Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, meets with his Lao counterpart Bounnhang Vorachit in Vientiane on Nov 14, 2017

(KPL) Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapped up a successful state visit to Laos on Tuesday as Xi, also General Secretary of Communist Party of China, and his Lao counterpart Bounnhang Vorachit have agreed to build an unbreakable community of shared future with strategic importance.

In a joint statement issued in Vientiane on Nov 14, Laos and China 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 four-good spirit of good neighbors, good friends, good comrades and good development partners.

Xi held bilateral talks with President Bounnhang Vorachit on Nov 13, the first day of his two day state visit to the Lao PDR, and had separate bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith and President of the National Assembly Pany Yathortou on Tuesday.

At the bilateral meetings, the party and state leaders of the two countries briefed each other on achievements in the implementation of socio-economic development in their respective countries, exchanged points of view on bilateral ties and international and regional issues of common interest.

Both sides noted the historic achievements made by the two Parties, two governments in their search for the paths of socialist development suitable to the characteristics of their respective countries and agreed to enhance the lesson exchange and promote the open-door reform of China and the renovation cause of the Lao PDR to ensure the two missions progress unstoppably.

The Lao side spoke highly of the elevation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era into the CPC's guiding principles during the 19th CPC National Congress.

Laos was confident that under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi at the core, the Chinese people will forge ahead smoothly towards the two centenary goals and build China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally-advanced, harmonious and beautiful.

Both sides agreed to accelerate the incorporation of the “Belt and Road” initiative of China into Laos’ strategy of “turning itself from a landlocked country into a land linked nation”.

Both sides agreed to work together to build a Laos-China economic corridor stretching from China’s Yunnan and running along the Lao-China railway to southern Laos and implement memoranda of understanding on enhancing cooperation on basic infrastructure development that have been signed during Xi’s state visit.

They agreed to accelerate the promotion of projects significant to the cooperation, including the Lao China railway construction project, through strengthening harmonious collaboration working together to address issues related to the implementation of the projects and relevant policies.

The Chinese side agreed to continue providing assistance and support to Laos to boost its socio-economic development, improve the living standards of Lao people, health, culture, education, and promote the development of agricultural, irrigation, transport, telecommunications infrastructure, and implement dispensary and sanitation projects in rural and remote communities thus ensuring the bilateral cooperation brings benefits to people of the two countries, especially to those living in rural areas in Laos.

Both sides agreed to expand lesson exchanges and cooperation in culture, education, science-technology, and visit exchange between mass organizations of the two countries.

The Chinese government has pledged to continue to increase scholarship for Lao PDR and promote cooperation on vocational education to help ensure the socio-economic development in Laos.

Both sides agreed that Xi's visit was successful and further consolidated the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between Laos and China.

KPL