Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with Lao President Choummaly Saygnasone in Beijing Wednesday, and the two sides pledged to further their cooperations.

Wen said China and Laos, both facing tough tasks of developing their economies and improving their people's livelihood, are friendly neighbors and intimate partners.

"China is willing to strengthen cooperations with Laos, help each other and jointly tackle challenges," Wen said, adding that he hopes the two sides could strengthen personnel and information communication, and expand economic and trade cooperations.

Choummaly, also secretary general of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee, expressed congratulations on the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, which falls on October 1.

He also praised China's efforts in maintaining economic development against the global financial crisis, and lauded China's contributions to the recovery of the global economy.

He said he was satisfied with the in-depth, stable and all-around development of the two sides' mutual-beneficial cooperations, and expressed his willingness of promoting Lao-China cooperation to a new level.

(Xinhua News Agency September 10, 2009)