The 12th National Congress of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) concluded on January 8, with the re-election of Thongloun Sisoulith as General Secretary.
On the same day, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, sent a congratulatory message to Thongloun Sisoulith.
Xi wrote that the successful convening of the 12th National Congress of the LPRP is highly significant for building on past achievements and opening up new prospects for the development of the party and the socialist cause in Laos. He expressed the hope that under the strong leadership of the LPRP Central Committee with Thongloun Sisoulith at its core, the LPRP and the Lao people will remain united and continue their efforts to successfully fulfill all goals and tasks set forth by the 12th National Congress of the LPRP, continuously make new advances in the socialist cause of Laos, and press forward with resolve toward the party’s centenary goal in 2055.
He added that China and Laos are friendly socialist neighbours connected by shared mountains and rivers. In recent years, through joint efforts of both sides, China-Laos relations have been at their best in history, with the endeavor to build the China-Laos community of shared future with strategic significance steadily deepening and becoming more tangible, yielding a series of fruitful results.
Xi Jinping said he is ready to work with General Secretary Thongloun Sisoulith to strengthen the strategic guidance for the development of China-Laos relations, carry forward the traditional friendship between China and Laos, deepen the exchange of experience in both party and state governance, expand practical cooperation in various fields, and drive the building of the China-Laos community with a shared future toward a high-standard, high-quality and high-level goal, with a view to bring greater benefits to the two peoples, better serve the development of the socialist cause of both countries, and make new contributions to promoting peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region and the world at large.
Among the similar messages received by Thongloun Sisoulith were those from General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam, and President of the Cambodian People’s Party Hun Sen.
The following articles were originally published on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and by the KPL Lao News Agency.
Xi Jinping Sends Congratulatory Message to Thongloun Sisoulith on His Election as General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee
January 8 (MFA) – On January 8, 2026, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to Thongloun Sisoulith on his reelection as General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee.
In his congratulatory message, Xi Jinping said that since the convening of the 11th National Congress of the LPRP, the LPRP Central Committee has united and led the Lao people in actively exploring a socialist development path suited to the country’s national conditions, overcoming difficulties and pressing ahead, and having scored a series of important accomplishments in advancing party building, developing the economy, improving people’s livelihoods and expanding external exchanges. The successful convening of the 12th National Congress of the LPRP is highly significant for building on past achievements and opening up new prospects for the development of the party and the socialist cause in Laos. Xi Jinping expressed the hope that under the strong leadership of the LPRP Central Committee with Thongloun Sisoulith at its core, the LPRP and the Lao people will remain united and continue their efforts to successfully fulfill all goals and tasks set forth by the 12th National Congress of the LPRP, continuously make new advances in the socialist cause of Laos, and press forward with resolve toward the party’s centenary goal in 2055.
China and Laos are friendly socialist neighbors connected by shared mountains and rivers. In recent years, through joint efforts of both sides, China-Laos relations have been at their best in history, with the endeavor to build the China-Laos community of shared future with strategic significance steadily deepening and becoming more tangible, yielding a series of fruitful results. Under the new circumstances where the regional dynamics are deeply interconnected with global changes, Xi Jinping said he is ready to work with General Secretary Thongloun Sisoulith to strengthen the strategic guidance for the development of China-Laos relations, carry forward the traditional friendship between China and Laos, deepen the exchange of experience in both party and state governance, expand practical cooperation in various fields, and drive the building of the China-Laos community with a shared future toward a high-standard, high-quality and high-level goal, with a view to bring greater benefits to the two peoples, better serve the development of the socialist cause of both countries, and make new contributions to promoting peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region and the world at large.
Laos concludes 12th Party Congress, sets vision for 2055
January 8 (KPL) – The 12th National Congress of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) concluded successfully on Thursday, charting a definitive course for the nation’s socialist development and reaffirming its leadership structure for the coming term.
Held under the banner “Enhancing the Party’s Strong Leadership, Proactively Building an Independent and Self-Reliant Economy, Continuing to Consolidate the People’s Democratic Regime, and Advancing towards Socialism,” the three-day congress brought together 835 delegates to deliberate on the country’s strategic direction.
Unified Leadership Reconfirmed
The Congress solidified the Party’s central command, achieving unanimous consensus in its leadership elections. Comrade Thongloun Sisoulith was re-elected as Secretary General of the Party Central Committee, ensuring policy continuity.
The leadership team was bolstered with the appointment of Comrade Vilay Lakhamfong as Standing Member of the Secretariat and Comrade Vansay Phornsavanh as head of the Central Inspection Committee.
A newly elected 73-member Central Committee, supported by 15 alternate members, will form the core tasked with executing the Party’s resolutions.
Landmark “Vision 2055” Unveiled
A cornerstone outcome was the adoption of the third Political Programme, establishing a long-term national vision for the year 2055—the Party’s 100th anniversary. The ambitious goal is to elevate Laos to the status of a developing nation with upper-middle-income levels, underpinned by a modern economy, a robust political system, and an enhanced quality of life for all ethnicities.
Bridge to the Future: The 2026-2030 Plan
To translate long-range objectives into actionable steps, the Congress ratified the 10th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (2026–2030). This five-year blueprint is structured around six key pillars namely human resource development, the improvement of living standards, the protection of natural resources and environment, the enhancement of regional and international connectivity, and public governance reform.
A Call for Collective Effort
In his closing address, Comrade Kikeo Khaykhamphithoune highlighted the Congress’s spirit of unity and issued a rallying call. He urged all Party members, military and police personnel, and Lao citizens nationwide and abroad to unite in patriotic effort to realize the Congress’s resolutions.
The Party also expressed profound gratitude to international friends and development partners for their steadfast support of Laos’ national development journey.
