Born on February 8, 1924, into a family with a tradition of fighting against French colonialism and local feudalism in the area of ​​Champasak province in present-day Laos, comrade Khamtay Siphandone early nurtured a passionate patriotism. The year 1947 marked an important turning point in his life, also the starting point of his arduous but glorious years of revolutionary activities, with the decision to join the forces of the Lao Issara Front.

During his life of active revolutionary activities, comrade Khamtay Siphandone was assigned many important responsibilities, such as: Representative of the Lao Issara Government in the Southern Laos region, Chairman of the Central Resistance Committee, Member of the Central Committee of the Lao Issara Front and the Lao Patriotic Front, Member of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party. He was awarded the rank of General, becoming the highest leader of the Lao People's Liberation Army and then the Lao People's Army.

In his positions as Politburo member, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defense, and the highest commander of the Lao People's Army, Comrade Khamtay Siphandone stood shoulder to shoulder with President Kaysone Phomvihane, President Souphanouvong, and other leaders of the Lao Patriotic Front to lead the national liberation movement to victory, completely liberate the country, and establish the Lao People's Democratic Republic on December 2, 1975.

Comrade Khamtay Siphandone was elected Prime Minister on August 15, 1991 and President of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party on November 24, 1992.

With his glorious revolutionary career, comrade Khamtay Siphandone made his mark as one of the first leaders of the Lao revolution, standing shoulder to shoulder with President Kaysone Phomvihane and other leaders to lead the revolutionary movement in Laos to gradually mature, develop and reap consecutive victories, achieving complete victory and bringing Laos step by step towards the goal of building socialism firmly.

In an interview with VNA reporters on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the birth of comrade Khamtay Siphandone (February 8, 1924 - February 8, 2024), comrade Khamphan Pheuyavong, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Propaganda Department of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee, emphasized that President Khamtay Siphandone was not only the first generation of leaders of the Lao revolution, those who built, led, and directed the revolutionary movement in Laos until it achieved victory; but also one of the talented leaders in researching guidelines and promulgating policies, especially the innovation guidelines of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party.

As the head of the Government, then the highest leader of the Party and President of Laos, Comrade Khamtay Siphandone directed the study of the Party's theory, vision, strategy, guidelines, and policies for long-term national development and the socio-economic development plan for each period to suit the conditions of the new mechanism, the market economy mechanism under state management.

At the 7th Congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, comrade Khamtay Siphandone directed the summary of 10 years of renovation and adopted 5 lessons from the renovation process in Laos, and issued the Party Central Committee Resolution on industrialization and modernization of the country.

Not only was he an exemplary revolutionary and an outstanding leader of the Lao people, comrade Khamtay Siphandone was also a great friend of the Vietnamese people. Together with President Ho Chi Minh, President Kaysone Phomvihane and President Souphanouvong, comrade Khamtay Siphandone and the leaders of the two countries laid a solid foundation and nurtured the exemplary, loyal and special solidarity relationship between Vietnam and Laos.

In 1947, in Quang Ngai province, as a representative of the Lao resistance government, comrade Khamtay Siphandone met comrade Pham Van Dong, then the permanent representative of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam government in southern Vietnam. The two sides agreed on policies, forms and methods to coordinate and help each other fight against French colonialism for the cause of national liberation of the two countries. The meeting between the two comrades marked an important milestone in the process of forming the Vietnam-Laos Fighting Alliance.

Sharing with VNA about the important contributions of comrade Khamtay Siphandone to the Vietnam-Laos relationship, Head of the Propaganda Department of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee Khamphan Pheuyavong said: During the resistance war and national salvation period, comrade Khamtay Siphandone shared the joys and sorrows, fought side by side with Vietnamese military experts and volunteer soldiers in many battles on different battlefields, contributing to the glorious victory of the two nations in the fight against the common enemy. In the cause of protecting, building and developing the country, comrade always cooperated closely with Vietnam to exchange and share experiences, support and help each other.

President Khamtay Siphandone is one of the Lao leaders who has always had close and close relations with Vietnamese leaders at all times, always interested in nurturing, promoting and contributing to deepening the relationship between the two countries, helping this relationship to increasingly bear fruit and last forever.

President Khamtay Siphandone has passed away, but his life of dedication to the country, the people and the national liberation movement around the world will always be an endless source of inspiration and a great motivation for the young generations of Laos and Vietnam to continue to contribute to building and developing the country as well as cherishing, preserving and nurturing the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/nguoi-day-cong-vun-dap-cau-noi-huu-nghi-doan-ket-viet-lao-post870017.html