China, Laos raise security cooperation after attacks

Beijing, May 4

China and Laos have agreed to step up security cooperation after attacks on Chinese nationals in the poor, landlocked Southeast Asian nation in recent weeks, state media said today as Laos’ new president visited Beijing.

In March, six Chinese nationals were wounded in a bus shooting and a Chinese national was killed and three wounded in an attack by unidentified militants on a Chinese-backed company in another part of the country.

In January, two Chinese were killed and one wounded in a bomb attack on a bus.

In a joint communique released by China’s official Xinhua news agency, both countries agreed to expand military cooperation, including personnel training and other forms of support.

China and Laos have also agreed to take “effective measures to earnestly protect the safety of each other’s people, organisations and important projects”, it added, without giving details.