On November 5, 2012, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and Lao President Choummaly Saygnasone in Vientiane.
Wen conveyed General Secretary Hu Jintao's cordial greetings to Choummaly. The Chinese premier also congratulated Laos on hosting the Ninth Asia-Europe Meeting and its upcoming accession to the World Trade Organization, which he said reflected Laos' development and openness. China and Laos have kept intensive high-level exchanges in recent years, reached many important common understandings and promoted their comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation, Wen said. In order to further strengthen China-Laos ties, he proposed that China and Laos should continue to firmly support each other on issues concerning their core interests and expand pragmatic cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. Meanwhile, concerted efforts should be made to boost the solidarity and mutual trust between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and to beef up security and law enforcement cooperation in areas around the Mekong river, Wen said.
Choummaly asked Wen to convey his cordial greetings to General Secretary Hu Jintao and extended welcome for Wen to visit Laos and attend the ninth annual Asia-Europe Meeting on behalf of the Lao party, government and people. The Lao president also thanked China for its long-term selfless assistance and support. Choummaly said ties between the two countries have made all-round and in-depth development in recent years to the benefit of both peoples. Laos, he said, was willing to cooperate closely with China to push forward the China-ASEAN relations. Wishing the upcoming 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) a success, he said he is confident that China's cause of building socialism with Chinese characteristics will achieve greater success under the leadership of the CPC.
Wen said China is willing to intensify exchanges with Laos on state governance and policy-making, and wishes Laos new achievements on the road of building socialism.
