Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with President of the National Assembly of Laos Saysomphone Phomvihane in Vientiane, Laos, Oct. 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

Chinese Premier Li Qiang said in Vientiane on Friday that China is willing to keep closer high-level exchanges with Laos, strengthen strategic communication, stay firmly on the right direction of bilateral relations, deepen all-round cooperation in all fields, and add new impetus to the steady and lasting development of the China-Laos community of shared future.

In his meeting with President of the National Assembly of Laos Saysomphone Phomvihane, Li said China and Laos, as friendly socialist neighbors, support each other in the struggle for national independence and liberation, and learn from each other in their respective causes of reform, opening up and innovation. "Comrades and brothers" is a vivid portrayal of the traditional friendship between the two parties and two countries, Li added.

Under the strategic guidance of Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, and Thongloun Sisoulith, general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Lao president, China-Laos relations have entered a new era of building a community with a shared future, Li noted.

China is willing to strengthen exchanges with Laos' legislative bodies, Li said, adding he hopes that the two sides will implement the cooperation agreement between the legislative bodies of the two countries, make good use of the cooperation mechanism and platform, maintain the sound momentum of exchanges between the high-level legislative bodies, special committees and bilateral friendship groups, to promote the exchange of experience in governance and legislative supervision, better serve the overall interests of China-Laos relations, and provide more impetus for the common development and prosperity of the two sides.

For his part, Saysomphone Phomvihane said Laos and China enjoy profound traditional friendship and sound development momentum of comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. The Belt and Road Initiative and the three major global initiatives proposed by General Secretary Xi have been widely praised by the international community, and Laos highly appreciates and firmly supports them.

He expressed gratitude to China's long-term support for Laos' economic and social development, adding that Laos is willing to strengthen exchanges with China's legislative bodies, deepen the exchange of experience on state governance, promote the in-depth development of Laos-China friendly and practical cooperation, to push for more achievements in the building of Laos-China community with a shared future.