Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Kazan for the 16th BRICS Summit and met with Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith on the evening of 22 October. During their discussion, Xi emphasized the importance of enhancing Belt and Road cooperation and developing the China-Laos Railway and Economic Corridor. He praised the successful trade and cultural exchanges between the two countries over the past year.
Xi reaffirmed China’s commitment to being a reliable partner for Laos, expressing readiness to import more agricultural products and promote educational exchanges. He congratulated Laos on hosting the ASEAN Summit meetings and welcomed its participation in BRICS.
In response, Thongloun Sisoulith highlighted the strong historical ties between the nations and the effective implementation of their shared action plan. He reiterated Laos’ support for China’s core interests and expressed a desire to advance bilateral projects and multilateral cooperation.
Thongloun also thanked China for its support in hosting the East Asian Leaders’ meetings and expressed Laos’ willingness to continue close cooperation with China within ASEAN and other multilateral platforms.
