Xi Jinping wraps up state visit to Laos with strengthened partnership

Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapped up a fruitful state visit to Laos on Tuesday, with the two sides agreeing to build an unbreakable community of shared future with strategic importance.

In a joint statement issued in Vientiane, China and Laos have pledged to further enrich and develop their long-standing and stable comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation with a high level of mutual trust, mutual support and mutual benefit, and hold the spirit of good neighbors, good friends, good comrades and good partners.

It is the first visit in 11 years by a Chinese head of state and top Communist Party of China (CPC) leader to Laos.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (L), also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets again with Lao President Bounnhang Vorachit, also general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee, in Vientiane, Laos, Nov. 14, 2017. [Photo: Xinhua]

Xi, who is also General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, held talks with Bounnhang Vorachit, General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and President of Laos. Xi Jinping also met separately with Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith and President of the Lao National Assembly, Pany Yathotou, during his visit.

The party and state leaders of the two countries briefed each other on their respective development progress, exchanged in-depth views on bilateral ties and international and regional issues of common concern, and reached important consensuses.

Speaking highly of each other's development achievements, the two sides agreed to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning, pushing forward China's reform and opening up and Laos' reform and renewal.

Noting that China has always cherished its traditional friendship with Laos and has attached great importance to bilateral ties, Xi Jinping has told Bounnhang that China is ready to join the Lao side to further enrich and develop their comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation towards a higher level of mutual trust, mutual support and mutual benefit, so that the two will stay as good neighbors, good friends, good comrades and good partners.

Bounnhang said he is confident that Xi's visit will draw a blueprint of and guide the building of a Laos-China community of shared future.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (L), also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, shakes hands with Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith during their meeting in Vientiane, Laos, Nov. 14, 2017. [Photo: Xinhua]

During the meeting with Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, Xi said China attaches great importance to developing bilateral relations with Laos, and will continue to adopt friendly policies to the Lao side.

The Chinese president urged the two sides to explore their economic complementarity, steadily push forward the China-Laos economic corridor and China-Laos railway, and expand cooperation in such fields as energy, resource, electricity, finance, education, health care and poverty alleviation, in order to allow the two peoples to enjoy the benefits of cooperation as early as possible.

Thongloun, for his part, said the Lao side is ready to work with China to faithfully implement the results of the visit, deepen bilateral all-round exchanges and cooperation, and build an unbreakable community of shared future

Chinese President Xi Jinping (L), also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, shakes hands with President of the Lao National Assembly Pany Yathotu during their meeting in Vientiane, Laos, Nov. 14, 2017. [Photo: Xinhua]

Meeting with the President of the Lao National Assembly, Pany Yathotou, Xi Jinping spoke highly of the work of the Lao legislature in developing China-Laos relations.

He said he hopes that the legislative bodies of the two sides can maintain the tradition of high-level contacts, learn from each other in state governance, development planning and legislation experience, as well as enhance coordination and cooperation on multilateral occasions to make new contributions to the building of socialist countries ruled by law, and to the China-Laos relationship.

For her part, Pany said Laos-China cooperation has made important contributions to the national development of Laos. She says the Lao National Assembly will earnestly implement the consensus reached by party and state leaders of the two countries and help deepen the long-term, stable development of the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with the descendants of late Lao leader Quinim Pholsena, in Vientiane, capital of Laos, on November 14, 2017. [Photo: Xinhua]

Also on Tuesday, the Chinese President met with members of a Laotian family with a time-honored friendship with China.

"The family of Quinim Pholsena should be held up as a contributor to the traditional friendship between China and Laos," said Xi.

Quinim Pholsena was assassinated in 1963. His family took refuge in Beijing until 1970, with Xi Jinping attending school with one or more of his children in Beijing.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Laotian counterpart Bounnhang Vorachit attend the foundation stone laying ceremony for a China-built hospital in Vientiane on November 14, 2017. The two leaders also called for more China-Laos cooperation in public welfare. [Photo: Xinhua]

Xi Jinping and Bounnhang Vorachit also attended the foundation-laying ceremony for a China-backed hospital in the Lao capital, Vientiane.

"The health authorities of the two sides should increase policy communication and practical cooperation to jointly improve medical services and deliver greater benefits to our two peoples," said Xi.

Xi Jinping and Bounnhang also met with Chinese ophthalmologists and nurses working at the hospital.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (L rear), also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and Lao President Bounnhang Vorachit (C rear), also general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee, witness the signing of a deal to enhance cooperation under new circumstances between the two countries after meeting again in Vientiane, Laos, Nov. 14, 2017. [Photo: Xinhua]

Before wrapping up the visit in Laos, Xi Jinping met again with Bounnhang Vorachit, with the two leaders witnessing the signing of a deal to enhance cooperation under new circumstances between the two countries.

Vientiane was the final leg of Xi Jinping's first trip abroad following the 19th CPC National Congress in October.

Prior to the visit to Laos, Xi Jinping also attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting in the Vietnamese city of Da Nang.

He also took part in a state visit to the country.