On 17 August 2016,delegation of officials from Lao PDR who were participating in the 2016 Training Course organized by the Academy for International Business Official of MOFCOM, China visited ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) and met with Trade and Investment Division (TID). Director Li Yuan and TID staffs exchanged views with more than 20 officials from Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Industry and Trade of Lao PDR, and officials in charge of trade and investment issues in local governments. Deputy Director Mouavixay Palee was also at the meeting.
Director Li extended warm welcome to the delegation and briefed on TID’s work. He said that the division was committed to implement the consensus reached by the leader from China and 10 ASEAN countries by promoting exchange and communication between enterprises from both sides and building bridge for trade and investment cooperation. China and Laos had very good relations and enjoyed complementarity in their economies. Bilateral economic and trade cooperation had been increasingly close and had borne bountiful fruits. It was believed that the two sides will see broader prospective in bilateral cooperation under the backdrop of accelerating implementation of the One Belt and One Road Initiative of the Chinese Government. TID would like to strengthen communication and foster mutual understanding with economic and trade departments of Lao PDR, hoping to bring the functional cooperation between China and Laos to a new level and benefit the two peoples.
Delegates appreciated the hospitality of ACC and stressed that to have face-to-face discussions with officials of TID gave them a chance to understand better the situation of China’s economic development and successful experiences. They spoke highly on ACC’s efforts in promoting ASEAN-China, especially Laos-China economic cooperation. They expressed their wishes to have more closing contact and cooperation with ACC and making good use of ACC’s platform to enhance the in-depth development of bilateral economic relations.
During the meeting, Director Li Yuan also answered questions raised by the Lao officials concerning China’s trade and investment policy, the One Belt and One Road Initiative, prospects of trade and investment cooperation between China and Laos.