Chengdu and Luang Prabang of Laos signed an agreement to establish friendly tie on Wednesday, following a motion of Chengdu and Luang Prabang of Laos Establish International Friendly Relations approved last October.

According to the agreement, Chengdu and Luang Prabang will conduct practical cooperation in education, culture, economy, trade, infrastructure and other fields in various ways such as people-to-people exchanges, traditional Chinese medical training and promotion for cities.

In recent years, a warming in economic and trade relations between Chengdu and Luang Prabang has bought an increase of 38.34 per cent for total export-import volume between two sides. The total volume rose to 46.28 million U.S. dollars in 2015 in the context of a decline in the total bilateral trade between China and Laos.

So far, Chengdu has given the approvals to 8 enterprises' overseas investment in Laos, mainly in mining, electronics, optical cable, investment and silk industries.

In December 2014, Lao Airlines added Chengdu-Luang Prabang service with three flights every two weeks, which makes Chengdu the first city in Southwest China offering regular routes to Luang Prabang. Then in February last year, Chengdu extended the route to Vientiane, Laos's capital city.

Exchange and cooperation between Chengdu and Luang Prabang in tourism is also expected to be strengthened. With the unique urban layout and well protected colonial buildings, Luang Prabang has been inscribed on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Chengdu's experience in developing tourist attractions including Du Fu Thatched Cottage, Wuhou Shrine, Dujiangyan are worth using for reference, according Mr Saysamone Khomthavong, Vice Governor of Luang Prabang Province.

Chengdu now has built international friendly relations with 33 cities and kept friendly cooperation relations with 44 cities, implying that more forms of international economic and trade cooperation will be carried out in the future.