President Thongloun Sisoulith attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Plus Meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, from 31 August to 1 September, calling for stronger multilateral cooperation and a fairer international order while advancing Laos’ ties with India and Kyrgyzstan.
The summit focused on the contribution of SCO Plus countries to building a multipolar world.
During the meeting, Thongloun reaffirmed Laos’ support for multilateral cooperation and the central role of the United Nations in international affairs. He said international cooperation should be based on sovereign equality, mutual respect, non-interference in internal affairs, peaceful settlement of disputes and mutually beneficial cooperation.
Laos identified four priority areas for potential cooperation: agriculture and food security, digital transformation, transport and connectivity, and banking and finance.
The government said these areas are interconnected and could support sustainable development. Laos also expressed its readiness to make a constructive contribution as an SCO Dialogue Partner after receiving the status in this July, including by strengthening links between Southeast Asia and Eurasia.
Bilateral Talks
On the sidelines of the summit, Thongloun met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss strengthening bilateral ties and cooperation between India and Laos.
He also held his first bilateral meeting with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov since Laos and Kyrgyzstan established diplomatic relations in 1995. The two leaders agreed to deepen political, economic, trade and transport cooperation, share experiences in developing landlocked economies, and strengthen Laos’ engagement as an SCO Dialogue Partner.
A separate analysis by CGTN’s Liu Yuanhui said SCO participation could give smaller countries another platform to expand international partnerships without having to choose between competing geopolitical camps.
For Laos, the analysis described the SCO as “another route to cooperation” while allowing the country to maintain its strategic independence.
