President Nguyen Xuan Phuc leaves for official visit to Laos

Hanoi (VNA) – President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, his spouse Tran Nguyet Thu, and a high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese Party and State left Hanoi on August 9 for Vientiane for a two-day official friendship visit to Laos.

The visit, paid at the invitation of General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, is the first official visit to a foreign country by a senior Party and State leader after the 13th National Party Congress, and the first trip abroad by the State leader since he took office.

President Phuc’s entourage includes National Assembly Standing Vice Chairman Tran Thanh Man, Minister of Public Security To Lam; Minister of National Defence Phan Van Giang; head of the Party Central Committee’s Economic Commission Tran Tuan Anh; Secretary of the Party Central Committee and President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Do Van Chien; Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh, head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung; Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son; Minister of Justice Le Thanh Long; Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien, and Minister of Construction Nguyen Thanh Nghi, among others.

The visit, taking place only six weeks after LPRP General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith visited Vietnam, is of significance to the bilateral relationship.

It is hoped to contribute to maintaining the sound tradition of the special ties between the two countries, opening up a new development period in the relations between the two Parties, States and people, aiming to continue to accelerate the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two sides./.