On February 5, 2026, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and President Xi Jinping replied to a letter from General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and President Thongloun Sisoulith. The two leaders jointly announced the designation of 2026 as the "Year of China-Laos Friendship" and the launch of a series of celebrations.

Xi Jinping noted that China and Laos are good neighbors and good friends connected by mountains and rivers and enjoying a long-standing friendship. The two countries are also good comrades and good partners who share the same ideals and a common future. In recent years, the two sides have pursued development through mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, tackled challenges through solidarity and coordination, and firmly supported each other on issues concerning their respective core interests, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples. Xi Jinping said that he has held multiple meetings with General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith, reaching important common understandings on deepening the building of a China-Laos community with a shared future, and mapping out a blueprint for the development of relations between the two parties and between the two countries under new circumstances.

Xi Jinping emphasized that as the new year begins, everything takes on a new look. China-Laos relations are currently at their best in history, facing broad prospects for development. The Chinese side always views China-Laos relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective. China is ready to work with Laos, taking the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Laos and the "Year of China-Laos Friendship" as an opportunity, to carry forward traditional friendship, deepen practical cooperation, and strengthen strategic coordination, so as to ensure that the building of a China-Laos community with a shared future remains at the forefront of state-to-state relations, and make greater contributions to regional peace, stability, development, and prosperity.

In his New Year greetings to Xi Jinping, Thongloun Sisoulith said that under the personal care and guidance of General Secretary and President Xi Jinping, the traditional friendship between Laos and China has grown stronger, political mutual trust has increasingly deepened, and comprehensive strategic cooperation has yielded fruitful results. Thongloun Sisoulith said that he will instruct various departments of Laos to work with the Chinese side to ensure the success of the celebrations for the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Laos and the "Year of Laos-China Friendship", build a high-standard, high-quality and high-level Laos-China community with a shared future, and continuously elevate bilateral relations and practical cooperation across various fields to new heights in the new era, setting an example for building a community with a shared future for humanity.