Hanoi, December 3, 2025 – The Europe Today: Businesses have been identified as the principal driving force in boosting economic, trade, and investment cooperation between Việtnam and Laos, Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính affirmed at the Việtnam–Laos Investment Promotion Forum held on Wednesday in Laos.
Prime Minister Chính co-chaired the forum with his Lao counterpart Sonexay Siphandone. Addressing more than 500 participants from both countries, he underscored that every initiative and proposal from the business community must be valued and effectively utilized to create new momentum for deepening strategic economic cooperation.
The forum took place shortly after the conclusion of the 48th meeting of the Việt Nam–Laos Intergovernmental Committee earlier the same day. Discussions focused on measures to implement major orientations for bilateral economic, trade, and investment cooperation in 2026 and the subsequent five-year period.
Lao Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith presented an overview of Laos’ investment environment and incentive policies, while Vietnamese Finance Minister Nguyễn Văn Thắng outlined key cooperation priorities for the coming year.
Businesses from both countries highlighted significant opportunities for collaboration across multiple sectors, including power generation, rubber production, agricultural processing, chemicals, and mining. Major cross-border transport projects also featured prominently in the discussions, especially the proposed Hà Nội–Vientiane expressway and the Vũng Áng–Vientiane railway.
Việt Nam currently ranks as the second-largest foreign investor in Laos, which remains the top destination for Vietnamese overseas investment among 85 countries and territories. To date, Việt Nam has invested more than US$6.21 billion in Laos. In the first 11 months of 2025 alone, Vietnamese investment reached over $590.3 million, representing a 7.5-fold increase compared to the same period last year.
Prime Minister Chính noted that many Vietnamese-funded projects in Laos are operating effectively, contributing substantially to Laos’ socio-economic development. These projects have created employment for hundreds of thousands of workers and bring approximately $200 million annually to the Lao budget.
Two-way trade reached an estimated $2.6 billion in the first 11 months of 2025, marking a 50.4% year-on-year increase — the highest growth rate ever recorded.
Stressing that enterprise success directly contributes to national development, PM Chính emphasized the goal of making businesses the central driver of bilateral economic, trade, and investment ties.
“The development of enterprises is the development of the two countries. When businesses succeed, the two countries succeed,” he said, reaffirming Việt Nam’s commitment to creating the most favorable conditions for investors.
He urged both sides to prioritize strategic infrastructure connectivity, particularly links to Việt Nam’s Vũng Áng and Cửa Lò ports. He also encouraged Vietnamese enterprises — including Viettel, Petrovietnam, EVN, Vinamilk, THACO, and TH True Milk — to expand their activities in Laos, while noting that Việt Nam welcomes Lao investors.
PM Chính reiterated the two countries’ ambition to increase bilateral trade to $5 billion annually in the near term, with a longer-term target of $10 billion.
Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone affirmed his government’s commitment to supporting Vietnamese investors, particularly in power, transport infrastructure, high-tech agriculture, tourism, finance, and banking. He emphasized Laos’ priorities, including cross-border railways and expressways, industrial zones, mineral processing, and carbon credit development.
The Lao leader added that Laos will continue improving its legal framework, streamlining administrative procedures, promoting digital transformation, and strengthening public-private partnerships to establish a more transparent and investor-friendly environment.
At the forum, businesses from both countries signed nine cooperation agreements covering various sectors, reinforcing the strong momentum in Việt Nam–Laos economic relations.
