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Japan Princess Aiko in Laos

Japanese Princess Aiko (front, R) is greeted by Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone (front, L) upon arriving at the Lao prime minister's office in Vientiane on Nov. 18, 2025, during her official trip to Laos. (Pool photo)

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Japan Princess Aiko in Laos

Japanese Princess Aiko (L), in Laotian traditional dress, meets Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone in Vientiane on Nov. 18, 2025, during her official trip to Laos. (Pool photo)

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Japan Princess Aiko in Laos

Japanese Princess Aiko (L), in Laotian traditional dress, meets Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone in Vientiane on Nov. 18, 2025, during her official trip to Laos. (Pool photo)

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47th ASEAN Summit Opening - Kuala Lumpur

Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister of Timor-Leste Xanana Gusmao, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, Sultan of Brunei Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, and a representative from Myanmar (L to R) are present at the signing of the Declaration on the Admission of Timor-Leste into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Oct. 26, 2025. The 47th ASEAN Summit and related summits kicked off in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Sunday under the theme "Inclusivity and Sustainability." Photo by Cen Yunpeng /Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM

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UNGA - General Debate - NY

Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone delivers a speech during the General Debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters in New York on Sept. 27, 2025. Photo by Li Rui/Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.CO

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Japan-Laos summit talks

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (C) speaks during talks with his Laotian counterpart Sonexay Siphandone at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Jan. 21, 2025.

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Japan-Laos summit talks

Laotian Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone speaks during talks with his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Jan. 21, 2025.

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Japan-Laos summit talks

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (R, 3rd from bottom) and his Laotian counterpart Sonexay Siphandone (L, 3rd from bottom) hold talks at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Jan. 21, 2025.

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Japan-Laos summit talks

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (R) and his Laotian counterpart Sonexay Siphandone shake hands ahead of their talks at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Jan. 21, 2025.

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Japan-Laos summit

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (R) attends a welcoming ceremony along with Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone (L) in Vientiane, Laos, on Oct. 11, 2024.

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Japan-Laos summit

Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone (C) holds talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Vientiane, Laos, on Oct. 11, 2024. (Pool photo)

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Japan-Laos summit

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (2nd from L) holds talks with Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone in Vientiane, Laos, on Oct. 11, 2024. (Pool photo)

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Japan-Laos summit

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (2nd from L) holds talks with Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone (3rd from R) in Vientiane, Laos, on Oct. 11, 2024. (Pool photo)

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Summit of ASEAN plus Japan, China and South Korea

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (2nd from L), Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (3rd from L), Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone (3rd from R) and Chinese Premier Li Qiang (2nd from R) hold hands for a group photo as Association of Southeast Asian Nations members hold a summit with Japan, South Korea and China in Vientiane, Laos, on Oct. 10, 2024. (Pool photo)

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LAOS-VIENTIANE-PM-CHINA-WANG YI-MEETING

(240725) -- VIENTIANE, July 25, 2024 Photo by Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM) -- Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone meets with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, in Vientiane, Laos, July 25, 2024. (Photo by Kaikeo Saiyasane/Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Lao digital week launched to promote digital products, services

STORY: Lao digital week launched to promote digital products, services SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 10, 2024 DATELINE: Jan. 12, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:38 LOCATION: Vientiane CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the digital week STORYLINE: Laos's Ministry of Technology and Communications held Lao Digital Week to promote the use of innovation technology, information and communication technology (ICT), and digital technology in socio-economic development. The event, held in the Lao capital Vientiane, features a diverse range of activities, including a high-level forum on digital development and transformation, and exhibitions of telecommunications and innovation products from startups in Laos and neighboring countries, which will display their products at more than 100 booths. Speaking at the opening ceremony on Wednesday, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone urged technology and communication officials to improve macro-management to resolve economic and social problems by using digital technology. The e

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Special Japan-ASEAN summit

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (2nd from R) poses for a photo with (from L) Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone during a special summit to mark the 50th anniversary of friendship and cooperation between Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Tokyo on Dec. 17, 2023. (Pool photo)

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Lao PM in Tokyo

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (far R) holds talks with Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone (far L) in Tokyo on Dec. 16, 2023.

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Lao PM in Tokyo

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (R) shakes hands with Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone prior to their talks in Tokyo on Dec. 16, 2023.

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LAOS-VIENTIANE-PM-XINHUA-MEETING

(231207) -- VIENTIANE, Dec. 7, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone (R) meets with Fu Hua, president of Xinhua News Agency, in Vientiane, Laos, Dec. 7, 2023. Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone said here on Thursday that Laos attaches great importance to the development of news, culture and tourism, and hopes to strengthen cooperation with China in these sectors to attract more Chinese tourists. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

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RMB clearing bank opens in Laos

STORY: RMB clearing bank opens in Laos DATELINE: Oct. 26, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:38 LOCATION: Vientiane CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the launching ceremony STORYLINE: A renminbi (RMB) clearing bank opened in Laos, which will create a fast, safe and economical cross-border settlement channel between Laos and China. The opening ceremony of the bank, held on Monday, was attended by Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Governor of Laos' central bank Bounleua Sinxayvoravong, Charge d'Affaires of the Chinese embassy in Laos Wang Chang, and Vice President of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) Zhang Weiwu. Wang said the bank is aimed at helping enterprises and financial institutions carry out Chinese currency transactions between China and Laos, reducing the cost of the exchange rate, facilitating trade investment between the two countries, and maintaining the financial stability in Laos and strengthening the economic-commercial relations between the two neighbors. Sinxayvora

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Lao PM vows closer cooperation to support Belt and Road Initiative

STORY: Lao PM vows closer cooperation to support Belt and Road Initiative DATELINE: Sept. 19, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:09 LOCATION: NANNING, China CATEGORY: POLITICS/ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of China-ASEAN Expo 2. various of China-Lao railway 3. SOUNDBITE (Lao): SONEXAY SIPHANDONE, Lao Prime Minister STORYLINE: Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone has expressed the country's continued support for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Siphandone made the remarks in an interview on Saturday when attending the 20th China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The prime minister said the two country's cooperation in infrastructure is producing practical results. He hailed the China-Laos Railway for promoting cooperation between China, Laos, and other ASEAN countries, creating jobs, and enhancing personnel exchanges. SOUNDBITE (Lao): SONEXAY SIPHANDONE, Lao Prime Minister "On April 13, 2023, Laos and China jointly launched China-Laos Railway cross-border passenger tra

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CHINA-GUANGXI-NANNING-LI QIANG-LAOS-PM-MEETING (CN)

(230916) -- NANNING, Sept. 16, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Laotian Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone in Nanning, the capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sept. 16, 2023. Sonexay Siphandone is in China attending the 20th China-ASEAN Expo. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)

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CHINA-GUANGXI-NANNING-LI QIANG-LAOS-PM-MEETING (CN)

(230916) -- NANNING, Sept. 16, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Laotian Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone in Nanning, the capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sept. 16, 2023. Sonexay Siphandone is in China attending the 20th China-ASEAN Expo. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

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LAOS-VIENTIANE-CHINA-AID-SCHOOL BUILDING-HANDOVER

(230406) -- VIENTIANE, April 6, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith (2nd L) and Chinese Ambassador to Laos Jiang Zaidong (1st R) witness a handover ceremony during which Secretary of the Yunnan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China Wang Ning (2nd R) hands over a symbolic key of the China-aided Phiawath Complete Secondary School building to the mayor of Vientiane Ardsaphangthong Siphandone (C) in Vientiane, Laos, March 30, 2023. TO GO WITH "China-aided school building handed over to Laos" (Photo by Kaikeo Saiyasane/Xinhua)

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LAOS-VIENTIANE-MEKONG RIVER COMMISSION-SUMMIT

(230406) -- VIENTIANE, April 6, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone speaks during the fourth Mekong River Commission (MRC) Summit in Vientiane, Laos, April 5, 2023. (Photo by Kaikeo Saiyasane/Xinhua)

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MRC reaffirms commitment to sustainable development of Mekong River

STORY: MRC reaffirms commitment to sustainable development of Mekong River DATELINE: April 6, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:34 LOCATION: Vientiane CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of the fourth MRC Summit STORYLINE: Leaders of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) member countries reaffirmed their political commitment to the sustainable development of the river, as they concluded the fourth MRC Summit in Vientiane on Wednesday. Heads of government and representatives of the member countries, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, adopted the Vientiane Declaration, which reaffirmed their political commitment to support the mandate of the intergovernmental organization of the lower Mekong countries. Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone told a press conference that the leaders have reaffirmed their highest political commitment to the 1995 Mekong Agreement, particularly the primary role of cooperation to ensure sustainable development of water and resources in the Mekong basin through the adoption of the Vientiane D

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LAOS-VIENTIANE-NEW PM

(221230) -- VIENTIANE, Dec. 30, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Sonexay Siphandone, the new prime minister of Laos, addresses the National Assembly (NA) meeting in Vientiane, Laos, Dec. 30, 2022. The Lao cabinet is reshuffled at the concluding meeting of the Fourth Ordinary Session of the National Assembly (Ninth Legislature) of Laos held in Lao capital Vientiane on Friday, according to local TV reports. The NA meeting has approved the nomination from Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith, naming Sonexay Siphandone as the new prime minister, with an overwhelming majority winning 149 out of the 151 votes. (Photo by Kethsana Saliankham/Xinhua)

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LAOS-VIENTIANE-NEW PM

(221230) -- VIENTIANE, Dec. 30, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Lao National Assembly (NA) President Xaysomphone Phomvihane (R) congratulates Sonexay Siphandone as the new prime minister at the NA meeting in Vientiane, Laos, Dec. 30, 2022. The Lao cabinet is reshuffled at the concluding meeting of the Fourth Ordinary Session of the National Assembly (Ninth Legislature) of Laos held in Lao capital Vientiane on Friday, according to local TV reports. The NA meeting has approved the nomination from Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith, naming Sonexay Siphandone as the new prime minister, with an overwhelming majority winning 149 out of the 151 votes. (Photo by Kethsana Saliankham/Xinhua)

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Laotians begin voting in general elections

VIENTIANE, Laos - Laotian President Khamtay Siphandone casts a ballot in Vientiane on Feb. 24 to elect representatives to the National Assembly in the fifth general election since the socialist government was established in 1975.

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Imperial couple in Laos

Guided by Laotian President Khamtay Siphandone (3rd from R) and Mrs. Siphandone (R), Japanese Prince Akishino (2nd from L) and his wife Princess Kiko (L) look into a pond, where two giant catfish caught in the Mekong river are kept, at the presidential palace in Vientiane on July 1.

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GLOBALink | Railway-resettled villagers move into new homes with new hopes

STORY: Railway-resettled villagers move into new homes with new hopes DATELINE: April 25, 2022 LENGTH: 0:01:11 LOCATION: Vientiane CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the ceremony on the resettlement and a calligraphy and drawing competition themed "For Shared Future" 2. various of the village and locals 3. SOUNDBITE (Laos): THONGVAN VATTHANAPHONE, Village chief 4. various of China-Laos Railway STORYLINE: The Lao villagers resettled for the construction of the China-Laos Railway are moving into new houses. A Chinese firm, NORINCO International Cooperation Ltd., has built the resettlement village in Xiang Ngeun district of Luang Prabang province, some 220 km north of the Lao capital Vientiane. Lao Minister of Public Works and Transport Viengsavath Siphandone said that the success of the Buam Aor Resettlement Village Project has brought well-being to the village. Village chief Thongvan Vatthanaphone said in the past, some villagers had to live in grass huts, but now, their cement houses are very

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Laotians begin voting in general elections

VIENTIANE, Laos - Laotian President Khamtay Siphandone casts a ballot in Vientiane on Feb. 24 to elect representatives to the National Assembly in the fifth general election since the socialist government was established in 1975.

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Khamtay welcomes Japan's plan to send economic experts

VIENTIANE, Laos - Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi (L) talks with Laotian President Khamtay Siphandone (R) at the Laotian presidential office on Jan. 13. In the meeting, Khamtay welcomed Obuchi's plan to send a team of Japanese experts to support Laos regarding macroeconomic management.