On November 13, 2017 local time, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and President Xi Jinping held talks with General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and President Boungnang Vorachith of Laos at the Presidential Palace in Vientiane. Speaking highly of each other's development achievements, both sides agreed to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning, promote continuous advancement of China's reform and opening up and Lao renovation cause, continue to uphold the spirits of good neighbors, good friends, good comrades and good partners, consolidate bilateral traditional friendship, and elevate long-term and stable bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to a new level.

 

Xi Jinping and Bounnhang Vorachith respectively introduced the 19th CPC National Congress and the relevant situation of the causes of the LPRP and Laos.

 

Xi Jinping appreciated that Laos' adherence to the path of socialism with its own characteristics, spoke positively of the achievements in economic and social development that Laos has made, and stressed that he believed that the Lao people will surely be able to make new and greater achievements in the cause of comprehensive renovation under the strong leadership of the LPRP Central Committee with General Secretary Bounnhang Vorachith as its head.

 

Bounnhang Vorachith warmly congratulated on the complete success of the 19th CPC National Congress. He spoke highly of the establishment of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era by the Congress as a guiding principle for the CPC, and believed that Chinese people will step towards the "two centenary goals" smoothly under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core. Boungnang Vorachit pointed out that the achievements made in the 19th CPC National Congress will also make great contributions to the development of socialism theories in the new era and to the regional and global peace, friendship, cooperation and development.

 

Xi Jinping stressed that China and Laos are socialist countries as well as friendly neighbors. The traditional good-neighborliness remains unshakable and becomes even firmer as time goes by. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 56 years ago, both sides have enhanced political mutual trust constantly, expanded practical cooperation constantly and improved people-to-people exchanges gradually. The relationship between the two countries has seen comprehensive and profound development, bringing practical benefits to the people of both countries. China and Laos share similar ideals and beliefs. Bilateral strategic relations have a profound positioning and enjoy broad space for development. China always cherishes its traditional friendship with Laos, pays high attention to its relationship with Laos, and is willing to work together with Laos to constantly enrich and develop a China-Laos comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership which enjoys high degree of mutual trust, mutual support and mutual benefit, so as to make two countries good neighbors, good friends, good comrades and good partners forever.

 

Boungnang Vorachit appreciated that Comrade Xi Jinping chooses Laos as his first visit after being re-elected as General Secretary of the 19th CPC Central Committee. He believed that this visit will deepen the traditional friendship between the two countries, promote cooperation in each field, draw a blueprint and chart the course for building a community with shared future for Laos and China, which will lift China-Laos comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to new levels. Laos respects China's achievements, appreciates the long-term support from China, and will adhere to the "four-good spirit" to constantly promote Laos-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and support China in playing a greater role in advancing global and regional stability and prosperity.

 

Xi Jinping and Boungnang Vorachit exchanged in-depth views on the relationship between the two parties and the two countries, and international and regional issues of common concern and reached important consensus. Both sides agreed that both China and Laos are socialist countries led by the Communist Party. Both sides agreed to jointly build a community of shared future with strategic significance for China and Laos on the basis of mutual trust, which is in line with the fundamental interests and common wishes of the two parties and peoples, and will benefit the lofty cause of peace and development for human beings.

 

Both sides agreed to maintain the good tradition of high-level exchanges, guide and instruct the development China-Laos relations in the new era, strengthen friendly exchanges and cooperation between two parties, deepen exchanges of experience on party governance and state administration, and enhance cooperation in diplomacy, national defense and law enforcement. Both countries have firmly reclaimed their support for each other's core interests and major concerns.

 

Both sides agreed to accelerate the strategic alignment of China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative with Laos' strategy of "transformation from a land-locked country into a land-linked one", jointly establish China-Laos economic corridor, and advance the major projects like China-Laos railway project, so as to lift the scale and level of the economic and trade cooperation and promote bilateral complementary advantages in economy. Both countries will deepen cooperation in many sectors including production capacity, finance, agriculture, energy, resource, water conservancy, communication, infrastructure construction and health care, so as to push forward bilateral practical cooperation to benefit more common people of the two countries.

 

 

After the talks, Xi Jinping and Bounnhang Vorachit witnessed the signing of cooperation documents covering the construction of China-Laos economic corridor, infrastructure construction, the digital Silk Road, technology, agriculture, electricity, human resources, finance, and water conservancy.

 

Prior to the talks, Bounnhang Vorachit held a grand welcome ceremony at the square of the Presidential Palace.

 

Before the welcome ceremony, thousands of local people waved the national flags of China and Laos along roads outside the Presidential Palace, and people in full regalia of all ethnic groups of Laos sang and danced to greet distinguished Chinese guests. Large portraits of the leaders of the two countries were hung up in front of the Presidential Palace.

 

When arriving by car, Xi Jinping was warmly greeted by Boungnang Vorachit. Lao youth presented flowers to Xi Jinping. Xi Jinping and Boungnang Vorachit stepped on the reviewing stand. The military band played the national anthems of China and Laos. Accompanied by Boungnang Vorachit, Xi Jinping reviewed the honor guard. All the members of the honor guard saluted with "Wish General Secretary Xi Jinping health", and "Health! Health! Health!" in Lao. Xi Jinping shook hands with Lao delegation members and Boungnang Vorachit shook hands with Chinese delegation members.

 

Ding Xuexiang, Liu He, Yang Jiechi and others attended the above activities. The attendees of Laos included Member of the Political Bureau of the LPRP Central Committee, Member of the Secretariat of the LPRP Central Committee and Head of the LPRP Central Committee Office Khamphan Phommathat, Member of the Political Bureau of the LPRP Central Committee and Deputy Prime Minister Somsanat Lengsavad, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Somdy Douangdy and principals from relevant department of the Lao government.