Premier Li Keqiang held a phone conversation with Prime Minister of Laos Phankham Viphavanh from Beijing on April 23.

China and Laos are friendly neighbors and there is an everlasting friendship between the two peoples, Premier Li said, stressing that the China-Laos relationship has always been important in China's neighborhood diplomacy.

As this year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties, the Premier said, China is willing to join with Laos to advance friendly exchanges, deepen pragmatic and mutually beneficial cooperation and make new progress in building a China-Laos community with a shared future.

Premier Li said the two sides should work to boost the quality and upgrading of ties between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, taking advantage of the 30th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations and the China-ASEAN Year of Sustainable Development Cooperation in 2021.

China and Laos should also make joint efforts in implementing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement as soon as possible, maintaining the security and stability of regional industrial and supply chains, facilitating free trade and improving people’s well-being, he added.

For his part, Phankham said Laos would like to take the chance brought by the 60th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties to promote comprehensive development of the traditional friendship between the two parties and the two countries at deep levels across a wide range of areas, and strive for more outcomes in building a Laos-China community with a shared future.

Laos is willing to enhance communication and coordination with the Chinese side in international and regional affairs, and further the development of ASEAN-China relations, Phankham said.

The two sides agreed to strengthen collaboration on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and He Lifeng, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, also attended.