BEIJING, March 14 -- Chinese Vice Premier of the State Council Ding Xuexiang met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR Thongsavanh Phomvihane in Beijing on Friday, calling on both countries to expand cooperation in the fields of artificial intelligence and the digital economy.

Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that as socialist comrades and brothers, China and Laos should earnestly implement the important consensus reached between the top leaders of the two parties and countries, intensify high-level exchange, deepen political mutual trust, and work together to safeguard security and development interests.

Ding called on both countries to strengthen their development strategy alignment, advance the construction of the China-Laos Economic Corridor, and improve the quality and efficiency of the China-Laos Railway.

Thongsavanh congratulated China on its successful convening of the "two sessions," noting that Laos firmly supports China in safeguarding its core interests. Laos is willing to deepen its comprehensive, practical cooperation with China and push the construction of a Laos-China community with a shared future to a new level.