(MPI) – On September 7-8, 2024, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung, Chairman of the Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Committee, led a working delegation to visit, encourage, and listen to the difficulties and recommendations of Vietnamese enterprises in Laos. The trip aims to continue to deepen the traditional solidarity, closeness, and loyalty between Vietnam and Laos, reflected in increasingly effective and substantive cooperation in various fields.
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| Photo of Minister Nguyen Chi Dung in Laos. Photo: MPI |
Lao Minister of Planning and Investment Phet Phomphiphach, Chairman of the Laos-Vietnam Cooperation Committee, welcomed Minister Nguyen Chi Dung and joined him on the survey trip. Also attending were leaders of several Vietnamese localities: Mr. Le Quang Nam, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Da Nang City; Mr. Ho Quang Buu, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Nam Province; Mr. Phan Quy Phuong, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thua Thien Hue Province; Mr. Ha Sy Dong, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Tri Province and representatives of the Government Office , the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos, etc.
According to the working program, on the morning of September 7, 2024, Minister Nguyen Chi Dung and the working delegation went through La Lay border gate ( Quang Tri ) to visit the Ka-lum coal mine of Phonsac Company and the proposed construction site of the Ka-lum Thermal Power Plant of the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group in Xe Cong province. The location of the two projects is about 120 km from the Vietnam border.
The Ka-lum coal mine of the Phon-sac Group has been operating since 2012, with reserves of about 800 million tons. Some studies say the reserves here may be larger. The mine area is about 770 km2, with an operating time of 30 years. Currently, the mine's maximum annual mining capacity is about 20 million tons/year. Current output of coal sold to Vietnam is about 3 million tons/year.
The Xe Cong Thermal Power Plant Project is also invested by the Phonsac Group, Laos. The Vietnam Oil and Gas Group is looking for a lending partner to contribute capital to the project and participate in management, operation, and maintenance. The total investment of the project is about 4.06 billion USD (including 253 km of power transmission lines to the Cambodian border. The designed capacity is about 1,800 MW and construction is expected to start in April 2025. The project can commercially operate Unit 1 in January 2028; Unit 6 in January 2030.
Minister Nguyen Chi Dung and his delegation visited Ka-Lum Coal Mine, where the Xe Cong Thermal Power Plant project is expected to be located. These are projects expected to have the participation of Vietnamese enterprises. The Minister and his delegation listened to representatives of the enterprises present the projects, some problems and difficulties. The Minister said that he will work with relevant ministries, branches and agencies of Vietnam to create the best conditions for enterprises to implement the projects. The Minister also asked the Lao side to support and remove difficulties for the projects.
On the same afternoon, Minister Nguyen Chi Dung and the delegation visited Dac Chung district, Xe Cong province, to visit the Bauxite Mining and Alumina Processing Complex project of Viet Phuong Group. Here, the bauxite reserves are estimated at about 400 million tons, the mine area is about 400 km2, and the licensing period is 24 years. The total investment is expected to be about 1 billion USD; expected to export from the second quarter of 2026.
A representative of Viet Phuong Group said that the project's main products are raw ore and refined ore. The final product is processed Alumina, using the leading technology today, which is low-temperature evaporation. The project meets environmental standards, consumes little energy, and discharges up to 70% of dry red mud into the environment.
The Group's leaders thanked the support of the Vietnam-Laos and Laos-Vietnam Cooperation Committees for the project. The unit proposed that the Lao Ministry of Planning and Investment facilitate the Group to implement the Lakmang thermal power project with a capacity of about 600 MW to provide electricity for alumina processing. This is also the premise for creating a value chain from coal, bauxite ore to alumina and aluminum. The project also produces industrial steam to serve the Complex.
Speaking at the meeting, Minister Nguyen Chi Dung expressed his emotion when visiting the project and witnessing the work that Viet Phuong Group is doing in Xe Cong province. At the same time, he emphasized that Vietnam is always in the top 3 countries with the most investment capital in Laos. The Bauxite - Alumina Complex Project of Viet Phuong Group is not only important for Laos' industry but also has significance for the economic relations between the two countries.
The Minister appreciated Viet Phuong Group for choosing high technology for the project, helping to maximize natural resources, not exporting raw ore and raw materials but processing Alumina, moving towards producing aluminum for export, creating better value for the Lao economy.
Viet Phuong Group must fulfill its promises and commitments; comply with local laws; use high technology, protect the environment; reclaim land and reforest the locality as it exploits; pay attention to social security work, fully contribute to the Lao budget; take care of the lives of workers and laborers, especially Vietnamese workers who come to work in Laos, the Minister emphasized.
On this occasion, Minister Nguyen Chi Dung also expressed his gratitude to Lao Minister of Planning and Investment Phet Phomphiphach for his coordination and resolving difficulties for the project. “I hope that the local government will create all conditions for businesses to develop, and if there are any difficulties, they will resolve them. The success of the project is a testament to the strengthening of the relationship between our two countries. Hopefully, this project will be a model for cooperation between the two countries in all fields,” Minister Nguyen Chi Dung shared.
Speaking at the meeting, Lao Minister of Planning and Investment Phet Phomphiphach thanked Minister Nguyen Chi Dung for leading the working delegation to visit projects in Laos; expressed his agreement to promote projects and strengthen relations between the two countries.
Mr. Phet Phomphiphach said that the Lao Government strongly supports the investment project of Viet Phuong Group. With the remaining issues, the two sides will aim for a common goal, in accordance with Lao and international law.
“I also agree with Minister Nguyen Chi Dung’s opinion on how to implement the project in the best way, so that both sides benefit and protect the environment. Laos will create the best conditions, in accordance with Lao law, for the project as well as other Lao projects,” Mr. Phet Phomphiphach shared.
On the morning of September 8, 2024, Minister Nguyen Chi Dung had a meeting with the leaders of Dac Chung District, which borders Tay Giang and Nam Giang districts of Quang Nam province and Dac Lay district of Kon Tum province. The Minister hopes that the province will overcome difficulties, take advantage of existing potential advantages, and develop the province further.
On this occasion, Minister Nguyen Chi Dung also presented some gifts and water filters to Dac Chung district and Dac Chung High School (Dac Chung district).
Xe Cong is a province located in the south of Laos, established in 1984, with a natural area of 7,750 km2, of which: 65% is mountainous, 30% is midland, 5% is plain. The province has 04 districts (197 villages). The population is about 130,000 people, with 10 ethnic minorities living. The province has a border with 3 provinces of Vietnam (272 km), including: Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam, Kon Tum./.
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