[EVENT] - VIETNAM - LAOS INVESTMENT AND TRADE PROMOTION FORUM 2024

06/01/2025

On the morning of December 27, 2024, within the framework of the event "Laos - Vietnam Tourism, Culture and Trade Promotion Day 2024", the Vietnam - Laos Trade and Investment Promotion Forum 2024 was held. The program was sponsored by the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism of Laos and the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City. The Consulate General of the Lao PDR in Ho Chi Minh City coordinated with Indochina Holdings Trading Promotion Investment Joint Stock Company to organize the implementation.

Promote economic and trade cooperation.

Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, Mr. Vo Van Hoan, emphasized that Vietnam and Laos always attach importance to developing bilateral cooperation. Currently, Laos is Vietnam’s largest foreign investment market, owning 245 projects with a total registered capital of 5.5 billion USD. According to information from the Lao Ministry of Planning and Investment, Vietnam has invested in 417 projects in Laos, with a total value of more than 4.9 billion USD, focusing on areas such as agriculture, energy, mineral exploitation, and services.

Connecting businesses and enhancing collaboration for success

The Vietnam - Laos Trade and Investment Promotion Forum is a playground that provides a golden opportunity for businesses from both countries to exchange, share experiences, and seek potential partners. Mr. Vansy Kuamua, Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism of Laos, commented that this event is an important step forward in promoting bilateral relations and a foundation for the long-term development of economic activities between the two countries.

In addition to connecting businesses, Laos’ investment attraction policies have created many incentives to attract the attention of Vietnamese investors. The Investment Promotion Law of Laos offers attractive incentives such as exemption from corporate income tax, exemption from state land use rights transfer tax, and exemption from import tax on equipment that cannot be produced domestically. Thanks to these incentives, many Vietnamese businesses have actively exploited and expanded investment activities in Laos, enhancing their role in the bilateral cooperation problem.

Cooperation results and prospects

According to the Department of Planning and Investment of Ho Chi Minh City, the total investment capital of Laos in Ho Chi Minh City reached nearly 1.9 million USD, focusing on the wholesale and retail sectors. Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City has invested more than half a billion USD in Laos, mainly in the mining and processing industry. In the first 8 months of 2024, the import-export turnover between Ho Chi Minh City and Laos reached 1.8 million USD, of which the export value from Ho Chi Minh City to Laos accounted for the majority. The main export items include consumer goods, processed agricultural, and industrial products. The prospects for cooperation between the two sides promise many breakthroughs in the coming time thanks to the special attention from the governments and business communities of the two countries.

Future cooperation plan

In the coming time, the two sides are committed to actively implementing the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between Ho Chi Minh City and Lao localities for the period 2022-2025. Cooperation projects and programs will be promoted, thereby effectively exploiting the great potential of each side, creating a solid foundation for sustainable development.

The Vietnam - Laos Trade and Investment Promotion Forum 2024 is not only an important event but also a symbol of solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

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