China's top legislator concludes Laos visit with fruitful results

China's top legislator Zhang Dejiang wrapped up his three-day official goodwill visit to Laos on Thursday, after attending celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of the founding of the country.

During the visit, Zhang met with Lao People's Revolutionary Party Secretary-General and Lao President Choummaly Sayasone, Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong, Lao Vice President Bounnhang Vorachit and President of the National Assembly of Laos Pany Yathotou.

He also celebrated the ground-breaking of the China-Laos railway project with Choummaly and visited the satellite ground station in Vientiane.

When addressing the ground-breaking ceremony of the railway on Wednesday, Zhang called on the two sides to take the opportunity to further enhance the alignment of their respective development strategies, deepen convergence of their interests and jointly push for common development in the region.

Choummaly said the ground-breaking ceremony, which coincided with the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, has reinforced the traditional friendship between Laos and China, and is a very concrete reflection of the Laos-China community of common destiny.

The China-Laos railway has a total length of 427.1 km with standard-gauge rail system running through 170 bridges (69 km) and 72 tunnels (183 km).

The railway, using Chinese technology, equipment and investment, will connect Laos' urban and rural centers such as Vientiane, Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang, to Kunming in the Chinese province of Yunnan, as part of a regional rail link that will connect people and markets south of Singapore via Thailand and Malaysia.

In the meeting with Thongsing on Tuesday, Zhang said China is willing to align its Belt and Road initiative with Laos' development plan, in a bid to improve interconnectivity between China and Laos.

China will encourage and support more competitive Chinese enterprises to set up industrial parks in Laos and share with Laos its experience on reform and openning-up, he said.

He suggested the two sides promote exchanges and cooperation between bordering provinces and accelerate the construction of cross-border economic cooperation zones.

Laos will assume the rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) next year.

Zhang said China supports Laos to play a bigger role in regional affairs and will work with Laos to push forward China-ASEAN ties.

Thongsing said Laos will actively participate in the China-proposed Belt and Road initiative, voicing belief that the initiative will bring tangible benefits to Laos.

When holding ASEAN's rotating chair, Laos will maintain close coordination with China to strive for prosperity and stability in the region, he said.

While meeting with Bounnhang on Wednesday, Zhang said China has always viewed bilateral ties from a strategic height and long-term perspective and is willing to push forward the relationship with Laos by deepening strategic mutual trust and enhancing all-round cooperation.

For his part, Bounnhang spoke highly of the in-depth development of the China-Laos comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, calling for more party-to-party exchanges and experience-sharing on state governance.

In his meeting with Pany on Tuesday, Zhang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), said the NPC is ready to enhance exchanges and cooperation with Lao National Assembly, especially in the areas of legislation and state governance.

Pany agreed with Zhang's remarks on the cooperation between the two legislative bodies, calling on the two legislatures to strengthen friendly relations and improve the socialist legal system.

On Wednesday afternoon, Zhang also attended celebrating activities held at Vientiane's National Stadium, which was constructed with China's assistance for the city's hosting of the 2009 Southeast Asian Games, prior to the fireworks display concluding the festivities at That Luang. Endit