Internal working platform of Yunnan Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries

The 2022 China-Laos Border Ethnic Minorities Grand Gala was successfully held.

Colorful Yunnan: All-round Update

Wang Ning attends Wang Yubo, Peipeng, and others deliver speeches.

Along the Nanyue River, the scent of oleander blooms; the friendship between China and Laos, fragrant all the way. The 2022 China-Laos-Myanmar Grand Folk Festival, themed "Colorful Yunnan, Vibrant Changes", was jointly held offline in Jinghong City and Mengla County of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, and online in Vientiane Province, Savannakhet Province, Motchanthong Special Economic Zone, and Luang Prabang Province of Laos on the evening of December 20.

Wang Ning, Secretary of the Yunnan Provincial Party Committee, attended the event. Wang Yubo, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Governor of Yunnan Province, and Xiang Fangqiang, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim of the Chinese Embassy in Laos, attended and delivered a speech.

Phaipong Phipa, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of Laos and President of the Lao-Chinese Friendship Association, and Khamlae Sibase, Secretary of the Party Committee and Governor of Nantha Province, attended and delivered a speech. Multa Aung, Consul General of Myanmar in Kunming; Huasopara, Consul General of Cambodia in Kunming; Saisana Sitipong, Vice Chairman of the Lao-Chinese Cooperation Committee; Khampan Sitidampan, Secretary of the Party Committee and Governor of Vientiane Province; Khampay Manasan, Secretary of the Party Committee and Governor of Phonsali Province; Bonkhong Laphang, Secretary of the Party Committee and Governor of Oudomxay Province; Khankham Chanthavisu, Secretary of the Party Committee and Governor of Luang Prabang Province; and Khampaya Phomphanya, Deputy Governor of Bokeo Province, were also in attendance.

On behalf of Wang Ning, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Wang Yubo represented the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial Government to congratulate the successful hosting of the event. He said that this event is a concrete action to implement the consensus reached by the highest leaders of the two parties and the two countries, and it will inject stronger vitality and momentum into expanding exchanges and cooperation between the two sides and enhancing mutual understanding among the people. Over the past year since the opening and operation of the China-Laos Railway, it has strongly promoted fruitful achievements in exchanges and cooperation across all fields between Yunnan and Laos, and the role of the golden route has become increasingly prominent. We must earnestly implement the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, continue to work closely and advance side by side with Laos with the goals of high standards, sustainability, and benefiting the people, and help organically connect the Belt and Road Initiative with Laos' strategy of "transforming from a landlocked country to a land-linked country". We will make the China-Laos Railway a road of development, happiness, and friendship for the people of both countries, jointly advancing "hard connectivity", "soft connectivity", and "heart connectivity", and promote China-Laos cooperation to become a model for building a China-Laos community with a shared future, thereby helping the friendship between China and Laos be passed down through generations and last forever.

Pe Pompipa stated that the Laos–China Railway has become a symbol of a new chapter in the friendly relations between the two Parties and the two countries, helping to consolidate and deepen their unbreakable socialist community with a shared future. It has brought significant benefits to the people of both nations. This event provides an excellent opportunity for exchanges and mutual learning across all sectors of both countries, and will undoubtedly strengthen the friendly cooperation between organizations at various levels, including the Lao–China Friendship Association and the Yunnan Provincial People’s Association for Foreign Friendship, further deepening the traditional friendship between the two peoples. We warmly welcome tourists and representatives from China and Yunnan Province to visit Laos for sightseeing and to explore opportunities for cooperation.

During the event, Wang Ning, along with Peum Phipa and Benkhong Laksangpong, jointly lit up the solar streetlights in Namdai Village, Namo County, Oudomxay Province, Yunnan Province, as part of the aid project. Vice Governor Wang Hao handed over the list of aid projects to Lao officials. The Yunnan Provincial Foreign Friendship Association and the Lao-Chinese Friendship Association signed a protocol on establishing friendly exchange and cooperation relations. Zhaotong City and Xishuangbanna Prefecture signed letters of intent to establish friendly cities with Laos and Luang Prabang Province, respectively, and signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen friendly exchange and cooperation.

Subsequently, the event entered the online fun and games segment, and the atmosphere on site was lively and joyful. The four cities of Kunming, Yuxi, Pu'er, and Xishuangbanna, along with various locations in Laos, participated in the joint video recording and fun activities. The people of both countries sang and danced in their respective venues, jointly singing the joyful song of China-Laos friendship, pushing the grand celebration to its climax.

Li Gang, Liu Fei, Zeng Yan, Luo Hongjiang, Yang Bin, Yang Jiawu, and Sun Can of Yunnan Province attended the event. Relevant provincial departments and units, responsible officials from relevant prefectures and cities, and representatives from relevant enterprises participated. Relevant departments and local government officials from Laos attended the various sub-venues.