People’s Republic of China Pres. Xi Jinping. Photo courtesy of Xinhua News.
BEIJING, CHINA — Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Thursday replied to Laos’ top leader Thongloun Sisoulith, designating 2026 as the Year of China-Laos Friendship.
In the letter, Xi joined Thongloun, general secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Lao president, in announcing a series of celebratory events for the friendship year.
Xi noted that China and Laos are good neighbors and friends, connected by mountains and rivers with generations of friendship, as well as good comrades and partners sharing ideals and a common future.
In recent years, Xi said, the two sides have pursued development through mutual benefit, met challenges through unity and collaboration, and firmly supported each other on issues involving their core interests, bringing tangible benefits to the peoples of both countries.
Xi recalled his multiple meetings with Thongloun, during which they reached important consensus on deepening the building of a China-Laos community with a shared future, and charting a blueprint for developing relations between the two parties and countries under new circumstances.
Noting that the turn of the year brings renewal, Xi said China-Laos relations are at their best in history, with broad prospects for development.
China has always viewed its relations with Laos from a strategic, long-term perspective, and is willing to take the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the friendship year as an opportunity to carry forward traditional friendship, deepen practical cooperation, strengthen strategic coordination, and advance the building of a China-Laos community with a shared future at the forefront of state-to-state relations, Xi said.
In his New Year greetings to Xi, Thongloun said that with Xi’s guidance, traditional Laos-China friendship has grown stronger, political mutual trust has deepened, and comprehensive strategic cooperation has yielded fruitful results. Thongloun pledged to instruct various departments to work with China to ensure the success of the 65th anniversary celebrations and the friendship year, build a high-standard Laos-China community with a shared future, and continue to elevate bilateral relations and cooperation across all fields in the new era. (XINHUA)