(KPL) On September 20, at the Prime Minister’s Office, Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone received Vice Governor of Yunnan Province, China, Mr. Liu Yong, and his delegation on the occasion of their visit to Laos from September 19-21.

The Prime Minister warmly welcomed the Yunnan Vice Governor and his delegation, expressing his appreciation for their visit to strengthen ties between Laos and Yunnan. He commended the long-standing friendship and stable strategic partnership between Laos and China which is based on the Four-Good principle.

He also expressed gratitude for China’s valuable assistance, which has significantly contributed to Laos' national development.

Prime Minister Sonexay highlighted the extensive cooperation between the Lao PDR and Yunnan of China across multiple sectors.

This includes the construction of the Lao-China railway, investment in the Boten-Mohan Special Economic Zone, the Xaysettha Development Zone, the Lao-China highway development, as well as collaborations in tourism, trade, agriculture, and industry.

He emphasized the importance of continued exchanges between leaders of both sides at various levels.

The Prime Minister also expressed his sympathy to the Chinese people affected by recent natural disasters. He encouraged continued cooperation between the Lao PDR and Yunnan Province, in line with the agreements of the two countries’ leaders, to ensure fruitful outcomes.

Key areas for collaboration include further research and development related to the Lao-China railway, boosting bilateral trade, promoting cross-border and electronic trade, and encouraging Yunnan investors to invest in Laos, particularly in energy, services, tourism, and agricultural processing.

He also proposed that both sides work together on infrastructure projects using the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model, such as the Vientiane-Boten highway and the Boten-Huayxay highway. Additionally, he stressed the importance of promoting tourism during the Visit Laos Year 2024, and proposed closer cooperation between Yunnan Province and northern provinces of Laos.

In response, Vice Governor Liu Yong expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome from the Prime Minister. He provided an update on the cooperation between Yunnan Province and Lao PDR, outlining future cooperation plans. He reaffirmed Yunnan’s commitment to furthering the China-Laos partnership through the Belt and Road Initiative and other joint projects. He also announced that Yunnan Province would provide CNY300,000  in aid to support flood-affected communities in Laos.

KPL