Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, Truong Thị Mai, meets Party Secretary General and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith during a visit by a Vietnamese delegation to Laos from May 30 to June 1.   --Photo VNS

Laos, Vietnam enjoy deepening neighbourly relations

Laos and Vietnam have enjoyed strong neighbourly relations since ancient times, as they live side by side in countries bordered by the long Annamite Mountain range, which extends from northern Vietnam along the border area with Laos and south into the border between Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.
The sense of solidarity between the two peoples engenders a feeling of brotherhood. This strong bond has its roots in the two countries’ struggle for liberation from a common foreign aggressor. It is the source of great unity and is deeply valued by the people of both nations. In times of need, we share, and when we are happy, we are happy together.
President Kaysone Phomvihane said that in the history of world revolution there were many examples of international sympathy but nothing that compares to the special deep-seated unity and alliance felt by the citizens of Laos and Vietnam.
In the same vein, Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh said that this mutual love had been proved by jointly surmounting huge barriers, resulting in the destruction of obstacles and shared victory.
The signing of the Geneva Accord in 1962 granted Laos independence and neutrality and a three-party coalition government was formed in March that year.
The Geneva contract signified a victory in the unity between the armies and peoples of Laos and Vietnam. Based on this alliance, the two countries established diplomatic relations on September 5, 1962.
After Laos gained full independence in 1975, the two countries signed the Laos-Vietnam Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation in 1977. This was necessary and was considered the right approach as well as being in line with international relations.
The treaty facilitated the post-war rehabilitation and improvement of people’s living standards. Lao citizens remain proud of and grateful for the sacrifices made by our ancestors and heroes who battled so courageously for freedom and self-determination.
By taking political relations as the cornerstone of inclusive policy between the two nations, built upon by Lao Presidents Kaysone Phomvihane and Souphanouvong and Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh, these great leaders set their nations on the path to enduring unity - a policy that has always been a guideline for successive governments.
This year the two countries are celebrating the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Laos-Vietnam Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation.
This is an occasion for reflection. Thoughts go back to the Ho Chi Minh trail along the western side of the Annamite Mountains, which was thousands of kilometres long and passed through five provinces of Laos from the central region to the south.
Many Lao people living near this supply route were killed by bombs and yellow rain unleashed by enemy aircraft. In 1964, US bombardment intensified and in the ensuing nine years a total of 580,000 bombing missions were conducted over Laos during the Indochina War from 1964-73.
President Kaysone Phomvihane concluded that the Ho Chi Minh trail facilitated the liberation of South Vietnam and set the Lao revolution in motion.
Vietnam was able to reunite the country in April 1975 and Laos gained liberation in December 1975.
Today, the new generations of Vietnam and Laos are deeply appreciative of their special relationship and are assured of a strong future rooted in this neighbourly bond.
This is the legacy of the blood shed by the revolutionaries, and the great wisdom and foresight of Lao Presidents Kaysone Phomvihane and Souphanouvong, and Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update July 11, 2022)