Xi exchanges messages with Lao leader on bus accident of Chinese tourists

BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has recently exchanged messages with his Lao counterpart Bounnhang Vorachit on a bus crash in Laos on Monday that has killed 13 Chinese tourists.

Bounnhang, also general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and chairman of the Defense and Public Security Central Commission, said he was deeply saddened to hear about the grave bus crash and the heavy casualties it caused.

The Lao president expressed deep sorrow for the victims, and extended sincere condolences to Xi and, through Xi, to the bereaved families and the injured.

The Lao side will continue to make all-out efforts to provide proper medical treatment to the injured and deal with the aftermath in close coordination with the Chinese side, Bounnhang said.

He said he believes that with joint efforts of both sides, the accident will be properly addressed, and the building of a Laos-China community with a shared future will be smoothly promoted.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said that in the wake of the accident, the Lao side immediately mobilized forces from the party, the government, the army and the police as well as local people to actively join the rescue operations, which demonstrates the great importance that Laos attaches to its relationship with China and the high sense of responsibility it maintains in dealing with the accident.

Xi added that he has also instructed relevant Chinese departments and the Chinese People's Libration Army medical team that is in Laos to participate in the "Peace Train-2019" China-Laos humanitarian and medical joint rescue exercise to join the search, rescue and treatment operations.

Xi expressed the hope that both sides will continue to work in close coordination to ensure treatment of the injured and properly deal with the aftermath of the accident.

Serving the people is a common motto held by both of their parties, noted Xi in the message to Bounnhang.

"I'd like to work with you to deepen and consolidate the relations between the two parties and the two countries in the new era, and continuously push forward the building of a China-Laos community with a shared future," he said.