China, Laos vow to advance cooperation

President Xi Jinping underlined on Tuesday the need to advance construction of the China-Laos Economic Corridor while promoting the further development of the China-Laos Railway to set a prime example of Belt and Road cooperation.

Xi made the remarks during a meeting in Kazan, Russia, with Thongloun Sisoulith, general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Lao president.

Xi pointed out that China is comprehensively advancing modernization with high-quality development, while Laos stands at a new stage of national development and revitalization.

He expressed the country's willingness to strengthen strategic mutual trust with Laos, deepen pragmatic cooperation, and continue to promote the development of the China-Laos community with a shared future toward more results.

As a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, the 1,035-kilometer China-Laos Railway connecting Kunming, the capital of southwestern China's Yunnan province, with the Lao capital, Vientiane, has turned Laos from a landlocked country into a land-linked one, and is a crucial economic corridor for enhancing trade connections between Laos, China and other countries in the region.

As of Sept 16, the railway, which was put into operation in December 2021, had handled over 10 million metric tons of imported and exported goods, according to statistics from Kunming Customs. The railway's international passenger services were launched in April last year, facilitating travel for tourism, study, business and cultural exchanges.

Observers said that the China-Laos Economic Corridor will further support bilateral trade and investment and enhance the prosperity of areas along the China-Laos Railway.

During the meeting, Xi mentioned his talks with the Lao president in Beijing in October last year, when they reached an important consensus on deepening the comprehensive strategic cooperation between the two countries. Over the past year, both countries have actively implemented the consensus, leading to fruitful results in areas such as connectivity, trade and investment, as well as people-to-people and cultural exchanges, he said.

As socialist comrades and brothers, the China-Laos relationship holds a special and significant position in China's neighborhood diplomacy, Xi said, adding that regardless of how international situations evolve, China will always be a reliable friend and partner to Laos.

The Chinese president expressed the country's willingness to enhance exchanges and mutual learning with Laos, and to continue to provide firm support to each other on issues concerning their core interests and major concerns.

While welcoming Laos' active participation in BRICS cooperation, he underlined the need for both countries to enhance multilateral coordination and cooperation to jointly safeguard international fairness, justice and the interests of developing countries.

Thongloun said that Laos-China relations are at their best in history, with bilateral cooperation expanding in depth and scope.

He said he looks forward to working with China to further advance the development of the Laos-China Railway and the Laos-China Economic Corridor, and to promote the building of the Laos-China community with a shared future.

He reiterated Laos' steadfast adherence to the one-China policy and unwavering support for China in defending its core interests as well as its legitimate positions on issues related to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Xinjiang.

Laos is also ready to continue close cooperation with China on multilateral platforms such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, he added.

caodesheng@chinadaily.com.cn