A reception was held in Beijing on Tuesday evening to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Laos.

 

Wang Yunze, vice president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), said at the reception that China and Laos are close neighbors with common mountains and rivers.

 

He said in recent years the neighborly and cooperative relations between the two countries have kept continuous and steady development and the people-to-people exchanges are also getting closer.

 

Wang noted that the CPAFFC will, as always, make joint efforts with the Lao-Chinese Association of Friendship to promote the development of bilateral friendly cooperation.

 

Vichit Xindavong, Laotian ambassador to China, said the relations between China and Laos are in the best period with frequent top-level visits and increasingly expanded cooperation in various fields.

 

He thanked the Chinese government and people for the aid to the Laotian government and people in their national liberation cause in the past and the national construction today.

 

Gu Xiulian, vice chairwoman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress and chairwoman of the China-ASEAN Association, attended the reception.

 

(Xinhua News Agency April 26, 2006)