of the term to now and the key tasks for 2027 of each country's National Assembly, the two leaders highly appreciated the significant results achieved by each side's National Assembly in legislative work, concretizing the new directions and requirements identified in the Central documents, meeting the new practical demands in national development.
Simultaneously, the heads of the two legislative bodies expressed confidence that the visit would motivate deeper, substantive, and effective cooperation between the two National Assemblies, contributing to the effective implementation of agreements between the two Parties and States of Vietnam and Laos.
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| Overview of the talks between the Presidents of the National Assemblies of Vietnam and Laos, November 3, 2026. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
Ensuring parliamentary cooperation remains a highlight
Parliamentary cooperation is a crucial pillar in the overall Vietnam-Laos relationship, reinforcing the legal foundation, overseeing the implementation of high-level agreements, and concretizing the directions and agreements of the high-level leaders of the two Parties and countries, supporting each other's development.
In recent times, cooperation between the two National Assemblies has been maintained regularly, increasingly going in-depth, practical, and effective, demonstrating political trust and responsibility towards the relationship between the two countries. Through delegation exchanges, contacts between National Assembly leaders, cooperation between committees, specialized agencies, sharing experiences in legislative activities, oversight, and coordination at regional and international parliamentary forums, both sides have gradually strengthened increasingly comprehensive and effective cooperation mechanisms.
Notably, the cooperation framework between the Office of the National Assembly of Vietnam and the Office of the National Assembly of Laos. Annual workshops and exchange activities between the two offices have become practical cooperation channels, enabling officials and civil servants on both sides to directly share professional experiences, enhancing advisory and service capabilities for the National Assembly's activities.
In particular, the two Offices have exchanged experiences on developing a digital National Assembly library, establishing a National Assembly television channel, and applying information technology in advisory work, staff training, as well as managing and operating the National Assembly's facilities. These practical experiences need to be further expanded and enhanced in quality.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Minh Tam noted that, at a strategic level, the visit of National Assembly President Sonexay Siphandone is significant in continuing to concretize the content of “strategic linkage”, making this content a consistent orientation in Vietnam-Laos relations. Accordingly, the two countries continue to consolidate political trust, enhance coordination on strategic issues related to each country's development, especially in the fields of economy, defence-security, infrastructure connectivity, energy, and human resource development; continue to accompany, support, and share experiences on the development path; gradually strengthen the interconnectedness, complementarity, and intertwining of interests, creating additional motivation and development space for each country, while more closely linking the strategic interests of the two nations.
For Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Khamphao Ernthavanh, this is an opportunity for the National Assembly leaders of the two countries to exchange, evaluate cooperation results, agree on directions and specific measures to enhance the quality and effectiveness of each legislative body's activities; strengthen coordination in legislative work, supreme oversight, and decision-making on important national issues.
More importantly, given the rapid and complex developments in the regional and global situation, the requirement to enhance exchanges, share experiences, and coordinate to perfect the legal system between the two National Assemblies becomes more urgent than ever. These are practical cooperation contents, contributing to creating a solid political, legal, and institutional environment, serving socio-economic development in each country.
| “The cooperation between the two legislative bodies is not only meaningful for the activities of the two bodies but also directly contributes to strengthening political trust, enhancing the connection between the two nations, and promoting comprehensive cooperation between the two countries,” Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Khamphao Ernthavanh. |
This was once again emphasised during the talks between National Assembly President Tran Thanh Man and his Laotian counterpart. Specifically, the two leaders agreed to continue close coordination at regional and international inter-parliamentary forums such as the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), and other appropriate mechanisms; enhance information exchange, consult on positions on issues of mutual concern, contributing positively to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world; coordinate to promote meetings and exchanges between high-level leaders of the three Parties and between the National Assembly leaders of the three countries Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia, contributing to strengthening solidarity, cooperation, and development in the region.
Ambassador Nguyen Minh Tam also expressed confidence that coordination and mutual support based on respecting each country's legitimate interests and common principles will contribute to enhancing the voice and position of each National Assembly, consolidating ASEAN solidarity, promoting ASEAN's central role, and contributing positively to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
In the context of the neighboring brother countries Vietnam and Laos implementing new development goals, continuously strengthening and enhancing the effectiveness of cooperation between the two National Assemblies is even more meaningful. The visit of National Assembly President Sonexay Siphandone thus not only continues the tradition of close ties between the two legislative bodies but also contributes to deepening the strategic linkage between the two countries. On the foundation of great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and loyal companionship between the two nations, Vietnam and Laos have more grounds to jointly foster a bilateral relationship that is increasingly strong, effective, meeting the development needs of each country, and contributing positively to peace, stability, and cooperation in the region.
| Within the framework of the visit, Laos' National Assembly President Sonexay Siphandone also held talks, meetings, and contacts with key Vietnamese leaders. This is an important opportunity for the leaders of the two countries to exchange extensively on strategic issues, orient major directions, and create consensus in directing and managing, thereby promoting the effective implementation of cooperation agreements from the Central level to ministries, sectors, and localities. |
