Editor's Note: China and Laos have maintained a robust and multifaceted partnership, characterized by deep economic, political, and infrastructural cooperation, primarily under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). A cornerstone of this partnership is the China-Laos Railway, inaugurated in December 2021. How can China further contribute to the development and modernization of its ASEAN neighbor?

In this edition of Leaders Talk, CMG's He Yanke sat down with Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone during the 2025 Boao Forum for Asia held from March 25 to 28 in China's Hainan Province, to take stock of the China-Laos relationship under the "Four Good" principles and the China-Laos Community of Shared Future. Siphandone also reminisces about his childhood in China and talks about the enduring bond that unites both peoples.