The Asian economic crisis in 1997, super inflation, suffocating bureaucracy, diffidence to open to world trade, have trigger growing signs of malcontent. In 1999 a students revolt, immediately suppressed. In 2000 security forces had trouble with a series of bomb explosions in the capital Vientiane. In view of the Congress, many foreign ambassadors, fearing bombings and riots, advised co-nationals to avoid Laos. Another result of the Congress was the appointment of 53 new members of the Central Committee, including a number of army generals.
Regional observers say the changes are unimportant.
The Congress was attended by a delegation of the Chinese Communist Party led by Luo Gang, member of the Chinese Central Committee. Luo stated that Chinese-Laos friendship will continue in the 21 st century and that China will help Laos with economic development. After the destruction of Buddhist religious statues in Afghanistan, across the border in Pakistan, Hindus and Christians are worried whether their statues will be next. He emphasized the need for religious tolerance and hoped that the government of Pakistan would take a stand o the issue and condemn the violence of the Taleban. A March 12 report by the Pakistan based Afghan Islamic Press news agency confirmed the destruction of the two giant statues of Buddha at Bamiyan, respectively 53 and 35 meters high, ordered by the Taleban leaders.