Chinese, Lao foreign ministers hold talks in south China

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Saleumxay Kommasith in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Wednesday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said China and Laos are good comrades, good brothers and good partners who share a common future and common development. Bilateral relations have always maintained a sound momentum of development, he added.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Laos comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. Wang said that China is ready to work with Laos to implement the strategic consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries, push for more tangible results in the building of the China-Laos community of shared future, fully support Laos as the rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), enrich the connotation of the China-ASEAN community of shared future, and jointly safeguard regional peace and development.

Wang said that China will actively support Laos in hosting a series of leaders' meetings on East Asia cooperation, work with other parties to promote regional economic integration that benefits all and is inclusive, and build East Asia into a model for a new round of economic globalization.

Kommasith congratulated China on the successful holding of the Two Sessions and expressed his belief that China will become more prosperous and stronger through the development of new quality productive forces and the promotion of Chinese modernization. He believes that China will play an exemplary role for other developing countries to achieve modernization.

Kommasith said that Laos firmly pursues the one-China policy and supports China's position on issues related to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. He added that Laos will work with China to implement the new version of the action plan for building a Laos-China community with a shared future, promote the Laos-China Railway to achieve greater economic effect, strengthen cooperation in energy, agricultural tourism and other fields, and jointly crack down on cross-border crimes. As the rotating chair of ASEAN, Laos will closely communicate and cooperate with China to jointly advance the East Asia cooperation process.

The two sides also exchanged views on the South China Sea and other issues of common concern.

(Input from Xinhua)