New impetus to promote Vietnam - Laos cooperation
President Luong Cuong is set to pay a State visit to Laos from April 24-25 at the invitation of General Secretary of the Laos People's Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith.
This is also an opportunity for two sides to discuss measures to promote special solidarity relationship between Vietnam and Laos to develop in depth, more substantially and more effectively in all fields, bringing prosperity to the people of each country, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.
In fact, Vietnam and Laos are geographically close, have advantages in convenient transportation, as well as cultural and consumer closeness.
The two countries share a border of more than 2,300 km long, passing through administrative boundaries of 10 provinces and cities of each side, an area with development potential and a strategic position on the East-West economic corridor. The entire Vietnam - Laos border has 9 international border gates, 6 main border gates, 18 secondary border gates and 27 openings and has established 9 border gate economic zones...
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Recently, trade between Vietnam and Laos has had new driving forces to promote growth.
Notably, at the 47th meeting of Intergovernmental Committee held in January 2025 in Vientiane, Laos, two sides signed four cooperation documents including: Minutes of the 47th meeting of Vietnam - Laos Intergovernmental Committee; Agreement on Cooperation Plan between Government of Vietnam and Government of Laos in 2025; Agreement between Government of Vietnam and the Government of Laos on coal and electricity trading; Cooperation Plan for 2025 between Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam and Ministry of Education and Sports of Laos and awarded 13 investment certificates and licenses worth about 1.8 billion USD.
Currently, Vietnam has 267 investment projects in Laos, with a total registered capital of 5.63 billion USD and accumulated realized capital to date has reached about 2.8 billion USD. Investment cooperation has changed positively, with registered investment capital to Laos in 2024 reaching 191.1 million USD.
Not only that, Vietnam and Laos have signed an Agreement on Coal and Electricity Purchase and Sale, completed framework for local currency payments and bilateral retail payment connections, etc.
These are important legal bases for two sides to continue to coordinate and effectively implement committed agreements on cooperation in coal and electricity purchase and sale in the coming time; as well as facilitate trade, commerce and financial needs of businesses and people of the two countries, especially in border areas.
Assessing trade cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in 2024, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien said that in 2024, trade turnover between two countries is estimated to reach 2.2 billion USD, an increase of about 34% compared to 2023.
"This is the first time that bilateral trade turnover between the two countries has exceeded 2 billion USD mark, far exceeding target set by the two governments" - the Minister informed and emphasized that this result is a clear demonstration of tireless efforts of the Government, functional agencies and businesses of both countries.
Notably, data from Vietnam Customs shows that in the first 3 months of 2025, two-way trade turnover reached 980.1 million USD, an increase of 105.5% over the same period last year. Of which, Vietnam's exports to Laos reached 346.4 million USD, up 138.6% and imports from Laos reached 633.6 million USD, up 91.1%.
Contributing to these results, in recent times, Ministry of Industry and Trade has directed units within the Ministry to promote trade promotion activities and trade connections. Vietnam Trade Office in Laos said that to promote trade cooperation between the two countries, the office has coordinated with the Trade Promotion Agency (Ministry of Industry and Trade) to promote annual trade promotion programs to create opportunities for connections between localities of the two countries.
Notably, Vietnam - Laos Expo Trade Fair is held in the third quarter of each year. This is an important national trade promotion program connecting trade, free booths, helping business communities of the two countries have opportunity to exchange and sign many business cooperation contracts.
Vietnam - Laos trade could reach 5 - 10 billion USD
Trade cooperation between Vietnam and Laos is developing very well, however, this result is still not commensurate with potential and special relationship between the two Parties and the two States.
To exploit potential of trade cooperation, the two countries need to promote effective implementation of trade cooperation commitments that the two sides have participated in. At the same time, promote organization of trade activities, connecting businesses of the two countries such as business forums, business connection conferences, trade fairs, trade promotion forums, market information seminars.
Notably, two sides need to promote cooperation in developing Vietnam - Laos border trade infrastructure, because border trade cooperation plays a very important role in trade between the two countries. Currently, the border trade turnover between Vietnam and Laos accounts for more than 90% of the total trade turnover of the two countries.
To realize above goals, Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Minh Tam said that the policy of senior leaders of the two Parties and two countries on creating a breakthrough in economic, investment and trade cooperation is to connect and complement the two economies to match the extremely good political, defense and security cooperation relationship.
“Laos is encouraging and attracting Vietnamese enterprises to invest in industries and fields where Laos has potential and strengths; and giving priority to cooperation in clean energy, digital transformation, clean agriculture, promoting trade, expanding the market for goods consumption...” - Ambassador Nguyen Minh Tam informed.
At the same time, we believe that although in 2024, bilateral trade turnover between Vietnam and Laos has exceeded the historical milestone of over 2 billion USD, but with the overall good relationship between the two countries as well as determination of the senior leaders of the two Parties and the two countries and proactive and active participation of ministries, branches, localities and enterprises of the two countries, economic, investment and trade cooperation between Vietnam and Laos can reach 5 - 10 billion USD in the coming years.

Source: Vitic/ congthuong.vn