Editing Laos (section)

===Foreign relations===
{{main|Foreign relations of Laos}}
[[File:Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ASEAN heads of state and government at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.jpg|thumb|Prime Minister [[Thongloun Sisoulith]] with Indian Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]] and [[Association of Southeast Asian Nations|ASEAN]] heads of state in New Delhi on 25 January 2018]]
The foreign relations of Laos after the takeover by the [[Pathet Lao]] in December 1975 were characterised by a hostile posture toward the West, with the government of the Lao PDR aligning itself with the [[Soviet Bloc]], maintaining ties with the Soviet Union<ref>{{Cite web |title=Laos economy set for impressive recovery |url=https://ge63.com/laos-economy |access-date=11 April 2023 |website=GE63 |date=11 April 2023 |language=en-US |archive-date=11 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411140612/https://ge63.com/laos-economy |url-status=live }}</ref> and depending on the Soviets for most of its foreign assistance.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-7857.html|title=Laos – Foreign Aid|access-date=26 October 2020|archive-date=30 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170430074145/http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-7857.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Laos's emergence from [[international isolation]] has been marked through expanded relations with other countries including [[Russia]], [[China]], [[Thailand]], [[Australia]], [[Germany]], [[Italy]], [[Japan]] and [[Switzerland]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://oec.world/en/profile/country/lao/|title=OEC – Laos (LAO) Exports, Imports, and Trade Partners|website=oec.world|language=en|access-date=30 September 2019|archive-date=13 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413192130/https://oec.world/en/profile/country/lao|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Laos–United States relations|Trade relations with the United States]] were normalised in November 2004 through Congress approved legislation.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Lum|first=Thomas|date=5 February 2007|title=Laos: Background and U.S. Relations|url=https://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RS20931.pdf|journal=CRS Report for Congress|access-date=23 May 2019|archive-date=8 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308134615/https://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RS20931.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Laos was admitted into the [[Association of Southeast Asian Nations]] (ASEAN) in July 1997 and acceded to the [[World Trade Organization]] in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.export.gov/article?id=Laos-Trade-Agreements|title=Laos – Trade Agreements |website=export.gov|access-date=23 May 2019|archive-date=10 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410142811/https://www.trade.gov/export-solutions|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2005, it attended the inaugural [[East Asia Summit]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-asia-summit-east-qa-idUSTRE59N0I020091024|title=Q+A – What is the East Asia Summit all about?|date=24 October 2009|work=Reuters|access-date=30 September 2019|language=en|archive-date=8 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308143504/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-asia-summit-east-qa-idUSTRE59N0I020091024|url-status=live}}</ref>