VIENTIANE, Oct. 12 -- China and Laos agreed to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation of higher quality in a joint statement issued here on Saturday during Chinese Premier Li Qiang's official visit to the Lao People's Democratic Republic from Oct. 11 to 12 at the invitation of its Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone.

In the statement, China and Laos agreed to continue to strengthen practical cooperation under the framework of strategic alignment between China's Belt and Road Initiative and Laos' strategy to "convert the landlocked country into a land-linked hub" and to implement the outline of the cooperation plan for jointly building the Belt and Road between the two countries.

The two sides agreed to promote the operation, maintenance and development along the China-Laos Railway with high quality, actively push for the "juxtaposed border control" of the China-Laos Railway to achieve substantial progress as soon as possible, and strive for the standard gauge connection of China-Laos Railway and Thailand railway at an early date to promote the implementation of the China-Laos-Thailand Connectivity Development Corridor Outlook, said the statement.

China appreciates Laos' interest in and intention to cooperate on Chinese commercial aircraft and welcomes Laos' aviation enterprises to introduce these aircraft, it said.

The two countries will further strengthen trade exchange and increase the scale and level of trade. To this end, China and Laos will work together to implement the zero-tariff arrangement for 100 percent of Lao products exported to China, and push for more high-quality Lao agricultural and food exports to China, it added.