On the morning of November 11, 2026, Jiang Xiongbiao, Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Affairs Office of Hainan Province, met with a visiting delegation of local foreign affairs officials from the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos). The two sides reviewed progress in trade, investment, industrial cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges, and discussed how to better leverage foreign affairs networks and mechanisms to deepen practical cooperation across a wider range of fields.

Jiang reviewed recent exchanges between Hainan and Laos and outlined the Hainan Free Trade Port's (FTP) preferential policies, industrial development, and progress since the launch of island-wide special customs operations. He noted that Hainan and Laos share similarities in geography, industrial structures, and natural resources, and that their industries are highly complementary. Jiang proposed leveraging the FTP's preferential policies to expand cooperation in trade and investment, tropical agriculture, education and culture, green transportation, and sister-region exchanges. He said these efforts would help build bridges for practical cooperation between Hainan and Laos, further deepen the traditional friendship between China and Laos, and inject lasting momentum into friendly exchanges between the two countries.

Soulisack Soulithone, head of the delegation and Director-General of the Consular Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR, praised Hainan's progress in developing the FTP. He expressed hope for closer practical cooperation in industrial development, infrastructure, and people-to-people exchanges. He also called for stronger ties between local governments under the China-Laos comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, with a focus on turning cooperation proposals into concrete projects.

The Lao delegation is visiting Hainan from November 10 to 14, with field visits scheduled in Haikou, Wenchang, Qionghai, and other locations.