Update: Xi meets Lao president

BEIJING, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, met with Thongloun Sisoulith, general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and Lao president, in Beijing on Friday.

The two leaders inked a 2024-2028 action plan between the CPC and the LPRP on building a China-Laos community with a shared future after their meeting.

During the meeting, Xi said the two sides should leverage the new five-year action plan to enrich the relations between the two parties and the two countries, and inject new impetus into regional and world peace, stability, development and prosperity.

He called on the CPC and the LPRP to continuously deepen political mutual trust, enhance governance capability, and strengthen communication and cooperation.

The two sides should tap deeper into the potential of the China-Laos Railway, steadily advance the construction of the China-Laos Economic Corridor, and create a template for Belt and Road cooperation in the region, Xi said.

China stands ready to encourage more Chinese enterprises to invest in Laos, import more quality farm produce from Laos, and expand cooperation in energy and mining, he noted.

He also said China supports Laos, which will assume the rotating presidency of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) next year, in playing a greater role in regional and international affairs.

Thongloun, who is in Beijing for the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and a working visit to China, expressed appreciation for China's long-time and valuable assistance for the economic and social development of Laos. He noted that the new five-year action plan will further consolidate the friendly cooperation between the two parties and the two countries.

Laos is ready to strengthen high-level interaction with China, advance practical cooperation on the Laos-China Economic Corridor and other projects, and enhance coordination and cooperation on ASEAN-China relations and regional issues to push for new development of bilateral relations, Thongloun said.

After the meeting, the two leaders also witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents in such areas as Belt and Road cooperation, digital economy, media, culture, tourism, public health, and customs inspection and quarantine.

Senior Chinese officials Cai Qi and Wang Yi were present at the event.