On the afternoon of September 8, 2016 local time, Premier Li Keqiang met at the Parliament House in Vientiane with President of the Lao National Assembly Pany Yathotu.

Li Keqiang said that China and Laos are connected by mountains and rivers, and our friendship is profound and time-honored. My attendance at the series of Leaders’ Meetings on East Asia Cooperation and official visit to Laos aim at further consolidating China-Laos traditional friendship, deepening bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation, pushing for new progress of bilateral practical cooperation and strengthening friendly feelings between the two peoples.

Li Keqiang pointed out that exchanges and cooperation between legislative institutions are an important part of China-Laos comprehensive strategic cooperation. It is hoped that parliaments of the two countries can deepen exchanges and inject new driving forces to better docking development strategies of both countries, consolidating the public opinion foundation of bilateral relations and reinforcing bilateral good-neighborly and friendly relations as well as comprehensive cooperation.

Pany Yathotu said that Premier Li Keqiang’s attendance at the series of Leaders’ Meetings on East Asia Cooperation and visit to Laos serve as valuable support to Laos as the ASEAN rotating presidency. Thankful for China’s long-term support to the economic and social development of Laos as well as its assistance to the success of the meetings, Laos is willing to further consolidate Laos-China traditional friendship, intensify exchanges and cooperation with the National People’s Congress and push for further development of bilateral relations.