On April 21, 2021, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended and addressed the reception marking the 60th anniversary of China-Laos diplomatic relations co-hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Embassy of Laos in China.

Wang Yi said that in January this year, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and President Xi Jinping and General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and President Thongloun Sisoulith jointly announced the inauguration of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of China-Laos diplomatic relations and the Year of China-Laos Friendship, and today's reception is one of the highlighted activities.

Wang Yi said that over the past 60 years, China and Laos fought shoulder to shoulder against colonialism and imperialism, advanced hand in hand in seeking reform and development, renovation and opening-up, and stood side by side on the issues concerning each other's core interests and major concern. Both China and Laos uphold the leadership of the Communist Party, explore the socialist paths that suit their own national conditions, and practice a people-centered philosophy. China and Laos were the first to build a community with a shared future. The two countries signed one of first cooperation agreements under the Belt and Road Initiative, and steadily advanced the construction of the China-Laos Economic Corridor. Both sides supported and helped each other in the face of difficulties and challenges such as COVID-19, jointly safeguarded international fairness and justice, promoted the healthy development of China-ASEAN relations, and launched the Lancang-Mekong cooperation with a shared future.

Wang Yi said that facing the new era, new opportunities and new changes, the two sides should follow the consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and two countries to implement the action plan on the China-Laos community with a shared future, consolidate solidarity and mutual trust, step up exchanges on governance, firmly adhere to the socialist direction and safeguard common strategic interests. The two sides should synergize development strategies, overcome the disruption of the pandemic, continue to jointly advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and upgrade pragmatic cooperation. We should always be good neighbors, good friends, good comrades and good partners. We should firmly support each other in safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests, jointly uphold true multilateralism, set an example in carrying forward and implementing the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, and encourage the international community to jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind.

Lao Ambassador to China Khamphao Ernthavanh spoke highly of China's development achievements and fruitful results of Laos-China cooperation, and expressed his heartfelt gratitude for China's support and assistance in his country's economic and social development and the fight against COVID-19. He said Laos attaches great importance to developing its relations with China and is ready to work with China to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two parties and two countries, implement the action plan on the Laos-China community with a shared future, strengthen Belt and Road cooperation, accelerate the construction of the economic corridor and further enrich the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

Wang Yi and Khamphao Ernthavanh jointly released the commemorative envelope marking the establishment of China-Laos diplomatic relations. About 100 people including friends from all walks of life of both countries and envoys from other ASEAN countries to China attended the reception.