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9/20/11 (AEIN) Laotian President Saynasone held talks with Chinese President Jintao on Monday as part of a four-day visit to China at the invitation of the Chinese leader. State radio in Beijing reported the next day that the top leaders of Laos and China discussed ways to expand cooperation as they marked the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two Asian countries.
The Chinese President said that cooperation should be expanded in areas such as tourism, agriculture, mining, infrastructure, defense and education. He also expressed the view that China and Laos share many similarities. The official Laotian KPL news agency reported that President Saynasone praised the two countries' cooperation, saying that it had helped the economy of Laos develop. The two leaders also signed nine political, trade and financial agreements.
Located in Southeast Asia along the Mekong River, Laos is a mountainous country double the size of Pennsylvania, according to the "Information Please" almanac. "Geographica" indicates that Laos produces motorcycles, clothing and food. China and Laos both played significant roles in the Vietnam War. China is a much larger country with over 1.2 billion people and a massive economy which imports many commodities and exports almost every type of product.