Vietnam, Laos cement ties with cultural exchange during PM visit

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung attended the traditional Lao baci ceremony alongside his Lao counterpart Saleumxay Kommasith in the capital Vientiane, marking a significant moment in bilateral relations between the two Southeast Asian neighbours. The wrist-tying ritual, known locally as baci su khuan, is a customary Lao practice believed to foster spiritual connection and goodwill between participants.

The ceremony reflected the broader context of Le Minh Hung's official state visit to Laos, during which the two governments are expected to advance discussions on strengthening economic, transport and logistics linkages. Vietnam and Laos have long maintained close ties rooted in historical solidarity and shared communist governance structures, with ongoing efforts to enhance regional integration.

The visit demonstrates both nations' commitment to advancing concrete cooperation across multiple sectors. Officials from both countries have indicated focus areas including infrastructure development, trade facilitation and enhanced connectivity initiatives that would benefit broader Southeast Asian economic networks and support ASEAN integration objectives.