Lao, Vietnamese people proud of special solidarity

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 Lao and Vietnamese people, living along the two sides of the Phouluang mountain range, are celebrating the great achievements of special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation that the two nations have cherished and nurtured over the past 60 years of diplomatic relations and 45 years since the signing of the treaty of friendship and cooperation.
The people of the two nations have lived together peacefully along the Phouluang range, from north to south, with the mountains acting as a natural barrier against the elements.
The abundant natural resources of the region have benefited the people of the two countries, serving as sources of natural food and herbal medicines to feed and treat the people. The mountains, running along the 2,161-km border of the two countries, have also been a great natural wall as well as a symbol of the strong cooperation between the people of two sides during the period when they fought to free their countries from foreign aggressors.
The top leaders of the two nations, together with their people, are celebrating the great achievements of past Lao and Vietnamese leaders such as Presidents Kaysone Phomvihane, and Souphanouvong and Ho Chi Minh, who created the special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation which is unique in the world.
The Party Secretary General and State President, Mr Thongloun Sisoulith, highlighted the importance of the 60th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two sides (1962-2022) and the 45th anniversary of the signing of the bilateral Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (1977-2022) at a meeting in Vientiane recently.
“We have remembered and expressed deep gratitude to the great President Ho Chi Minh and beloved Presidents Kaysone Phomvihane and Souphanouvong, who have been clear models in nurturing, cherishing and enhancing the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between our Lao and Vietnamese nations that is being firmly and incessantly expanded until the present day,” President Thongloun said in a sober atmosphere.  
 President Thongloun also said Laos and Vietnam are neighbouring countries linked by a long natural mountain and waterways. The people of the two nations not only have enjoyed living together peacefully, but have joined hands to struggle against aggression, invasions and the governments of foreign emperors.
The Party General Secretary of Vietnam, Nguyen Phu Trong, said the solidarity, cooperation and mutual assistance between Vietnam and Laos are the foundation of the success of the two countries, which was built by working together in the past and will be strengthened while going forward. He made the statement last week to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 45th anniversary of the signing of the treaty of friendship and cooperation.
“Vietnam and Laos are not just neighbours, but also brothers and comrades,” Nguyen Phu Trong said.
He stressed that the relationship has been built, preserved and nurtured with the efforts, sweat and blood of generations of soldiers and people from the two countries. It has truly become an invaluable asset, he said.
Throughout history, Laos and Vietnam have assisted each other and the two countries have been good neighbours for a very long time. The people of the two sides have visited each other to exchange their cultures, goods and knowledge in several fields.
The growth of the solidarity and cooperation between the two nations is so longstanding because of the good relations between Laos and Vietnam. The two countries have the same ideology and aspirations, needed to bring independence, peace and prosperity to their peoples.
The good relationship and solidarity between the two nations has strengthened during times when they shared joys and sorrows, as well as difficulties and ideologies as they fought their common enemy during the revolution to liberate their countries from the yoke of old and new colonialism.
The period of revolutionary struggle in the Indochina countries lasted for half a century, as they sought to end the war under the leadership of the Indochina Communist Party. The Indochina countries of Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia were eventually able to free themselves and proclaim independence.
President Ho Chi Minh established the Indochina Communist Party in 1930 to lead the revolution in the region. Lao President Kaysone Phomvihane and President Souphanouvong shared joys and sorrows with President Ho Chi Minh during many years of fighting to liberate the region. President Ho Chi Minh had a leading role in the revolution. He shared ideas and gave directions to the Lao revolutionaries to fight and unite the Lao people.
After Ho Chi Minh established the Indochina Communist Party, he advised the 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 establish Marxist-Leninist Parties.
In future years as Vietnam’s 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 reference to achieving victory over both old and new colonialism, President Ho Chi Minh once 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, President Ho Chi Minh and the Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam agreed to send Vietnamese forces to support the Lao revolution.
These included Vietnamese volunteers and experts in many fields. Aside from such human assistance, Vietnam has helped Laos in accordance with the needs of the Lao people.
Ho Chi Minh’s efforts worked towards “the special solidarity between Laos and Vietnam” and these words are still relevant today. He 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”.
President Ho Chi Minhwrote poetry about maintaining the special solidarity between the two countries. In March 1963, he wrote to President Kaysone Phomevihane and President Souphanouvong: “Hak Hom Kan Mai Manh, Lai San Phou Kor Pin Tai, Lai Nam Yai Lare Khok-kuang, Khuang Khan Kor Dung Pai, Song Xath Lao-Vietnam Dai, Fung Khuam Hak You Nai Chai, HongHah Thang Mae Khong, Bor Leuk Poun Pan Dai.”
President Kaysone met and told President Ho Chi Minh in 1960: “Theung Va Phou Cha Theuk Xor Cheun, Mae Nam Lam Xe Cha Heuat Haeng, Tae Sai Phua Phan Mittaphab Lao-Vietnam Cha Manh Khong Tha Nong Kaen Xua Ka La Nane.”
Lao leaders, including Presidents Souphanouvong and Kaysone Phomvihane, worked with President Ho Chi Minh in the long fight against foreign aggressors to free their country from servitude and achieve independence, as did the leaders of other Indochina countries.  
The foundations of today’s traditional friendship and special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries were 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 invaders, Laos and Vietnam signed the Friendship and Cooperation Treaty on July 18, 1977, which further asserted the determination of 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.
Laos and Vietnam will build on the past successes of special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

By Phon Thikeo
(Latest Update July 25, 2022)