The visit took place at a time when the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party have successfully organised their congresses, drawing up major socio-economic development orientations towards the goal of lifting their countries out of the present status of poverty and underdevelopment. This was also Mr Sayasone's first foreign visit in his capacity as Secretary General of the LPRP Central Committee and President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

As close comrades and brothers of the Lao people, the Communist Party of Vietnam and its people congratulate Laos on the great, comprehensive and significant achievements recorded by the LPRP and its people during the past 20 years of implementing the Doi Moi (Renewal) process. Notably, Laos has maintained a rather high annual GDP growth rate of 6.2 percent in the past five years. Its income per capita reached more than US$440 last year. These achievements will motivate Laos to realise the goal of achieving an annual GDP growth rate of between 7.5-8 percent in the next five years.

We are proud of the special relationship between Vietnam and Laos, which stemmed from the tradition of solidarity between the two nations and were fostered by the two Parties and President Ho Chi Minh and President Kayson Phomvihan and built up by generations of Lao and Vietnamese people.

The exchange of high-level meetings by leaders of the two Parties and States and the annual meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-governmental committee have helped further cement bilateral ties in the areas of politics, economics, trade, investment, transport, culture, education and training and healthcare.

By 2005, Vietnam ranked third among foreign investors in Laos, with 69 projects valued at nearly US$500 million. On April 5, the Vietnam-Laos Electricity Development Company began construction of the Sekaman 3 Hydro-Electric Power Plant in Sekong province at a cost of US$232 million. In addition, Vietnamese enterprises are keen to work as contractors for capital construction and irrigation projects in Laos.

In turn, Laos has also begun to invest in Vietnam. Although its investment is modest, it has contributed to promoting the economic strengths of the two countries.  

During an official visit to Laos in March 2005 by Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, leaders of the two countries confirmed that they consider the special solidarity and comprehensive co-operation between Vietnam and Laos to be an invaluable asset, an inevitable rule of development, and a factor for ensuring the success of the cause of national construction and development in each country. They agreed to do their utmost to consolidate the tradition and pass it down to future generations.

There is much hope that the Vietnam visit by Mr Sayasone will be a success, helping raise the special relationship between Vietnam and Laos to a higher level.