Special solidarity between Laos and Vietnam

This story marks the Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022 and celebrates the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Laos-Vietnam Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation.

The people of Laos and Vietnam have a long tradition of solidarity and this has been cherished and nurtured over the years. 
The special solidarity between the two nations did not start after they officially established diplomatic ties on September 5, 1962. It was built up as they took part in several important events together to release both countries from the yoke of foreign aggressors.

President Kaysone Phomvihane at a meeting with President Ho Chi Minh.

The shared participation in many important activities at a difficult time in the past made the people of the two countries love and help each other as brothers and sisters from the same family.  
Throughout history, Laos and Vietnam have assisted each other and become good friends and neighbours. The two countries are working to develop themselves for the well-being of their people, side by side and line by line.
The people of the two nations visit each other for exchanges in several fields such as culture, goods and knowledge. The circumstances of expanding solidarity and cooperation of the two nations is an outcome of the good relationship between Laos and Vietnam.
Laos shares a 2,069-km border with Vietnam, and the two countries have the same ideology and aspirations. The two nations are also working for the independence, peace and prosperity of their people.
The good relationship between the peoples of the two nations laid the grounds for marriages between families on either side of the border. These marriages strengthened the relationship and solidarity between the Lao and Vietnamese people. The Lao and Vietnamese people can also easily communicate with each other in their languages.
The good relationship and solidarity between the two nations was further strengthened when they shared their joys and sorrows and difficulties, and their ideologies for fighting the same enemy in the revolutionary period to liberate themselves from the yoke of old and new colonialism.
The period of revolutionary struggle in the countries of Indochina lasted almost half a century and the war ended under the leadership of the Indochina Communist Party. The countries of Indochina, including Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, were then able to proclaim independence.
President Ho Chi Minh established the Indochina Communist Party in 1930 to lead the revolution in these countries. President Kaysone Phomvihane and President Souphanouvong shared their joys and sorrows while fighting to liberate the region. President Ho Chi Minh had an important role in the period of fighting. He shared ideas with and gave directions to Lao revolutionists to fight and unite the Lao people across the country.
After Ho Chi Minh established the Indochina Communist Party in 1930, he advised Lao people to follow suit and assemble their own committee to lead the Lao revolution. His advice was acted upon in 1934, when a conference was held on Xingxu island outside Vientiane to establish the Phak Khaen Lao (Lao Party of Lao Region).
Later, at the 2nd Congress of the Indochina Communist Party in 1951, Ho Chi Minh suggested that Cambodia and Laos should establish Marxist-Leninist parties. During his stint as the Vietnamese President, Ho Chi Minh continued to advise leading Vietnamese officials and the people of his country to support the Lao revolution in all fields.
In a reference to achieving victory over old and new colonialism, Ho Chi Minh said: “If the Lao revolution is not victorious and the colonialists do not leave Laos, the Vietnamese revolution and Vietnam itself will no longer exist.”
To address this, Ho Chi Minh and the Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam agreed to send Vietnamese forces to support the Lao revolution.
These forces included Vietnamese volunteers and experts in many fields. Apart from such human assistance, Vietnam has helped Laos in accordance with the needs of the Lao people.
Ho Chi Minh’s efforts worked towards “special solidarity between Laos and Vietnam”, and these words are still relevant today.
Ho Chi Minh once told officials and members of the Vietnamese Communist Party that “maintaining special solidarity between Laos and Vietnam is as important as protecting your eyeballs”.
Lao leaders, including President Souphanouvong and President Kaysone Phomvihane, worked with President Ho Chi Minh in the long fight against foreign aggressors to release their countries from servitude and to achieve independence, as did the leaders of other Indochina countries. 
The cooperation between the Lao and Vietnamese people has been increased to become special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations.
The foundation of today’s traditional friendship and the special solidary and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries was laid by President Ho Chi Minh, President Kaysone Phomvihane and President Souphanouvong and nurtured by generations of leaders of the Parties, States and the two nations.
Following the complete victory of their resistance wars against foreign aggressors, Laos and Vietnam signed the Friendship and Cooperation Treaty on July 18, 1977, which further asserted the determination of the leaders and people of the two countries to continue consolidating their traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation in the new era  of national construction and defence. 
Sources: A book in the Lao language, “Tam Hoy Sen Thang Ho Chi Minh Bon Pheun Phan Din Lao”, published in 2013 by the Propaganda and Training Board of the Party Central Committee. The book “The History of the Lao People’s Revolutionary in 2010”.

By Phon Thikeo
(Latest Update April 8, 2022)