China, a close neighbor of Southeast Asian countries, always
treated its neighbors as partners and hoped to promote common
development with all neighboring countries, Chinese President Jiang
Zemin said Tuesday.
Jiang said at a meeting with Lao Defense Minister Duoangchay Pichit
and his party that peace and development remained the main themes
at the present era even though factors breeding instability and
uncertainty were on the rise.
Only by increasing international cooperation could the challenges
to global security be effectively tackled, he said.
He
praised Sino-Lao ties, saying they had "withstood the test of
time."
Both China and Laos were developing countries that followed the
socialist path so they shared extensive common interests and
enjoyed bright prospects for future cooperation, Jiang said.
The Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government and
the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and the Lao government
should work for long-term, stable, good-neighborly ties based on
all-round cooperation and mutual trust in the new century, he
said.
Jiang also briefed the Lao guests on the 16th CPC National Congress
convened a month ago. The congress had elected a new CPC leadership
and Hu Jintao as general secretary of the CPC Central Committee.
All CPC members and people from all ethnic groups were striving to
carry out the spirit of the congress and achieve the goals the
congress had set.
Duoangchay conveyed messages from LPRP Central Committee President
and Lao President Khamtay Siphandone and extended congratulations
on the success of the 16th CPC National Congress.
He
said that during his visit, defense ministry officials of the two
countries had briefed each other on their latest developments. He
believed the visit would boost friendly relations between the two
parties, countries, armed forces and peoples.
He
also thanked China for its long-term support and assistance to Laos
and said Laos would continue to promote good-neighborly relations
with China.
(People's Daily December 18, 2002)