Senior Chinese diplomat meets with Lao FM

Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, meets with Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Saleumxay Kommasith in Beijing, capital of China, July 10, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)

BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met with Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Saleumxay Kommasith in Beijing on Monday.

Thanking Saleumxay Kommasith for actively supporting and participating in the first high-level conference of the Forum on Global Action for Shared Development, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said China is willing to work with Laos to promote new achievements in political mutual trust and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides.

Noting that this year marks the 20th anniversary of China's joining the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), Wang said the two sides should take this opportunity to jointly push the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level.

Wang also called for accelerating negotiations on the upgraded China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, which could inject new impetus into the building of a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable home between China and ASEAN.

Saleumxay Kommasith said Laos highly appreciates and firmly supports China's Global Development Initiative, and is committed to building a solid, lasting and stable comprehensive strategic partnership between Laos and China.

China is an important strategic partner of ASEAN, and Laos will play an active role in promoting ASEAN-China cooperation, Saleumxay Kommasith added.