In the last week of November, Chinese leader Xi Jinping hosted his counterparts from two of China’s friendly neighbors.
Thongloun Sisoulith, General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and President of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (LPDR), became the third leader of a socialist country to visit China since the Communist Party of China’s 20th National Congress in October, following visits by the leaders of Vietnam and Cuba.
Meeting Thongloun on November 30, Xi Jinping informed his guest of the passing away of former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin. Thongloun expressed deep condolences, saying that this is a huge loss for the CPC and the Chinese people, and that the LPRP and the Lao people feel the sorrow in the same way. Comrade Jiang Zemin was a close friend of the LPRP and the Lao people. During his visit to Laos in 2000, Jiang Zemin proposed the principle of “long-term stability, good-neighborly friendship, mutual trust and all-round cooperation”, which has played a guiding role in the development of Laos-China relations.
Xi Jinping briefed his Laotian counterpart on the 20th Congress of the CPC and also said that since the LPRP held its 11th National Congress it had focused its efforts on improving itself, pursued a socialist path in line with the country’s own characteristics, striven to maintain political and social stability and sustained economic development. At the same time, it has contributed to maintaining regional peace and stability and safeguarding the common interests of developing countries.
The Laotian leader said that at a time when the world is undergoing complex changes, China is a pillar of safeguarding world peace and stability and is committed to promoting the common development of humanity and building a human community with a shared future.
Two days previously, on November 8, President Ji met with President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh of Mongolia. Xi pointed out that the two presidents meeting again after two months as promised fully reflects the high level of China-Mongolia relations. In September, the Chinese and Mongolian leaders had met in the Uzbek city of Samarkand, including at the sixth tripartite meeting also attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Xi said that following the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, China pursues friendship and partnership with its neighboring countries. It attaches great importance to growing the friendship, mutual trust and common interests with Mongolia. Outlining the five principles of Chinese-style modernization, he added that China will not only realize its own prosperity but also contribute to its neighborhood and beyond through its own development. On economic matters, he said that the two countries would actively advance the China-Mongolia-Russia economic corridor as well as the section of the China-Russia natural gas pipeline in Mongolia. China applauds Mongolia’s “Billion Trees” initiative and is ready to discuss with Mongolia the establishment of a cooperation center to combat desertification.
President Khurelsukh said that as permanent neighbors connected by mountains and rivers, Mongolia and China are good neighbors, good friends and good partners. The two sides have rendered each other support and assistance during the pandemic and jointly responded to global challenges, a vivid example of “a friend in need is a friend indeed”. China, he added, is a peace-loving country that has never invaded other countries in its history but has sincerely helped others develop. China’s Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative are for humanity’s peace and development. Mongolia fully supports them.
The following articles were originally carried on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Xi Jinping Holds Talks with General Secretary of the LPRP Central Committee and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith
On November 30, 2022, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and President Xi Jinping held talks with General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith at the Great Hall of the People. The two sides stressed the need to uphold the principle of “long-term stability, good-neighborly friendship, mutual trust and all-round cooperation” and the spirit of “good neighbors, good friends, good comrades and good partners”, respect and trust each other politically, benefit each other economically, foster mutual understanding and affinity through people-to-people and cultural exchanges, constantly advance the building of a China-Laos community with a shared future, and make positive efforts and contribute to the building of a human community with a shared future.
At the beginning of the talks, Xi Jinping said that Comrade Jiang Zemin passed away on Wednesday in Shanghai due to illness after all medical treatments had failed. Comrade Jiang Zemin was an outstanding leader enjoying high prestige acknowledged by the whole Party, the entire military and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, a great Marxist, a great proletarian revolutionary, statesman, military strategist and diplomat, a long-tested communist fighter, an outstanding leader of the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the core of the CPC’s third generation of central collective leadership, and the principal founder of the Theory of Three Represents. Xi Jinping said that Chinese people profoundly mourn Comrade Jiang Zemin and will turn grief into strength to strive in solidarity to build a modern socialist country in all respects and advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts in accordance with the plan of the 20th CPC National Congress.
Thongloun expressed deep condolences over the passing of Comrade Jiang, saying that this is a huge loss for the CPC and the Chinese people, and that the LPRP and the Lao people feel the sorrow in the same way. When Comrade Jiang Zemin was the main leader of the CPC and China, he led the Chinese people in scoring important development achievements and made important contributions to the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Comrade Jiang Zemin was a close friend of the LPRP and the Lao people. During his visit to Laos in 2000, Jiang Zemin proposed the principle of “long-term stability, good-neighborly friendship, mutual trust and all-round cooperation”, which has played a guiding role in the development of Laos-China relations. The Lao Party, government and people will work with the Chinese comrades to continuously push forward the Laos-China friendship.
Xi Jinping said that since last year he has maintained close communication with General Secretary Thongloun in various ways, and reached many important common understandings on the development of China-Laos relations and the building of a community with a shared future. He expressed readiness to work with General Secretary Thongloun to steadily deepen and substantiate the building of a China-Laos community with a shared future, so as to deliver more benefits to the two peoples and promote peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region.
Xi Jinping briefed Thongloun on the 20th CPC National Congress. He said that the 20th CPC National Congress has elaborated on major concepts such as a new frontier in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, put forward the missions and tasks of the CPC on the new journey of the new era, and stressed the need to build a modern socialist country in all respects and advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts. Having gone through the course of a century of endeavor, the CPC embarked on a new journey to realize new goals. The CPC has the confidence and capability to make new and greater achievements and realize all the goals and tasks set at the 20th CPC National Congress.
Xi Jinping said that since the 11th LPRP National Congress, faced with the complicated and volatile international and domestic situations, the LPRP Central Committee has focused its efforts on improving itself, pursued a socialist path in line with the country’s own characteristics, striven to maintain political and social stability and sustained economic development. At the same time, it has contributed to maintaining regional peace and stability and safeguarding the common interests of developing countries. Xi Jinping expressed confidence that under the strong leadership of the LPRP Central Committee led by General Secretary Thongloun, the Lao people will surely realize all the goals and tasks put forward at the 11th LPRP National Congress. The CPC is ready to work with the LPRP to enhance solidarity, cooperation, exchanges and mutual learning, adhere to the people-centered development philosophy, strengthen confidence in following the socialist path, and jointly explore a new path for the modernization of humanity.
Xi Jinping stressed that China and Laos share the same mountains and waters and have been friendly neighbors since ancient times. Since the signing of the Action Plan for Building a China-Laos Community with a Shared Future in April 2019, China and Laos have made joint efforts and worked for fruitful results in the building of a China-Laos community with a shared future. In particular, the two sides have built the China-Laos Railway into a road of development, a road of happiness and a road of friendship, which has not only brought huge benefits to the two peoples, but also set a fine example for Belt and Road cooperation and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Under the new circumstances, the two sides need to firmly keep bilateral relations in the right direction, and ensure that the China-Laos community with a shared future is built without losing direction or speed; constantly consolidate the foundation for security, jointly uphold political security, and advance law-enforcement and defense cooperation; deepen convergence of interests and synergy of development strategies, and promote connectivity and coordinated development in the region; and deepen economic, trade and investment exchanges. China will encourage more Chinese companies to invest in Laos and welcome more quality products from Laos to enter the Chinese market. China will continue to provide assistance for Laos to alleviate its current difficulties, and expand exchanges and cooperation in science and technology, education, culture, tourism, health, youth and other fields to enhance people-to-people bonds. China is ready to deepen coordination and cooperation with Laos within the frameworks of Lancang-Mekong cooperation and China-ASEAN cooperation, champion the common values of humanity, and jointly safeguard peace, stability, development and prosperity in the world.
Thongloun said that the 20th CPC National Congress is a major event in the new era for China and will have a major impact on world development. At a time when the world is undergoing complex changes, China is a pillar of safeguarding world peace and stability, and is committed to promoting the common development for humanity and building a human community with a shared future. He expressed confidence that under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, China will fully implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and all the goals and tasks set at the congress, and realize the Second Centenary Goal on schedule.
Thongloun thanked China for its long-term valuable support and help for Lao economic and social development. He said that the traditional friendship between Laos and China has grown stronger as time goes by and political mutual trust has been constantly deepened. In particular, since the signing of the Action Plan for a Laos-China Community with a Shared Future in 2019, the two sides have earnestly implemented the plan, continuously expanded and deepened cooperation in various fields, and made smooth progress in important projects with Chinese aid in Laos, especially the completion of the Laos-China Railway, which has played an important role in boosting Laos’ economic development. He expressed hope that the two parties and relevant departments and institutions of the two countries will strengthen mutual exchanges and exchanges on state governance, consolidate and deepen security and national defense cooperation between the two countries, enhance practical cooperation in economy, trade and investment, materialize connectivity between China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the strategy of Laos to transform itself from a landlocked country to a land-linked one, strengthen mutual understanding and people-to-people exchanges between the two peoples, and promote greater development of Laos-China relations.
After the talks, Xi Jinping and Thongloun jointly witnessed the signing of cooperation documents between both sides covering the political parties, economy and trade, finance, culture and education, sub-national exchanges, and other fields.
Wang Yi and He Lifeng, among others, were present at the events.
President Xi Jinping Holds Talks with Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh
On the afternoon of 28 November, President Xi Jinping held talks with President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh of Mongolia at the Great Hall of the People during his state visit to China.
President Xi welcomed President Khurelsukh and pointed out that the two presidents meeting again after two months as promised fully reflects the high level of China-Mongolia relations. The two countries are each other’s important neighbor. It is in the fundamental interests of the two peoples to maintain long-term and stable relations of good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation. Following the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, China pursues friendship and partnership with its neighboring countries. It attaches great importance to growing the friendship, mutual trust and common interests with Mongolia. The two countries have supported each other in fighting COVID-19, and enhanced traditional friendship along the way. The exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in various fields have made solid progress, setting a fine example of state-to-state relations. Facing an increasingly unstable and uncertain international environment, China is ready to work with Mongolia to build a community with a shared future between the two countries. Together, the two countries could promote long-term and steady development of the China-Mongolia comprehensive strategic partnership, and bring greater benefits to the two peoples.
President Xi expounded on the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the five features of the Chinese modernization. He pointed out that as the CPC leads the Chinese people of all ethnic groups to advance national rejuvenation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization, China will not only realize its own prosperity but also contribute to its neighborhood and beyond through its own development. China and Mongolia could forge ahead together on the path of national rejuvenation and modernization, and set an example of pursuing integrated development and shared future. Through joint efforts, the two countries could promote the building of a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind.
President Xi underscored that China and Mongolia will respect each other’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and the choice of development path. They will support each other on issues concerning respective core interests and major concerns. They will enhance dialogue and cooperation between various departments and at all levels, and increase mutual learning on governance. The two sides will seek greater synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Development Road Initiative, between the Global Development Initiative and Mongolia’s New Recovery Policy, and between China’s two-step development strategy and Mongolia’s “Vision-2050” long-term development policy. These three lines of effort will deepen the China-Mongolia relationship and provide strong impetus to its growth. China is ready to step up cooperation with Mongolia in the key areas of economy, trade, energy, mining and connectivity, while expanding cooperation on information technology and livestock-products deep processing. The competent departments of the two countries will stay in close touch, work for an early opening of new connectivity channels, and actively advance the China-Mongolia-Russia economic corridor as well as the section of China-Russia natural gas pipeline in Mongolia. China applauds Mongolia’s “Billion Trees” initiative, and is ready to discuss with Mongolia the establishment of a cooperation center to combat desertification. The two sides will strengthen exchanges and cooperation between legislatures, governments, political parties and at the sub-national levels. They will work more closely on science and technology, education, health, tourism, media, youth and people-to-people exchanges, so as to cement China-Mongolia friendship and benefit the two peoples. China will actively support the construction of a Mongolian youth sports center and other projects as new landmarks of China-Mongolia friendship.
President Xi emphasized that as two developing countries in the Asia-Pacific, China and Mongolia share extensive common interests in international and regional affairs. China will work with Mongolia in close coordination and collaboration to jointly defend true multilateralism, reject bloc confrontation, and uphold solidarity and cooperation of the international community.
President Khurelsukh expressed congratulations once again on the successful 20th CPC National Congress and congratulated President Xi on his re-election as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee. The Mongolian side is happy to see that under the leadership of the CPC, China has successfully realized its first centenary goal. Mongolia firmly believes that General Secretary Xi and the CPC will continue to lead the Chinese people in building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects as planned. As permanent neighbors connected by mountains and rivers, Mongolia and China are good neighbors, good friends and good partners. The two sides have rendered each other support and assistance during the pandemic and jointly responded to global challenges, a vivid example of “a friend in need is a friend indeed”. Mongolia is ready to work with China to increase political interactions, firmly support each other, respect each other’s choice of development path, and deepen the iron-clad friendship between the two countries. President Khurelsukh reiterated that Mongolia firmly upholds the one-China policy, which it will never change. China is a peace-loving country that has never invaded other countries in its history but has sincerely helped others develop. China’s Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative are for humanity’s peace and development. Mongolia fully supports them. Mongolia is ready to work with China to further synergize their strategies, pursue Belt and Road cooperation, expand and deepen cooperation on economy, trade, investment, minerals, energy, infrastructure, climate response, green development and desertification treatment, and build up the China-Mongolia-Russia economic corridor. As the international and regional situation is going through profound and complex changes, it is important that the two sides carry forward Asian values and jointly uphold peace, stability and development in Asia. Mongolia commends China’s efforts for upholding world peace, stability and development and the international system with the UN at its core. It will strengthen communication and collaboration with China in international affairs, in a joint effort for greater peace and development in the region.
The two sides issued a Joint Statement on Advancing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the New Era Between the People’s Republic of China and Mongolia, agreeing to work together to advance modernization and toward a community with a shared future featuring peaceful co-existence, mutual support and win-win cooperation.
At the end of the talks, the two presidents witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents covering economy, trade, investment, customs and desertification mitigation.
Prior to the talks, President Xi held a welcoming ceremony for President Khurelsukh in the Northern Hall of the Great Hall of the People. A 21-gun salute was fired in Tiananmen Square. The two presidents stepped onto the stand to review the guard of honor of the People’s Liberation Army.
After the talks, President Xi and Madame Peng Liyuan hosted a welcoming banquet for President Khurelsukh and his wife Bolortsetseg.
Wang Yi and He Lifeng were present at the events.
