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Chinese, Laotian PMs vow to advance bilateral ties

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Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and his Laotian counterpart Bouasone Bouphavanh agreed in Hanoi Thursday to advance relations between the two countries.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) meets with Laotian Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam, Oct. 28, 2010. [Huang Jingwen/Xinhua]

Wen said China would like to work with Laos to further develop their comprehensive, strategic and cooperative partnership by building on traditional ties and expanding exchanges and cooperation.

China will adhere to the policy of pursuing peace and friendly ties, equality and mutual development with its neighbors, and is willing to carry on the high-level exchanges between the two countries and between the Communist Party of China and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, he said.

China is also willing to strengthen the exchange of views and coordination on major regional issues and work together to push forward relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Wen said.

Wen said China attaches great importance to cooperation with Laos in infrastructure construction, human resources development and poverty elimination, and that China is willing to offer support and assistance in these areas.

Wen urged the two sides to boost negotiation and coordination that would hopefully lead to the early signing of a blueprint for bilateral economic cooperation.

He also called on the two sides to make use of the coordination function of the joint economic commission and the cooperation mechanism between China's southern province of Yunnan and the nine northern provinces of Laos to facilitate bilateral trade and investment.

Both countries should also make the best of the opportunities of the China-ASEAN free trade area to conduct mutually complementary cooperation and further vitalize bilateral economic and trade ties, Wen said.

He also urged more cultural exchanges and interactions involving youth to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between the two nations, so as to further consolidate the social foundation of the bilateral relationship.

Bouasone thanked China for its support and assistance over the years, and reiterated Laos' adherence to the one-China policy.

Laos stands ready to work closely with China to deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields and give full play to the China-ASEAN free trade area to upgrade economic and trade cooperation, he said.

It is of great significance to further boost ASEAN-China cooperation in terms of regional peace, stability and development, and Laos is willing to work with China on it, he said.

Wen arrived in Vietnam on Thursday for a series of summits between the ASEAN countries and their partners.