Bounnhang Vorachith (L), general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and president of Laos, meets with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Vientiane, Laos, Feb. 20, 2020. (Photo by Kaikeo Saiyasane/Xinhua)

Bounnhang Vorachith, general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and president of Laos, expressed here Thursday his confidence in China's fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and voiced his strong support for China.

Bounnhang said in his meeting with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi that he strongly believes that under the strong leadership of President Xi Jinping, the Chinese people will definitely defeat the COVID-19 soon.

He is also confident that China's economy will maintain rapid growth and the livelihood of the Chinese people will continue to improve when the epidemic is over.

Besides visiting Laos, Wang is also here for the Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting on Coronavirus Disease and the fifth Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

Bounnhang expressed his belief that the two foreign ministers' meetings will achieve success and would further enhance the mutual trust and cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China.

On the Laos-China relations, he said that the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the Lao government highly values the friendship between Laos and China and appreciates the long-term support from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government to Lao economic and social development.

Major projects such as the construction of the Laos-China Railway are making smooth progress and have brought substantial benefits to the people of Laos, said Bounnhang.

The Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the Lao government will firmly adhere to the one-China policy and strengthen the exchanges and cooperation with China in all fields with sincerity so as to build a community of shared future jointly with China, Bounnhang added.

For his part, Wang briefed Bounnhang on China's effective measures to control the epidemic and updated on the current situation.

Wang said that under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, advantages of the socialist system and with extensive experience of public health response, China will prevail over the coronavirus at an early date.

After the outbreak of the COVID-19, Wang noted that Laos took prompt actions and offered help to China. Bounnhang in person called on Laos to tide over this difficult time with China, which is all profoundly moving, said Wang.

Wang expressed his sincere gratitude to Laos, saying the reactions of Laos once again demonstrated the close and unbreakable friendship between the two countries and showcased the essence of building the China-Laos community with shared future.

When the epidemic is over, the Chinese people will become more united, China's economy will rebound strongly and grow more sustainably, and the leadership of the CPC will win stronger support from all walks of life in China, he said.

Wang also said the friendship and mutual trust between China and Laos have been deepened in the joint fight against the epidemic and believed the mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries in all fields will continue to move forward.

China is willing to work with Laos to continue to press forward the construction of the China-Laos Railway and the China-Laos Economic Corridor, help Laos improve self-development capacity and accelerate the country's industrialization so as to make the China-Laos community with shared future benefit the Lao people, Wang added.

Bounnhang Vorachith (R), general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and president of Laos, meets with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Vientiane, Laos, Feb. 20, 2020. (Photo by Kaikeo Saiyasane/Xinhua)