The premiere of the film "Da Di Song GE (the Ode to Hometown)", and an anti-epidemic supply donation ceremony, were held in Vientiane of Laos and Hunan’s Changsha simultaneously via a video connection.

Leaders present or delivering video speeches included: Kikeo Khaykhamphithoune, Lao deputy prime minister; Zhang Qingwei, secretary of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee and director of the Standing Committee of the Hunan Provincial People’s Congress; Lao vice minister of publicity; Lao vice minister of liaison; Lao vice minister of information culture, and tourism; Lao Ambassador to China Khamphao Ernthavanh; Chinese Ambassador to Laos Jiang Zaidong; and, Yang Haodong, member of the Standing Committee and director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee.

Secretary Zhang noted in his video speech that, eliminating poverty is a common mission for the international community, and also a centenary goal of the Communist Party of China. Hunan was a major participant of China’s battle against poverty. Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Hunan’s Shibadong Village and first formulated the strategy of "targeted poverty alleviation" in November 2013. In the light of this strategy, Hunan, together with other regions in China, had achieved overall victory in the fight against poverty. Shibadong Village has become an exemplary case of Hunan, and even China, in poverty alleviation. The film, based on the poverty alleviation stories in Shibadong Village, presents people and their stories in fighting against poverty. It is a demonstration of Chinese spirit of poverty alleviation. Zhang hoped that this activity would help enhance mutual understanding, expand consensus, and deepen cooperation. He expected to advance all-round cooperation in economy, trade, culture, tourism, and education between Hunan and Laos, and make contributions to the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative and building the China-Laos community with a shared future.

Lao vice minister of publicity stated that, Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) gives priority to helping people get rid of poverty in its work of developing social economy. This goal cannot be reached without support and assistance from friendship countries, especially China and its Hunan Province, and the Hunan experiences. In June 2018 General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith led a government delegation to visit Shibadong Village, to learn from its experience of targeted poverty alleviation. Under the guidance of President Xi Jinping’s strategy of "targeted poverty alleviation", Shibadong Village has taken on a new look, and villagers’ wellbeing notably improved. The vice minister was convinced that, the Chinese and Hunan achievements in poverty alleviation described in the film would provide valuable experiences for LPRP, Lao government and people to get rid of poverty, and for Laos to be removed from the undeveloped country list.

Yang said that, led by the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries in building the China-Laos community with a shared future, Hunan and many regions of Laos have made fruitful results in strengthening interaction, expanding cooperation, and enhancing friendship. This film introduces China’s poverty alleviation practices and experiences, illustrates the connotation of “eradicating poverty has always been a common mission for human being”. It will help promote China-Laos neighborhood relation, friendship, and partnership, broaden service and cooperation, and jointly push forward the Belt and Road Initiative.

Ambassador Jiang said that, as a partner in the building of the China-Laos community with a share future, China is willing to provide assistance to Laos, continuously deepen experience sharing and pragmatic collaboration in poverty alleviation, so as to help Laos get out of poverty early. The Chinese Embassy in Laos will continue to play its role as a bridge between the two countries, to promote upgrading of Hunan-Laos cooperation, and make new contributions to the building of the China-Laos community with a shared future.

A handover ceremony was held too to mark Hunan’s contribution of anti-epidemic supplies worth one million yuan to Laos.

This article is from Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Pang Yuehui
 
Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn