On November 28, 2004, Premier Wen Jiabao of the State Council, who is on a formal visit to Laos, held talks with his Lao counterpart Prime Minister Bounnhang Vorachith. The two sides exchanged views in depth on enhancing the good-neighborly and friendly relations of cooperation between China and Laos in a cordial and friendly atmosphere.
Wen Jiabao made positive comments on the bilateral relations. He said that China-Laos relations have been developing comprehensively in recent years with the two sides trusting each other, treating each other as equals, supporting each other and engaging in earnest cooperation, stating that China is satisfied with the development of relations between the two countries. He noted that both China and Laos are conducting reforms and opening to the outside world to develop their respective economy and improve their people's livelihood, so it is in line with the fundamental interests of both peoples to strengthen the good-neighborly and friendly relations of cooperation between China and Laos. Wen thanked the Lao government for its firm support for China on such issues as the Taiwan question.
Wen stressed that the Chinese government attaches importance to China-Laos relations, cherishes the friendship between the two countries and would like to be Laos' good neighbor, good friend, good partner and good comrade forever. To further boost China-Laos friendly cooperation, he made the following proposals:
First, the two sides should keep top-level contacts and exchanges of visits to deepen mutual understanding, share experience in governance and coordinate stances on international and regional issues.
Second, the two sides should upgrade the level of economic and trade cooperation by enhancing cooperation in such fields as energy, mineral resources and infrastructure construction, promoting the sustained, sound and orderly development of border trade and having closer economic and trade cooperation within multi-lateral frameworks. To combine the economic and technological assistance rendered by China to Laos with the improvement of Laos' capacity to develop its economy by itself should become a new approach to the bilateral cooperation in the changed situations.
Third, the two sides should enhance exchanges and cooperation in all areas and at all levels and, in particular, expand cooperation in such fields as personnel training, science and technology, education, tourism, border management, combating transnational crimes and drug control.
Fourth, the two sides should strengthen mutual support and coordination in regional affairs and foster the constant development of relations between China and ASEAN.
Bounnhang Vorachith agreed to the comments and proposals made by Wen on relations between the two countries. He said that Laos-China friendship is being constantly deepened and the comprehensive cooperation is becoming more extensive and intensive. The support of China for Laos in such areas as trade, investment, education and personnel training and the economic and technological assistance rendered by China to Laos have played an important role in the economic and social development of Laos, for which Laos is deeply grateful. It is the hope of Laos that the two sides will strengthen cooperation in agriculture, science and technology, mineral resources, investment as well as infrastructure construction in water conservancy, power generation and communications.
Bounnhang Vorachith indicated that Laos would continue enhancing cooperation with China in international as well as regional affairs and making contributions to the development of China-ASEAN relations. He reiterated that the Lao government follows the one-China policy and firmly supports China's lofty cause of national reunification.
Following the talks, Wen Jiabao and Bounnhang Vorachith attended the signing ceremony for five cooperation documents, including the economic and technological cooperation agreement between the two governments.