Beijing, May 31st—Song Tao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC), held a video call here today with Thongsavanh Phomvihane, Chairman of the Committee for External Relations of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee.

Song said, China and Laos are friendly socialist neighbors linked by mountains and rivers. General Secretary Xi Jinping and Thongloun Sisoulith, General Secretary of the LPRP Central Committee, held a video call and jointly witnessed the opening ceremony of the China-Laos Railway via video link last December. They reached new and important strategicconsensus on promoting the building of China-Laos community with a shared future, charting the course for the development of China-Laos relations in the future. The world has entered a period of new turbulence and transformation now. China and Laos, as comprehensive strategic partners, should keep up with the trend of the times, uphold the two Parties' leadership and socialism, maintain high-level strategic communication, promote high-quality and sustainable operation of China-Laos Railway and comprehensive development along the railway, and advance the construction of China-Laos Economic Corridor and upgrading of the Belt and Road cooperation. Both sides needs to deepen investment in economy and trade as well as exchange and cooperation in various fields, push for in-depth development of the building of China-Laos community with a shared future, and jointly boost peace and development in the region and the world.

Song noted, inter-party relations between the two Parties play an important guiding role for the development of the relations between our two countries. It is hoped that both sides will implement well the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two Parties and countries, strengthen political mutual trust and strengthen experience exchange in state governance and administration, strengthen communication and dialogue between departments of disciplinary inspection, organization, and publicityof the two countries, as well as between border provinces of the two countries, and contribute to the causes of our own Parties and countries respectively. The 20th CPC National Congress will be held in the second half of the year in Beijing. The Chinese people will, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, march towards the second centenary goal, and make new and greater contributions to the lofty causes of propelling peace and development of mankind.

Thongsavanh spoke highly of China’s remarkable achievements in coordinating epidemic prevention and control with economic and social development under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, and thanked the Chinese side for the precious support in anti-epidemic, national development and construction. He said, the Lao side is ready to implement the important strategic consensus of the top leaders of the two Parties and countries, strengthen high-level exchange, deepen studies and discussions on theory between the two Parties, deepen training for and exchange between cadres of the two Parties, and constantly learn the successful experience in state governance and administration from the CPC. The Lao side will continue to firmly adhere to the one-China principle, firmly support the Chinese side’s principled position on the issues including those related to Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong. He hoped to promote further implementation of the action plan of the Laos-China community with a shared future, deepen cooperation in all areas between the two countries, and jointly safeguard regional peace and development. The LPRP wishes the 20th CPC National Congress a complete success.

Guo Yezhou, Vice-minister of the IDCPC, and Sichalcune Somphone, Deputy Chairman of the Committee for External Relations of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee, and others were present.

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