2021 is an important year for the development of Laos' politics, economy, and international relations. On January 15th, the Laotian government announced a new round of the "Five Year Plan for National Social and Economic Development", which proposes that in the next five years, the government will focus on maintaining high-quality, stable, and sustainable economic growth, cultivating talents that meet development needs, meeting environmental protection requirements, reducing natural disasters, and other six major goals. On March 22, the first session of the 9th National Assembly of Laos was held, and a new government leader and cabinet members were elected. Thongloun Sisoulith was elected as the President of the country. In terms of international relations, 2021 marks not only the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Laos, but also the 30th anniversary of the establishment of dialogue relations between China and ASEAN, and the 5th anniversary of the launch of Lancang Mekong cooperation. On December 3, the China Laos Railway was officially opened to traffic. This event is of great significance to close economic, social and people to people and cultural cooperation and exchanges between China and Laos, and accelerate the construction of a community of common destiny between China and Laos.

The development of Laotian culture in 2021 has also ushered in new opportunities amidst difficulties. The COVID-19 and natural disasters continue to have an impact on the economy and society. In 2021, the growth rate of Laos' national economy decreased to 3%, a year-on-year decrease of 0.3 percentage points. Many industries such as tourism, transportation, and services have been affected, with over 30% of individual businesses forced to shut down. Faced with the above-mentioned crisis, the Laotian government has risen to the challenge and actively responded, receiving strong assistance from China and other countries in the world. The anti epidemic and disaster relief work has been carried out in an orderly manner, and various cultural exchange activities have gradually resumed and promoted. In 2021, the Ministry of News, Culture and Tourism of Laos released the "Five Year Plan for the Development of News, Culture and Tourism (2021-2025)" (hereinafter referred to as the "Five Year Plan"), which summarizes the development of the previous five years and proposes development strategies for the next five years. At the same time, taking full advantage of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Laos and the 30th anniversary of the establishment of dialogue relations between China and ASEAN, Laos continues to promote various cultural exchanges with China and neighboring countries, ushering in new opportunities for cultural development.

Five Year Plan for News Culture and Tourism Development (2021-2025)

In 2021, the Ministry of News, Culture and Tourism of Laos released the "Five Year Plan". The Five Year Plan consists of four parts, including the overall situation, work summary from 2016 to 2020, work plan from 2021 to 2025, as well as relevant mechanisms, measures, and evaluation plans. The Five Year Plan summarizes the gains and losses of the department's work in the three major fields of "news mass media", "culture", and "tourism" over the past five years, and makes arrangements for cultural development work in the next five years, which can be summarized as "six major goals and eighteen measures" (see Table 1).

表1 文化领域工作目标和具体举措

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Table 1 Work Objectives and Specific Measures in the Cultural Field

As shown in Table 1, the Five Year Plan provides a clear outline of the cultural work and goals of the Lao Ministry of News, Culture and Tourism from 2021 to 2025, and systematically plans from multiple levels such as systems, talents, and facilities. Overall, the focus of Laos' cultural work in the next five years will mainly be reflected in four aspects: firstly, attaching importance to institutional construction and talent cultivation at the cultural level; Secondly, attach importance to the combination of culture and economic development; Thirdly, we attach great importance to protecting and inheriting the excellent culture of the country; The fourth is to attach importance to the promotion, exchange, and cooperation of culture.

Characteristics of Cultural Development in Laos in 2021

In 2021, the development of domestic culture in Laos presents four prominent characteristics: firstly, accelerating the anti epidemic and resumption of production in the cultural and tourism industry; Secondly, promote the cultivation of ecological culture; Thirdly, strengthen the inheritance and promotion of traditional culture; The fourth is to focus on promoting the development of the literary industry.

（1） Accelerate the anti epidemic and resumption of production in the cultural and tourism industry

The cultural and tourism industry is an important industry in Laos that has developed rapidly and generated significant income, playing a significant role in promoting the economic, social, and cultural development of Laos. In recent years, the Laotian government has actively promoted the "tourism+culture" model, launched the "Tourism Year" and "Laotian Tourism to Laos"（

At the national level, the Laotian government is gradually planning tourism opening plans based on the epidemic situation. On January 14, 2021, the Vice Governor of Vientiane Province pointed out at the 8th government expansion meeting that the opening of the "Wanrong Vientiane Expressway" has provided convenience for domestic tourists to travel to Vientiane Province. Since December 2020, the number of domestic tourists in Vientiane Province has gradually increased, creating considerable tourism revenue. The opening of the Wanrong Vientiane Expressway is expected to provide transportation support for the resumption of Laos' cultural and tourism industry in 2021. On April 14th, Luang Prabang Province announced the launch of the "Laotian Tour Laos - Water Tourism" project, encouraging more private forces to participate in project construction, creating tourist attractions with Laotian cultural characteristics, and attracting more domestic and foreign tourists. On May 12th, a seminar on "How to reduce the impact of the epidemic on the tourism industry" was held in the capital city of Vientiane. Representatives from the Mass Culture Bureau, Tourism Development Bureau, and enterprises of the Ministry of Press, Culture and Tourism attended the conference. The attendees discussed issues such as resuming production in the cultural and tourism industry and reducing the impact of the epidemic on the industry. Some representatives of enterprises have proposed that relevant departments should reduce the registration and service fees for cultural and tourism business entities, and create conditions to help them recover from the epidemic as soon as possible. From October to December, the Laotian government departments have been planning to open up international tourism in 2022. Relevant departments propose to promote 'green tourism zones'（

At the local level, while strictly implementing epidemic prevention and control policies, various tourist attractions continue to develop characteristic cultural and tourism projects, encouraging local residents to participate in the recovery process of the cultural and tourism industry. Ruolaba（

（2） Promote the cultivation of ecological culture

Cultivating ecological culture and achieving green and sustainable development is one of the important policies for Laos' national development. The Five Year Plan proposes that cultural construction is closely related to green growth and sustainable development. Laos is located in the tropics and has abundant flora and fauna resources, but it is also frequently affected by natural disasters. In some areas, there are also incidents of people destroying forests and indiscriminately killing animals. Although the causes of ecological environment problems are multifaceted, the lack of ecological culture is one of the important aspects. For Laos, promoting the cultivation of ecological culture is a necessary part of national development. Cultivating ecological culture through education, regulation, demonstration, and other methods is conducive to providing systematic ideological, institutional, and material cultural support for promoting ecological civilization construction. In 2021, the Laotian government will continue to promote the cultivation of ecological culture from the following three levels.

Continuously cultivating the concept and culture of forest and wildlife conservation. Guiding citizens to participate in ecological and cultural construction through a series of activities, enhancing their awareness and initiative in ecological protection. In 2021, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Laos proposed the goal of planting 36950 hectares of trees and releasing 58 million fish species on National Tree Planting Day and Wildlife Day respectively, in order to encourage public participation in environmental protection and ecological sustainable construction. Throughout the year, the Prime Minister and other central leaders of Laos, as well as local departments such as Vientiane City and Luang Namtha Province, took the lead in organizing tree planting activities to popularize the close relationship between afforestation and ecosystem protection to the public, attracting the participation of people from all over the country. At the same time, local agricultural and forestry departments actively organize animal release activities to guide the public to cultivate a sense of responsibility for animal protection. In fact, releasing animals is still an important folk custom during the Lao New Year period, and common released animals include fish and birds. This move originates from the Buddhist belief in "karma and retribution". Some release animals to seek poverty alleviation, some to seek recovery from illness, and some to accumulate virtue, with different meanings. Nowadays, as a traditional Buddhist custom, the combination of release activities and ecological culture helps to cultivate Laos' ecological culture, reflecting the contemporary value of traditional culture.

Continuously cultivate institutional culture for forest and wildlife conservation. In 2021, Laos' Ninth Five Year Plan for National Social and Economic Development (2021-2025) explicitly stated the goal of "protecting the environment to achieve balance and reduce the risk of natural disasters", and planned to "achieve a national forest coverage rate of over 70% by 2025". On January 26th, the Agriculture and Forestry Office of Xikadamon County, Vientiane City held a promotion meeting on forest and animal laws in Laos, requiring local residents to study relevant legal content seriously and implement the requirements of laws and regulations. On February 19th, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Laos listened to a report on the implementation of the Forest Law and the Aquatic Terrestrial Animal Law. The relevant departments discussed how to strengthen the implementation of the law and punish illegal and criminal activities in the animal and plant fields. In 2020, Laos investigated and dealt with a total of 32 categories of wild animals involved in illegal trade, including 10 prohibited animals and 16 controlled animals. On March 3, 2021, to commemorate the 8th anniversary of World Wildlife Day, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Laos requested that all parts of the country strengthen the popularization of laws and regulations related to wildlife protection, and increase the publicity and popularization of laws through posting promotional materials.

Continuously cultivate a material culture of green development. In 2021, Laos will continue to strengthen the construction of "green cities" and "protected tourism areas", promoting the integration of ecological culture and social development. On February 15th, Songnaburi City, Savannakhet Province（

（3） Strengthen the inheritance and promotion of traditional culture

Laos has always attached great importance to the development of traditional culture, insisting on inheriting and promoting traditional culture as an important way to strengthen national identity and enhance international influence. In 2021, despite the impact of the COVID-19 and natural disasters, the traditional culture of Laos will still be developed, especially in folk festivals, cultural heritage and local culture.

In terms of folk festivals, the COVID-19 has affected the holding of traditional festivals and folk activities, and some activities have been forced to cancel or reduce the scale. Despite this, important events such as Songkran Festival, Chuxia Festival, and Talaan Festival are still being carried out under strict epidemic prevention and control measures. On March 25, 2021, the Office of the Prime Minister of Laos issued a notice regarding the New Year celebration activities. The notice stipulates that during the New Year period, small-scale celebration activities are allowed to be held in homes, workplaces, temples, and religious sites, while various concerts, Miss Song Gan selection, and parades are prohibited. On April 13th, the city of Luang Prabang in Laos held a New Year parade and an elephant rope tying ceremony for blessings, which is a cultural activity that has resumed after the suspension of New Year celebrations in 2020. On July 24th, Buddhist believers in Laos held summer festival activities across the country, praying for blessings through religious rituals such as fasting, bathing Buddha, and giving alms. On October 21st, the National Construction Front of Vientiane City issued a notice allowing some low-risk temples to hold religious ceremonies and fasting activities. The origin of the traditional festivals mentioned above is mostly closely related to Theravada Buddhism. Despite the tense atmosphere of epidemic prevention and control, the government still supports the holding of religious ceremonies, which not only reflects the important significance of Buddhist culture for people's daily lives, but also reflects Laos' emphasis on the inheritance of traditional culture.

In terms of cultural heritage, the Lao government continues to strengthen the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage of sheng music, while actively promoting the application of other intangible cultural heritage projects. There is a saying in Laos that goes, 'Living in stilted houses, playing lusheng, pinching glutinous rice, and eating pickled fish - these are the Laotians.'. Lusheng and sheng music are important traditional arts in Laos and one of the symbols of the Laotian nation. In 2021, the Lao Sheng Music Association continued to strengthen the protection and inheritance of lusheng and sheng music. On March 11th, the Shengle Association collaborated with relevant enterprises to develop a 5-year project called "Production and Sales of Lao Lusheng Cultural Products", aiming to promote the integration of Lusheng culture and tourism. Through related cultural products, the project aims to enable domestic and foreign people to better understand Lao Lusheng and Shengle. The Sheng Music Association stated that the proceeds from the sale of Lu Sheng cultural products will be used to organize various Sheng music cultural activities. On July 13th, the Sheng Music Association held a work summary meeting for the first half of 2021. Association President Kanpan Mansitida（

Laos is also actively promoting the application for World Heritage status of Nanwang Dance. On March 18, 2021, the Ministry of News, Culture and Tourism of Laos held a seminar on the application for UNESCO World Heritage status for the Nanwang Dance in Laos. Acting Director of the Performing Arts Bureau, Kanpan Potonsi（

In terms of local characteristic culture, Laos actively inherits and promotes traditional food culture and handicrafts. On February 23, 2021, the "2021 Food Festival" in Laos was held at Anuvong Park in the capital city of Vientiane, with nearly 120 catering companies from all over the country participating. President of the Lao Women Entrepreneurs Association, Zhantazong Chansai（

（4） Focus on promoting the development of literary industry

Literature is an important component of Laos' national culture, and its development is not only conducive to promoting social progress and stability, but also helps to demonstrate cultural soft power. In 2021, Laos regards improving the national creative ability and strengthening literary translation and exchange as important measures to promote literary development.

Continue to improve the national ability to create poetry and short stories. On March 17, 2021, the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Youth League held a sharing session on "Youth Jointly Promoting Literary Development", and the 2019 ASEAN Literature Award winning monk Phapa Wan Malawong（

Continue to strengthen literary translation and communication. In 2021, the Ministry of News, Culture and Tourism of Laos, the Lao Writers Association and other organizations promoted exchanges with China in literary translation. On March 2nd, the donation ceremony of books from the Central Radio and Television Station Vientiane FM and the Lao Writers Association to the National Library of Laos was held in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. The "Entering China" bilingual series is jointly published and distributed by China Central Television and the Lao Writers Association in Laos, including four books: "Chinese Encyclopedia", "How to Meet You -100 Modern Chinese Poems", "Thirty Six Stratagems", and "Chinese Lao Bilingual Classification Dictionary". On April 26th, China and Laos signed a memorandum on the mutual translation and publication of classic works between the two countries, agreeing to jointly translate and publish 50 classic works of the two countries in the next five years, and contribute more excellent spiritual and cultural products to readers and people of both countries. The signing of this memorandum will further deepen exchanges and cooperation in the field of publishing between China and Laos, continuously injecting humanistic momentum into the construction of a community with a shared future between China and Laos.

In addition, in 2021, various regions in Laos actively held short story, poetry, and short video creation competitions to attract young students and the general public to participate. These literary creation competitions have played a positive role in promoting the development of Laos' literary industry, attracting people to participate in cultural life construction, and improving the level of national literary creation.

III. Laos' Cultural Exchange with Foreign Countries in 2021

Although affected by the COVID-19, the number of foreign cultural exchange activities in Laos has decreased, as 2021 marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Laos, the 30th anniversary of the establishment of China ASEAN dialogue relations, and the 5th anniversary of the launch of Lancang Mekong cooperation, Laos has also carried out some necessary activities and achieved many results.

（1） Cooperate to hold a series of cultural exchange activities to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Laos

Official institutions such as the Central Radio and Television Station Vientiane FM and the Lao Chinese Cultural Center will continue to hold brand activities such as "Happy Spring Festival" and "China Laos Excellent Film Tour". The "Happy Spring Festival" temple fair event in Laos has gained high recognition in the local area since 2015. On February 5, 2021, the 2021 online "Happy Spring Festival" was officially launched in Vientiane. The social media platform Facebook launched various cultural projects including pictures, videos, and live broadcasts, such as the New Year Blessing Symphony Concert and online temple fair live broadcasts. On March 15th, the opening ceremony of the fourth "Open Air Cinema - Excellent Film Tour of China and Laos" was held in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. Director of the Lao Film Bureau, Khambat Wannefeng（

In addition to the above-mentioned brand projects, official institutions of the two countries also cooperated to hold large-scale cultural events such as the "2021 China Laos Micro Video Competition Award Ceremony", "Tianya Together - Online Mid Autumn Festival", and "China Tourism Culture Week" in 2021.

Laos also actively cooperates with various local departments in China to carry out various cultural exchanges with distinctive features. On April 26, 2021, the Foreign Affairs Office of Yunnan Provincial People's Government, Yunnan Provincial People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and the Consulate General of Laos in Kunming jointly held a series of activities such as a symposium, photo exhibition, and reception to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Laos. The Consulate General of Laos in Kunming has also jointly organized activities such as the "China Laos Friendship Cup" essay competition and the China (Yunnan) - Laos International Friendship City Cultural Week with relevant departments in Yunnan Province. On November 10th, the "Mountains and Rivers Connect, People Connect" exhibition of Chinese and elderly photography works launched by Yunnan Province was officially launched. The event was held online, selecting 60 photos to capture the magnificent mountains, rivers, and colorful cultures of China and Laos.

（2） Emphasize participation in the "China ASEAN" and "Lancang Mekong" series of cultural activities

China ASEAN "and" Lancang Mekong River "are two important framework mechanisms for cooperation between China and Southeast Asian countries. In 2021, against the backdrop of the anniversary celebration, Laos actively participated in a series of cultural activities led by the aforementioned framework, strengthening cultural exchanges with China and other ASEAN countries.

On May 16, 2021, the launching ceremony of the "Eastern Etiquette" China ASEAN Etiquette Culture Week series of activities was held in Nanning. This year's Etiquette and Culture Week series of activities includes etiquette competitions, tea artist competitions, flower arrangement art competitions, etc., aiming to promote cultural dissemination and cooperation between China and ASEAN countries to a wider range of fields. The Consul General of the Lao Consulate General in Nanning said that through the above activities, Laos witnessed the joint dissemination of etiquette, culture and customs between ASEAN countries and China, and carried out beneficial exchanges and cooperation.

On September 11, 2021, the first stop of the China ASEAN Youth Anchor Creation Camp, jointly hosted by the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Radio and Television Bureau and Guangxi Radio and Television Station, opened in Nanning for the third China ASEAN Television Week. The theme of this event is "Working Together to Build Dreams and Sail Far". At the first stop of the study tour, five young students from China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Laos walked into the 18th China ASEAN Expo site to explore highlights such as Chinese and ASEAN ethnic culture, characteristic products, green environmental protection, and 30-year exchange and cooperation, showcasing the achievements of cultural exchange and mutual learning between China and ASEAN countries.

On October 27, 2021, the third China ASEAN Television Week opened in Nanning, Guangxi. This TV Week focuses on showcasing the achievements of China and ASEAN countries in overcoming the impact of the epidemic and deepening cooperation in broadcasting, television, and listening. During this period, excellent works such as the documentary "Standing at Thirty" commemorating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of dialogue relations between China and ASEAN, the documentary "Home in Green Waters and Mountains - Better Days" jointly produced by China, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand, and the localized language translated TV drama "Mountain and Sea Love" will be exhibited on mainstream media and online platforms in various countries. In addition, a series of activities were held, including the China ASEAN Friendship and Cooperation Theme Short Video Competition and the China ASEAN Excellent Audiovisual Program Exhibition Week.

On December 1, 2021, the 2021 Lancang Mekong Television Week opened in Kunming. At the launching ceremony, China and Laos signed the cooperation agreement on the first China Laos co production TV series "Agreement under the Champa Flower", held the release ceremony of the results of China Laos media cooperation and the opening ceremony of the documentary film of China Laos railway construction "Hehe Lancang Mekong -- China Laos Railway Construction Documentary", and broadcast the excellent audio-visual programs of "Colorful Lancang Mekong · South of Colorful Clouds". The Deputy Minister of News, Culture and Tourism of Laos stated that the Lancang Mekong Cooperation mechanism is an important foundation for both sides to strengthen communication and cooperation, and the Lancang Mekong Television Week has become a bridge for media cooperation and exchange between Laos and China.

（3） Continue to strengthen cultural cooperation with neighboring and other countries around the world

In addition to participating in anniversary celebrations and activities led by relevant mechanisms, Laos will continue to strengthen cultural exchanges and cooperation with neighboring countries and other countries around the world in 2021, such as Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, and France.

On February 19, 2021, the Luang Prabang Provincial Department of Journalism, Culture and Tourism and Takayama City of Japan held a tourism strategy seminar, and the two sides exchanged views on the challenges faced by tourism in the two places after the COVID-19, related supporting strategies and solutions. In terms of education, in the 2020-2021 academic year, a total of 5 female students from Vientiane Middle School in Laos were awarded scholarships to Japan for an 8-month cultural exchange and visiting program.

On June 28-29, 2021, Laotian President Thongloun led a delegation on a friendly visit to Vietnam. During this period, the leaders of the two countries unanimously agreed to strengthen the publicity and education of the "Lao Vietnamese Traditional Special Friendship" among young cadres, promote the construction of commemorative historical sites for Lao Vietnamese relations, and enhance the quality of cooperation in multiple fields such as economy and culture. Both sides also plan to add more content reflecting the "special relationship" between the two countries in their history textbooks. On August 9th, Thongloun and Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc held a meeting at the Laotian Presidential Office and signed 14 cooperation documents, including a memorandum of understanding for the construction of a military ethnic cultural school project.

On September 30, 2021, the first French Education Service Center (CEF) in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, held an online unveiling ceremony, along with six other centers in the Asia Pacific region. The center is the result of a collaboration between the National University of Laos and the International Association of French Speaking Universities (AUF), and will provide support and assistance for the employment of French language majors in Laos.

On November 13, 2021, the Lao Journalists Association and the Thai Journalists Association held a bilateral exchange meeting online, discussing topics such as the signed memorandum of understanding and Thailand's journalist training for Laos. The journalist associations of the two countries have been sending delegations to each other for media technology exchange activities since 1990. After launching the "Lao Tai Tourism Year" project in 2018, both sides support the visit and tourism of journalists from the two countries and other ASEAN countries, and encourage journalists from the two countries to write articles promoting the culture of ASEAN countries. In 2022, the two countries will continue to deepen exchanges with the support of relevant projects.

Summary and Prospect

For the development of Laotian culture, 2021 is a year of both challenges and opportunities. On the one hand, the worldwide COVID-19 still has a huge impact on the Lao culture and tourism industry, and various cultural construction and exchange activities are greatly restricted; On the other hand, the introduction of the Five Year Plan has laid the main tone for the development of Laotian culture in the next five years and brought new opportunities. In 2021, Laos will continue to promote domestic cultural development in four areas: anti epidemic and resumption of production in the tourism industry, cultivation of ecological culture, inheritance and promotion of traditional culture, and development of literature. At the same time, seizing favorable opportunities such as the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Laos, the 30th anniversary of the establishment of dialogue relations between China and ASEAN, and the 5th anniversary of the launch of Lancang Mekong cooperation, we actively carried out cultural exchanges with China and neighboring countries, and achieved certain results in the development of domestic culture and external exchanges.

In 2022, the impact of the COVID-19 on Laos' economy and society, especially on its culture, is still uncertain. However, with the implementation and deepening of the Five Year Plan, the development of Laos' culture will have more favorable conditions and opportunities. At the same time, the opening and operation of the China Laos Railway will greatly promote the development of tourism, agriculture, water conservancy and other resources and urbanization along the line, help the development of economic parks such as the Vientiane Saisita Comprehensive Development Zone, the China Laos Mohan Boten Economic Cooperation Zone, and further strengthen the economic, social and cultural cooperation and exchanges between China and Laos as well as surrounding countries. The future of Laos' cultural development will also be more promising.