President Hu Jintao yesterday told the visiting Laotian president that China will enhance its ties with the neighboring country through high-level visits, the sharing of opinions on issues of common concern and economic cooperation.
Hu, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, met Khamtay Siphandone, president of Laos and of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee, who arrived in Beijing yesterday.
A Chinese spokesman said Hu hailed the development in recent years of good-neighborly cooperation with Laos.
Hu suggested an enhanced exchange of views at government and party level and improved cooperation to further boost bilateral ties.
Former Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Khamtay exchanged visits in 2000, injecting new momentum into the growth of bilateral ties.
The two countries should continue to hold high-level exchanges and expand their cooperation in such fields as the economy, culture, border security and drug control, said Khamtay.
Hu also reaffirmed the new Chinese leadership's commitment to develop friendship with neighboring countries.
Despite the increasing number of factors adversely affecting world peace and stability, it is still the common aspiration of people in different countries to maintain peace and stability, promote economic growth and establish a fairer and more reasonable world order, said Hu.
Khamtay said he agreed and added that his country will adhere to its diplomatic policies in pursuit of peace, cooperation and friendship.
The Laotian leader is in China for a three-day state visit.
(China Daily June 13, 2003)
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