Beijing, March 27th—Song Tao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, spoke by phone with Sounthone Sayachak, Head of the External Affairs Commission of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP).

Song said that since the outbreak of the COVID-19, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, the situation of China's domestic epidemic prevention and control has continued to improve, and the production and living order has been resumed in a rapid manner. General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the G20 Extraordinary Virtual Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 yesterday, which has led the direction and injected momentum for global anti-epidemic cooperation.

Both China and Laos are socialist countries led by the Communist Party. In the early stage of the epidemic, General Secretary Boungnang Vorachit sent a letter of sympathies to General Secretary Xi Jinping. The LPRP, the Lao government, and all walks of life of Laos provided the Chinese side with assistance and support, vividly explaining the spirit of the China-Laos community of shared destiny featuring helping each other and standing together through thick and thin. At present, the situation of epidemic prevention and control in Laos is severe. General Secretary Xi attaches great importance to it. Following the spirit of General Secretary Xi's important instructions, China has decided to send a team of medical experts on the COVID-19 to Laos and provide assistance within our capacity according to the actual needs of Laos. We are willing to work with the External Affairs Commission of the LPRP Central Committee to implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two Parties and the two countries and make greater contributions to building China-Laos community of shared destiny.

Sounthone noted, the important speech delivered by General Secretary Xi at the G20 Extraordinary Virtual Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 has strongly promoted the international community to strengthen public health and security cooperation, and fully demonstrated China's role as a responsible party and country. The CPC's decision to send a team of medical experts to the Lao side and provide Laos with further assistance will greatly help Laos fight the epidemic. We are deeply grateful for this. The LPRP is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the CPC to build a community of shared destiny between Laos and China. I hope the CPC will lead China to achieve new development achievements.

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