On August 3, 2016, when jointly meeting the press after his talks with Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith of Laos, Foreign Minister Wang Yi talked about China-ASEAN relations, expressing that China will join efforts with all ASEAN countries to elevate China-ASEAN relations to a new level.

Wang Yi expressed that this year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of China-ASEAN dialogue relations, which is of great significance of inheriting the past and ushering in the future in the development of bilateral relations. Always regarding the ASEAN as a priority of its neighboring diplomacy, China firmly supports the construction of the ASEAN community, supports the ASEAN's central position in regional cooperation and supports it to play a greater role in international and regional affairs. China is speeding up the preparation for the commemorative summit marking the 25th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations to be held this September with all ASEAN countries including Laos, and striving to issue the Commemorative Summit Joint Statement and the Joint Statement on China-ASEAN Production Capacity Cooperation as well as adopt the 5-year action plan of China-ASEAN education exchanges at that time. China has proposed to set 2017 as the Year of China-ASEAN Tourism Cooperation to further enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges and cooperation in the hope of forging a new pillar of bilateral cooperation. The Chinese side will also fully support Laos to make the series of leaders' meetings on East Asia cooperation a success.