China ready to support Laos development, says Premier Li

ANKARA

China assured Laos that Beijing is ready to support Vientiane development to build a community with a shared future with high standards, state-run media reported on Saturday.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with Laos President Thongloun Sisoulith in Vientiane following ASEAN summits as Li concluded his four-day visit after attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit and related meetings.

"China firmly supports Laos in pursuing a socialist path in line with its national conditions and stands ready to continue firmly supporting each other on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns," Xinhua News agency quoted Li as saying.

Li added that China has always placed the development of relations with Laos in a special and important position in its neighborhood diplomacy, and is ready to work with Laos to follow the strategic guidance of the top leaders of the two parties and two countries.

In response, Laos President Thongloun assured Beijing that his country supports the one-China principle, and firmly supports China in safeguarding its core interests on issues concerning Taiwan, Xinjiang and Hong Kong.

Thongloun, who is also general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee, said that his country is ready to further strengthen high-level exchanges with China, reinforce the alignment of Laos' national development strategy with China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), advance cooperation in key areas such as the Laos-China Railway, and deepen cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid