On the afternoon of January 9, in Vientiane (Laos), Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone co-chaired the Vietnam - Laos Investment Cooperation Conference 2025 with the theme "Promoting sustainable development and prosperity".
This is the opening event of 2025, conveying the message and determination of the two governments to the business community on improving the practical effectiveness of economic-trade-investment cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in 2025 and the next period.
Vietnam-Laos investment cooperation is also an important content that the two Prime Ministers discussed and agreed upon at the 47th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee on the same morning.
According to the Government Portal, speaking at the conference, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone affirmed that the Lao Government always actively promotes investment by Vietnamese enterprises in industries and fields that are in line with the plan and prioritize economic development. The Lao Government has considered applying a number of specific policies to encourage Vietnamese enterprises to invest.
Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone called on Vietnamese and Lao enterprises to explore cooperation and investment opportunities in various fields, especially promoting cooperation in developing industrial zones to enhance deep processing of Lao raw materials, based on Vietnam’s experience in developing industrial zones such as the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP). Developing clean energy, wind energy, etc. are also areas that encourage investment.
Sharing with delegates, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh praised the efforts of businesses of the two countries in recent times, achieving positive cooperation results, contributing to the development of Vietnam and Laos, bringing practical benefits to the people of the two countries. The governments of the two countries have also made great efforts, many problems in long-standing projects in recent years have been resolved completely.
However, economic cooperation is still not commensurate with the distinct potential, outstanding opportunities, and competitive advantages of the two sides. Therefore, agencies and localities need to be more determined, act together more resolutely and actively, and remove barriers and bottlenecks in terms of institutions, laws, mechanisms, and policies on taxes, procedures, fees, and charges.
Along with that, promote the connection of soft infrastructure and transport infrastructure, especially promote the projects of Hanoi - Vientiane expressway, Vung Ang - Vientiane railway, Vung Ang port 1, 2, 3...
At the same time, promote supply chain connectivity, business connectivity between the two countries and with third countries, promote the strengths of each side such as Laos has strengths in raw materials, Vietnam has deep processing capacity, and has a wide open export market.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hopes that enterprises that have invested in industrial parks in Vietnam will study and develop Vietnam-Laos industrial parks.
"Special relationships must have special mechanisms and treatments, from heart to heart, helping you is helping yourself. What comes from the heart will touch the heart" - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sincerely expressed.
According to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Vietnamese enterprises cooperating and investing in Laos are investing in Vietnam; conversely, Lao enterprises producing and doing business in Vietnam are also producing and doing business for Laos.
"The interests of the two countries are also the interests of our businesses. Our investment and business are not only about profit but also about affection and responsibility, and gratitude to previous generations," said the Prime Minister.
