Prime Minister: We must cherish and effectively exploit each initiative of Vietnamese and Lao enterprises.

(Chinhphu.vn) - On the afternoon of December 3, during a working trip to Laos, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone co-chaired the Vietnam - Laos Investment Promotion Conference with the theme: "Strategic cooperation - Creating prosperous development".

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone co-chaired the Vietnam - Laos Investment Promotion Conference with the theme: "Strategic cooperation - Creating prosperous development" - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Also attending were leaders of ministries, localities and over 500 delegates representing associations, businesses and investors from Laos and Vietnam.

Earlier, the same morning, the two Prime Ministers successfully chaired the 48th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee with many important cooperation contents, including promoting practical and effective economic , investment and trade cooperation between the two countries.

The Vietnam - Laos Investment Promotion Conference is an important event for the two sides to review the results of investment cooperation in recent times, thoroughly grasp and discuss measures to implement major cooperation orientations on economy, investment and trade agreed upon by the two sides in 2026 and the 2026-2030 period.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the conference - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

At the Conference, Deputy Prime Minister of Laos Saleumxay Kommasith, Chairman of the Laos-Vietnam Cooperation Committee, introduced the investment environment and investment attraction policies of Laos; Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang, Chairman of the Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Committee, assessed the situation of Vietnam-Laos investment cooperation and cooperation orientations for 2026.

Representatives of associations and enterprises shared about opportunities, orientations, specific cooperation and investment projects in the fields of electricity, rubber, agricultural processing, chemicals - minerals..., especially the implementation of key transport infrastructure projects connecting Vietnam and Laos, specifically the Hanoi - Vientiane expressway project and the Vung Ang - Vientiane railway.

At the conference, witnessed by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, businesses of the two countries signed and exchanged 9 cooperation documents in various fields.

Vietnam - the second largest foreign investment partner in Laos

According to reports and opinions at the conference, senior leaders of Vietnam and Laos are always determined to elevate economic, trade and investment cooperation to a solid pillar in bilateral relations, which must be truly commensurate with the potential and stature of the great friendship, comprehensive cooperation and special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos, for the practical benefits of the people and businesses of the two countries.

With the strong direction of the two Parties, two States, two Governments, two Prime Ministers and the close coordination between the Committees, Ministries, branches and localities of the two countries, Vietnam - Laos economic, trade and investment cooperation in recent times has continued to develop positively and achieved many outstanding achievements, of which 2025 will achieve many breakthrough results.

Total trade turnover between the two countries continues to record remarkable growth in the first 11 months of 2025, estimated at 2.6 billion USD, up 50.4% over the same period in 2024, the highest increase ever. Laos has always maintained the first position among 85 countries and territories investing abroad with Vietnam, while Vietnam has now become the second largest foreign investment partner in Laos.

Delegates speaking at the conference - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

To date, Vietnam's total registered investment capital in Laos has reached over 6.21 billion USD (if capital mobilized on the international market is included, Vietnamese enterprises' investment in Laos will reach about 8.1 billion USD). In the first 11 months of 2025 alone, Vietnam's investment capital in Laos reached over 590.3 million USD, an increase of 7.5 times compared to the same period in 2024.

More and more projects of Vietnamese enterprises are operating effectively, contributing positively to the socio-economic development of Laos in most fields; at the same time creating jobs and improving the material and spiritual life of hundreds of thousands of Lao workers; supplementing the revenue for the Lao state budget (an average of 200 million USD per year) and continuing to increase in the coming years when many large investment projects are completed and put into operation. Many Vietnamese enterprises in Laos have fulfilled their social responsibilities well, actively sponsoring the community.

In 2025, despite many difficulties and challenges, Vietnam will still maintain macroeconomic stability; inflation will be controlled, growth will be promoted, and major balances will be ensured.

Entering a new era of development, Vietnam is determined to remove bottlenecks and bottlenecks in institutions, human resources and infrastructure, focusing on clearing, mobilizing and effectively using all resources, promoting economic restructuring associated with growth model innovation, taking science - technology, innovation and digital transformation as breakthrough development drivers, contributing to realizing the double-digit growth target from 2026, bringing the country into an era of striving to develop richly, civilized and prosperously, becoming a developed country with high income by 2045.

Accordingly, Vietnam has issued and implemented many breakthrough policies in areas such as science and technology, innovation and digital transformation; international integration in the new situation; innovation in law making and enforcement; private economic development; ensuring national energy security; education and training development; strengthening the protection, care and improvement of people's health. At the same time, it will continue to issue policies in other important areas.

Enterprises - the most important driving force to promote economic, investment and trade cooperation between Vietnam and Laos

Speaking at the Conference, announcing the results of the high-level meeting between the two Parties and the State visit to Laos by General Secretary To Lam, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said that the very important direction of the two General Secretaries is to focus on promoting economic cooperation between the two countries to contribute to achieving the strategic goals set for each country, specifically from 2026, Laos will achieve economic growth of 6% per year and Vietnam will achieve economic growth of over 10%.

The leaders of the Party and State of the two countries, especially the two General Secretaries, hope that the business community will develop and cooperate effectively, sustainably and healthily. To implement this orientation, the 48th Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of the two countries agreed to step up support and assign tasks to businesses, expecting that businesses will be the most important driving force to promote economic, investment and trade cooperation between the two countries.

"Business development is the development of two countries, successful businesses are two successful countries," said the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister hopes that businesses of the two countries will act with foresight, think deeply and do big - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Informing that the major policy of the two countries' senior leaders is to deepen the connotation of Vietnam - Laos relations to a new height of "Great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, strategic connection", the Prime Minister asked businesses to contribute to renewing and supplementing these connotations in the bilateral relationship, especially the connotation of "strategic connection", including connecting businesses and connecting the two economies.

Emphasizing the viewpoint that "resources originate from thinking and vision, motivation originates from innovation and creativity, strength originates from people and businesses", the Prime Minister said that State agencies need to promote their creative role, promoting three strategic breakthroughs including open institutions, smooth infrastructure, and smart governance. "A creative State, pioneering businesses, public-private partnership, Laos-Vietnam development, happy people", the Prime Minister said.

Affirming the determination of the two Parties and two States to support businesses, the Prime Minister emphasized the spirit of the Government and state management agencies to serve businesses, "listen, understand, share vision and action, work together, win together, enjoy and develop together, share joy, happiness and pride", "do not say no, do not say difficult, do not say yes but do not do" in creating conditions and opportunities for businesses.

The Prime Minister said that, with the spirit of valuing intelligence, saving time, making timely and effective decisions, entities must respect, cherish and effectively exploit each initiative and suggestion from businesses and people to serve development, without being perfectionist, hasty and missing opportunities.

Stating that in the past, the two sides have always stood side by side against powerful enemies, with the people's hearts, will, determination and perseverance, the Prime Minister said that in today's economic, trade and investment cooperation, there must be the idea of ​​"turning nothing into something, turning difficult into easy, turning impossible into possible", sharing and overcoming difficulties and challenges.

Delegates attending the conference - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Regarding specific issues, the Prime Minister suggested that the two sides coordinate to focus on developing strategic infrastructure connecting Vietnam and Laos, connecting Laos with Vietnam's Vung Ang and Cua Lo ports; welcome Vietnamese state-owned economic groups and private enterprises to invest and cooperate in Laos in projects such as Viettel, the Coal and Minerals Group, Petrovietnam, EVN, the Rubber Industry Group, the Chemical Group, Vinamilk, Truong Hai Group (THACO), Viet Phuong, TH True Milk...; hope that the Lao side will continue to support, assist, and prioritize Vietnamese enterprises to cooperate and invest in Laos. The Vietnamese side welcomes and is ready to welcome Lao investors to Vietnam; at the same time, soon bring the two-way trade turnover to 5 billion USD and towards 10 billion USD/year.

The Prime Minister hopes that businesses of the two countries will act with a long-term vision, think deeply and do big; emphasizing that business must be calculated and profitable, but at the same time it is necessary to promote the spirit of "from heart to heart", the great friendship between Vietnam and Laos, on the basis of overall interests between the two countries and two peoples; having done well, they must do even better, double or triple in the coming years.

Informing that Government agencies will review the progress of work and projects every three months, the Prime Minister called on businesses ready to invest in the two countries to have high determination, great efforts, and drastic actions. What they say must be done, what they commit to must be done, and what they do must have results, specific products, and can be measured.

The Prime Minister believes that with the determination of the leaders, people and business communities of the two countries, the Vietnam-Laos relationship will certainly develop to new heights, for the strength, prosperity, well-being and happiness of the two countries and two peoples.

Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone said Laos always welcomes and creates favorable conditions for Vietnamese investors in potential fields such as electricity, transport infrastructure, and high-tech agriculture - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

For his part, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone said that in the difficult context, Laos' economy continues to grow, with an expected growth of 4.8% in 2025 alone, and the macro economy is basically stable.

The two Parties, States and Governments of Vietnam and Laos have always paid close attention to and directed economic, trade and investment cooperation activities in various fields. The Lao Prime Minister said that Laos always welcomes and creates favorable conditions for Vietnamese investors in potential fields such as electricity, transport infrastructure, high-tech agriculture, tourism, finance, banking, etc.

Agreeing with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's opinions on major orientations, the Lao Prime Minister emphasized a number of important priorities such as infrastructure connection projects between the two countries, especially railway and highway projects, connecting Laos with Vietnamese seaports, developing industrial parks, mineral processing, carbon credit fields, etc.

Delegates attending the conference - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

To facilitate investment attraction, including investment from Vietnam, Laos has and will continue to improve legal regulations, reduce regulations, promote digital transformation, promote public-private cooperation, and build a transparent business environment.

Informing about Laos' strategic development goals in the coming years, including getting out of underdevelopment by 2026 and becoming an upper middle-income country by 2055, the Lao Prime Minister said that businesses need to promote initiatives, intelligence, and new development drivers to contribute to implementing the development policies and strategies of the two countries. The Lao Prime Minister also asked Vietnamese ministries and sectors to continue supporting and exchanging experiences in implementing investment projects, connecting domestic economic sectors and foreign investment.

The Lao Prime Minister hopes that bilateral economic, trade and investment cooperation will continue to develop strongly, commensurate with the "great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic connection" between the two countries, and together move towards socialism.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone witnessed businesses of the two countries signing and exchanging cooperation documents in various fields - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone witnessed businesses of the two countries signing and exchanging cooperation documents in various fields - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone witnessed businesses of the two countries signing and exchanging cooperation documents in various fields - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

* This is the final activity of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the Vietnamese delegation during their working trip to attend the High-level Meeting between the Communist Party of Vietnam - Lao People's Revolutionary Party and co-chair the 48th Meeting of the Vietnam - Laos Intergovernmental Committee. After this event, the Prime Minister and the Vietnamese delegation left Vientiane for Hanoi, successfully concluding their working trip from December 2 to 3 at the invitation of Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone.

Ha Van

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/thu-tuong-phai-chat-chiu-va-khai-thac-hieu-qua-tung-sang-kien-cua-doanh-nghiep-viet-nam-lao-102251203185119258.htm