Secretary General of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee and President of Laos, Thongloun Sisoulith (right), greets Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of National Defence, General Nguyen Tan Cuong, in Vientiane this week.

Military ties top agenda as Vietnam’s deputy defence minister visits Laos

The governments of Laos and Vietnam have reaffirmed their longstanding special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation, particularly in the field of defence, during high-level talks held in Vientiane on Wednesday.
Secretary General of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee and President of Laos, Thongloun Sisoulith, received the Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army and Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of National Defence, General Nguyen Tan Cuong, and his delegation at the Party Central Committee Office during their official working visit to Laos from April 22-23.
President Thongloun said he highly valued the visit, describing it as a further contribution to strengthening the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the parties, states and peoples of Laos and Vietnam, which have been consistently nurtured over decades.
He noted that defence cooperation remains a key pillar of the two countries’ relations, with both maintaining close coordination through regular high-level exchanges, training programmes, capacity building, and mutual support in safeguarding national security and stability.
General Nguyen Tan Cuong expressed sincere appreciation for the warm and fraternal reception extended by the Lao leadership, and briefed President Thongloun on the outcomes of the delegation’s working sessions in Laos.
He said the visit aimed to further deepen the special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two parties, states and armed forces, building on longstanding defence ties that have been continuously strengthened through consultations, officer training programmes, and cooperation between military units stationed along the Laos-Vietnam border.
The Vietnamese delegation met for talks with officials from Laos’ Ministry of National Defence, sharing experiences on Party-building and political work within the armed forces, and reached consensus on orientations for future cooperation.
The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their close coordination, mutual trust and mutual support, further deepening the special and time-tested Laos–Vietnam relationship in a substantive and effective manner.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest UpdateApril 24, 2026)