Li Keqiang Meets with General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and President Bounnhang Vorachit of Laos

On April 25, 2019, Premier Li Keqiang met with General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and President Bounnhang Vorachit of Laos at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.

Li Keqiang expressed that linked by mountains and rivers, China and Laos enjoy close bilateral relations and relations between the two Parties. The two sides have always respected and supported each other. General Secretary and President Xi Jinping will hold talks with General Secretary and President Bounnhang Vorachit, which will open up new prospects for relations between the two countries and the two Parties. Recent years have witnessed close cooperation of the two Parties and the two countries, which has continuously borne fruits. We are willing to work with the Lao side to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two Parties and the two countries, continue to consolidate traditional friendship, strengthen high-level exchanges, enhance political mutual trust, reinforce people-to-people and cultural exchanges and propel the building of the China-Laos community with a shared future, in a bid to bring more tangible benefits to the peoples of the two countries. The Chinese side is ready to align the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with the development strategies of Laos and make new progress on major projects such as the China-Laos Economic Corridor and the China-Laos railway with the Lao side. The Chinese side is willing to continuously intensify coordination with the Lao side to make the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation an important platform for sub-regional cooperation.

Bounnhang Vorachit said that the Lao side spoke highly of the huge achievements the Communist Party of China, the Chinese government and people have made in reform and opening up on all fronts. The continuous deepening and expansion of the relations between the two countries and two Parties, together with the frequent contacts of the leaders of both sides, demonstrates the traditional friendship between the two Parties and the two countries, and also plays an important guiding role in bilateral cooperation. The Lao side attaches importance to and actively participates in the BRI and is pleased to see the steady progress of major projects such as the Laos-China railway. Bounnhang Vorachit thanked the Chinese side for its strong support for Lao economic and social development, noting that the two sides should work together to build a community with a shared future and push relations between the two Parties and the two countries to a new level.