President Thongloun Sisoulith (R) meets Mr. Shohrat Zakir, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China in Vientiane on May 28

(KPL) President Thongloun Sisoulith received on Monday a courtesy call from Mr. Shohrat Zakir, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China as the latter is on a working visit to Laos on May 24-28.

At amicable talks, President highly valued the visit to Laos by Shohrat Zakir, noting that the mutual visits and exchange between Party and government leaders at all levels of the two countries have been maintained for a long time and constituted good relation mechanisms, playing a key role in promoting the relations between the two Parties, governments and two national legislative bodies of Laos and China.

He spoke highly of the great and comprehensive achievements, made by the Party, government and people of China over the past years in implementing the resolution of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China with Secretary General and President Xi Jinping as a core.

He stressed that the relations between Laos and China have grown constantly as reflected in the regular exchange of visits between senior leaders at central and local levels.

The president also spoke highly of the sound relations and cooperation between the National Assembly of Laos and the National People’s Congress of China over the past years as the two national legislative bodies have maintained regular visit exchange and mutual assistance.

He expressed his hope that the National People’s Congress of China will continue to cooperate with the National Assembly of Laos to deepen the implementation of the action plan on building Laos-China community with a shared future 2024-2028.

He urged the two national legislative bodies to monitor the implementation of cooperation and grant projects the two governments have signed, and continue to implement an agreement on cooperation between the two national legislative bodies especially on exchange of officials, seminars, study tours, as well as cooperation in regional and international arenas.

The two legislative bodies were asked to promote the cooperation between the two countries on tapping potentials of both sides and turn them into concrete cooperation projects, make the best use of the Laos-China Railway especially to promote cooperation on economy, trade, investment, cultural exchange, and people to people exchange, push ahead with the incorporation of Laos’ strategy of turning itself into a land-linked country into the Belt and Road Initiative of China, the development of the high quality Laos-China economic corridor along the Laos-China railway, the construction of express ways and other infrastructural development projects.

The president also expressed his hope that the Party, government and the People’s Congress of China will support Laos’ chairmanship and hosting of 44th ASEAN Summit and the 45th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) this year.

KPL