ABSTRACT
In states like Vietnam and Laos, the attitude adopted toward the ruling Communist party of a foreign country like the Soviet Union or China not uncommonly shapes the relationship that exists on a state level. Under the heading of Laos's foreign relations, therefore, this chapter describes relations that involve both state-state and ruling party-ruling party aspects, relations that involve state-state and ruling party-nonruling party aspects, and one case in which the state-state relation is the only important aspect and discusses Laos's relations with international organizations. In their relations since December 1975, on both party and governmental levels, Laos and Vietnam continued to show the complete identity of purpose and action characteristic of a single seat of decisionmaking. The continuing Chinese threat to Laos, however, had become the pretext for an indefinite extension of the stationing of Vietnamese troops in Laos.
