People-to-people exchanges bearing fruitful results

The visit of Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith coincides with the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Laos and marks the Year of China-Laos Friendship.

As a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative, the China-Laos Railway has transformed Laos from a landlocked nation into a land-linked hub.

Laos has been a major recipient of Chinese government scholarships for many years. The Confucius Institute at the National University of Laos launched the world's first undergraduate program for training Chinese-language teachers.

Meanwhile, the Confucius Institute at Souphanouvong University is advancing a dual-track education model that combines the Chinese language with vocational skills, having trained several thousands of Chinese-speaking professionals, 80 percent of whom have joined railway-related enterprises.

Since 2018, the Shanghai Institute of Technology has collaborated with Laos on a skills-plus-language training model. Consequently, China-Laos educational cooperation has become more precisely aligned with the increasing demand for both passenger and freight transport along the flagship railway.

President Thongloun's visit is expected to expand and solidify the "Chinese plus" model of vocational education, particularly in areas such as rail transit and logistics management.

China's poverty reduction experience has been effectively implemented in Laos, taking root in local villages.

Demonstration projects based on China's targeted poverty alleviation model, such as those in Ban Xor, Tha Dok Kham in Vientiane, and Tingsong in Luang Prabang, have improved infrastructure by building roads, providing water supply, and enhancing agriculture.

Mutual learning between civilizations is fostered through heritage conservation and the emotional impact of films and TV shows, making these exchanges more tangible.

Youth and media exchanges are key highlights. For many years, friendship exchange programs have enabled hundreds of young Lao nationals to visit China, returning with firsthand stories.

Meanwhile, the China-Laos health partnership continues to grow stronger. The first phase of the China-aided Mahosot General Hospital, the largest and most modern medical facility in Laos, is now operational.

These "small yet impactful" projects directly enhance people's livelihoods, strengthening the fraternal bond of "comrades and brothers" between China and Laos.

This visit is expected to solidify the foundation of these people-to-people connections and further deepen the development of the China-Laos community with a shared future.

Zhang Lei is an associate professor at the Institute of International Relations at Yunnan University.

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