VIENTIANE, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- A ground-breaking ceremony was held here Thursday for the Lao International Convention Center(ICC) , a Chinese-aid project especially designed for the Ninth Asia- Europe Meeting (ASEM) venue.
Boviengkham Vongdara, Lao minister of science and technology and head of the committee in charge of the ICC construction project, highlighted the importance of the international-standard conference center as the Lao authorities are stepping up preparations for the ASEM summit in November.
Boviengkham appreciated the grant aid from the Chinese government, adding that the China-funded project is a symbol of traditional friendship and fruitful cooperation between the two countries and two peoples.
Under an agreement recently reached by the governments of China and Laos, China will provide 150 million yuan in grant aid to build the facility.
Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce and President of the China- Laos Cooperation Commission Chen Jian said the ICC project embodies the friendly cooperative relations between the two countries, hoping that both sides regard this as an opportunity and further promote the economic and trade relations to a higher level.
China assists Laos to build ASEM conference center
Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongloun Sisoulith, Lao Minister of Public Works and Transport Sommad Pholsena, Chinese Ambassador to Laos Bu Jianguo and other high-ranking officials from China and Laos attended the ceremony.
The project, which covers some seven hectares, has a building area of almost 25,000 square meters.
The conference center will be completed in October before the summit takes place on Nov. 5-6, according to the Chinese contractor.
The ICC is one of the most important high-class facilities for the November summit, which will be the largest event ever to be held in Laos, with some 50 heads of state and government from Europe and Asia expected to attend.
