HANOI, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese top leaders and Laos party chief on Tuesday reaffirmed and emphasized the strategic importance of the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.

General Secretary of the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith is on a visit to Vietnam from July 3-7, daily local newspaper Vietnam News reported on Wednesday.

On the first day of his trip on Tuesday, Bounnhang Vorachith held talks with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong, as well as meetings with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

At the meetings, the two sides discussed ways to effectively develop bilateral ties in all fields, to contribute to the success of each partys policies and each countrys development strategies in the spirit of independence, self-reliance, and equal and mutually-beneficial cooperation for prosperity of each country, as well as for peace, stability, cooperation, and development in Southeast Asia and the world.

They agreed to step up cooperation in diplomacy, security and defense, and maintain the regular exchanges of high-ranking visits.