On September 9, 2009, Hu Jintao, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chinese President, held talks at the Great Hall of the People with Choummaly Saygnasone, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and Lao President, who is here for a working visit. Both sides reached broad consensus on further developing the relations between the two countries and their ruling parties and agreed to lift bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

Hu hailed the Sino-Laotian relations. He said in the new century, bilateral relations have shown a sound momentum of all-round development, with frequent exchange of visits between the leaders of the two parties and the two countries, dynamic exchanges at all levels and fruitful cooperation in various sectors. "We exchanged in-depth experience on party building and state governance, carried out fruitful cooperation on the training of cadres, and coordinated well on multilateral diplomatic occasions," Hu said. To lift bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in the new situation of the 21st century will not only open up broader prospect for the relations between both parties and countries, but will be conducive to deepening pragmatic cooperation between the two countries in all areas and to the two countries' reform and opening-up efforts, Hu said.

Hu said China is ready to join hands with Laos in advancing Sino-Laotian comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in the following four aspects in a spirit of lasting stability, good-neighborliness and friendship, mutual trust and all-round cooperation. First, the two countries' party and state leaders should keep frequent exchange of visits and enhance contact and coordination on bilateral relations and major issues of mutual concern. Second, the two sides should further learn from each other on party building and state governance, and step up cooperation on cadres training, so as to make cooperation in this regard more effective. Third, China and Laos should expand trade and economic cooperation area and enhance the cooperation level in the principles of equality, mutual benefit, being result-oriented and diversified in form and common development. Fourth, the two countries should strengthen cooperation under regional cooperation frameworks such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plus China, ASEAN plus China, Republic of Korea and Japan, ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), as well as the Great Mekong Sub-region cooperation framework to jointly promote peace and development of the region.

Choummaly fully agreed with Hu's comments on the relations between the two parties and both countries as well as his four-point proposal on promoting bilateral ties, saying the long-term stable cooperation between the two countries once again proved that the traditional Laos-China friendship was based on a firm social foundation. "China is a reliable strategic friend of the Laotians and to develop the comprehensive strategic cooperation with China is always a very important priority in our foreign policy," he said. Laos is ready to work with China to further enhance contact and coordination on major issues, expand economic and trade cooperation and promote cultural and people-to-people exchange, so as to continuously cement the foundation of the relations between the two parties and countries.

Choummaly congratulated the Chinese people on the forthcoming 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. He said under the CPC leadership, China's reform and opening up endeavor has scored new achievements continuously, with sustained, rapid growth of economy and noticeable improvement of people's livelihood. China has played a significant role in safeguarding world peace and promoting common development. He reaffirmed that the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the Lao government firmly adhere to the one-China policy and support China's efforts in safeguarding state sovereignty, social stability and national unity.

Hu congratulated on Laos' achievements since the eighth national congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party in 2006. "We believe that under the leadership of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party with you as the general secretary, the Laotians will successfully complete all the goals set at the congress and score more achievements in the state's reform and opening-up strive and the building of a prosperous and strong nation," Hu said.

During the talks, both sides also exchanged in-depth views on international and regional issues of common concern and reached broad consensus.

Following the talks, the two leaders jointly attended a signing ceremony of China-Laos economic and technological cooperation agreement and other documents.

Li Yuanchao, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, Ling Jihua, member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of General Office of the CPC Central Committee, State Councilor Dai Bingguo, and Wang Jiarui, Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of CPC, attended the above activities. Lao major accompanying officials including Thongloun Sisoulith, member of the Political Bureau of Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee, Lao Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the International Department of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, Somsavat Lengsavad, member of the Political Bureau of Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Lao Deputy Prime Minister, as well as director of the General Office of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, also attended the activities.