Thongloun Sisoulith

Thongloun Sisoulith was appointed Prime Minister of Laos by the National Assembly, succeeding Thongsing Thammavong. He was tasked with overseeing economic development, infrastructure projects, and managing Laos's growing debt, particularly from Chinese-backed investments.

Thongloun Sisoulith was elected President of Laos and General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party at the 11th Party Congress. He succeeded Boungnang Vorachith, consolidating both state and party leadership in a single figure, a common practice in Lao politics.

Thongloun Sisoulith oversaw the completion and opening of the Lao-China Railway, a $6 billion project linking Vientiane to Kunming, China. The railway was a flagship of China's Belt and Road Initiative in Laos, but raised concerns about debt dependency and Chinese influence.

Thongloun Sisoulith chaired the ASEAN summit in Vientiane, focusing on regional economic recovery post-COVID-19, Myanmar's political crisis, and the South China Sea disputes. The summit reaffirmed Laos's role in regional diplomacy despite its small size.