Vietnam-Laos promote trade cooperation, aiming for a turnover of 5 billion USD

The two sides will promote more substantive and effective activities, expand trade promotion in localities of the two countries, to increase the presence of each side's goods.

On November 14 in Hanoi , the Embassy of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in Vietnam and Viet Lao AZ Joint Stock Company co-organized the Laos-Vietnam Investment-Trade Promotion Conference 2025 with the theme "Shared path, solid future."

The event attracted the participation of many policymakers, representatives of agencies and business communities of the two countries, aiming to concretize high-level commitments and expand bilateral investment and trade opportunities.

Speaking at the event, Ms. Khamphao Ernthavanh, Ambassador of Laos to Vietnam, acknowledged that the trade relationship between Vietnam and Laos has a long tradition of over 60 years, built and developed on the foundation of the close and close relationship that the Party, Government and people of the two countries have worked hard to cultivate. The two countries share a border of more than 2,337km, passing through the administrative boundaries of 10 provinces of Laos and 9 provinces and cities of Vietnam. These are areas with development potential, with strategic locations, on the East-West Economic Corridor, and are the gateway for trade and exchange with the world of Vietnam and Laos with many countries in the region.

In addition to the positive results, the trade relations in general and border trade in particular between the two countries still have issues that need to be further coordinated to resolve; in which, the core issue is how to develop border trade between the two countries in a stable and sustainable manner, exploiting the potential advantages of each side. From there, it will contribute practically to the work of hunger eradication, poverty reduction, rural and mountainous development, improving the lives of people in the border areas of the two countries; promoting socio-economic development in border provinces; building a peaceful , friendly and cooperative border, contributing more and more to the socio-economic development of the country, aiming for a turnover of 5 billion USD in the coming time.

The workshop focused on discussing contents related to the promotion and development of investment and trade cooperation between enterprises of the two countries; in which, the role of the Laos-Vietnam Cooperation Committee (Ministry of Finance), the Economic Department (Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs), the Department of Investment Promotion and Management... and a large number of Vietnamese and Lao enterprises operating in the fields of energy, minerals, high-tech agriculture, industry and production, logistics, import and export... stood out.

The in-depth discussions and panel discussions focused on updating new mechanisms and policies, including incentives and facilitation in import and export procedures, to transform Laos from a landlocked country to a land-linked one. At the same time, the workshop also introduced strategic investment opportunities in Laos, with the goal of attracting a minimum of 1.7 billion USD in FDI per year.

Mr. Nguyen Anh Son, Director of the Import-Export Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade), said that in order to develop Vietnam-Laos trade relations to a new level, the two governments have agreed to implement many important cooperation contents and sign legal documents in the field of trade, typically the Trade Agreement between the two countries signed in 2024. In particular, the Vietnam-Laos Border Trade Agreement is an important milestone, creating a legal framework and driving force to promote bilateral trade.

After 10 years of implementing the agreement, cooperation in the field of industry and trade between the two countries has achieved many comprehensive and substantial results. Specifically, import and export activities through the Vietnam-Laos border gates have maintained a stable growth rate, with two-way trade turnover increasing from about 1.1 billion USD in 2015 to 2.25 billion USD in 2024, doubling after a decade of implementing the agreement.

In the first nine months of 2025, bilateral trade turnover reached 2.36 billion USD, up 57% over the same period last year and the highest level in the past 10 years. Many key border gates have become important trading hubs, contributing greatly to the total bilateral trade turnover. The system of border markets and border gate economic zones has received investment and upgrading, creating favorable conditions for trade, service activities and goods exchange of border residents. Coordination between ministries, branches and localities of the two countries in managing and controlling goods, vehicles and border residents has been maintained more closely, synchronously and effectively.

At the workshop, Mr. Nguyen Anh Son proposed that the two sides prioritize resources, promote the construction and connection of transport infrastructure between the two countries, and soon realize key transport route projects connecting border gates, warehouses, yards, and inspection and control systems; encourage the formation of logistics centers in border areas to reduce the cost of goods circulation. At the same time, encourage increased cooperation between localities of the two countries in improving border gate infrastructure, especially international border gate pairs with high traffic volume. In addition, actively research on connecting electronic data exchange systems at border gates, promote simplification of quarantine procedures, specialized inspection in the direction of openness, transparency and shortening the time for processing documents.

In addition, according to Mr. Son, it is necessary to organize propaganda programs, provide specific instructions on tariff incentives, rules of origin, and technical standards for key products; establish a focal point to support businesses in promptly resolving problems; encourage increased connectivity between businesses of the two countries through trade promotion conferences and policy exchange forums; promote trade promotion activities between the two countries to become more substantial and effective, and expand trade promotion programs in localities of the two countries, in order to increase the presence of goods of each side.

The two countries’ authorities need to increase information exchange, coordinate patrols and strictly handle smuggling and trade fraud cases. At the same time, they need to step up the application of surveillance technology at border gates and promote the role of local authorities and communities in detecting and preventing violations.

The most important and symbolic highlight of the workshop was the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) exchange ceremony on strategic cooperation in the field of logistics and distribution between Viet Lao AZ Joint Stock Company (Vietnam) and Hung-Aloun Logistics Company (Laos).

This signing not only opens a new chapter in business cooperation between the two enterprises, but is also a vivid demonstration of the commitments from the leaders of the two countries, demonstrating a strong transformation from policy guidelines into specific actions and economic cooperation opportunities, contributing to promoting the cross-border supply chain and consolidating the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/viet-nam-lao-thuc-day-hop-tac-thuong-mai-huong-toi-kim-ngach-5-ty-usd-post1076962.vnp