Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith chairs a meeting of the Laos-Vietnam Cooperation Committee.

Laos, Vietnam chart shared development path

Cooperation between Laos and Vietnam over the years 2026-2030 will aim to achieve new standards in quality and efficiency, to bring tangible benefits to the peoples of both nations.
This was the main message delivered at a meeting of the Ministry of Finance’s Laos-Vietnam Cooperation Committee, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith.
The meeting was organised to publicise the decisions made at the 48th meeting of the Laos-Vietnam Bilateral Cooperation Committee on March 19.
Mr Saleumxay stressed the importance of continuing to effectively implement cooperation plans agreed upon by the two governments, as well as directives from senior leaders, with the aim of fulfilling shared development goals.
He called on ministries, other government agencies, organisations and local authorities to actively work towards the stated goals of the 2026-2030 cooperation agreement.
The first of these is to deepen political relations to an even greater level so they have more effective outcomes. This can be achieved through regular and meaningful meetings between the two parties and states to share both theoretical and practical information, and lessons learned on Party building and strengthening political systems.
A second goal is to strengthen overall cooperation so that annual cooperation plans agreed to between the Lao and Vietnamese ministries of National Defence and Public Security are fulfilled; coordinate in protecting the Laos-Vietnam border to ensure peace, stability and friendship; and combat transnational crime and other security challenges to build a solid foundation for an environment of peace, stability, and sustainable development in each country.
Thirdly, regarding economic cooperation, the two countries will aim for breakthroughs in shared trade, investment, and infrastructure development, making these a pillar of their strategic partnership, commensurate with the importance of the Laos-Vietnam special relationship.
This will focus on increased connectivity between the two economies in terms of institutions, transportation infrastructure, energy and logistics, telecommunications, tourism, and more.
Fourthly, joint efforts will aim to improve cooperation in education and training for the development of human capital, as well as increasing cultural and people-to-people links.
Fifth, concerning detailed cooperation programmes and projects, ministries, other government bodies and local authorities will review the progress made in fulfilling signed high-level agreements and bilateral cooperation agreements.
Sixth, government bodies must work towards all of the directives spelled out in Notice 100/PM.
The value of Laos-Vietnam trade is increasing every year and is estimated to have reached about US$3 billion in 2025.
In terms of investment, Vietnamese state-owned enterprises have invested in 276 projects in Laos, with total registered capital of US$6.21 billion, with Laos ranking first among the 85 countries in the region in which Vietnam has invested.
Many of the Vietnamese government’s endeavours in Laos are operating effectively, actively contributing to socio-economic development, creating jobs, and adding to the incomes of thousands of workers.
These investments are also a source of revenue for the Lao state, especially in the fields of telecommunications, banking, crop cultivation, processing of rubber, and the production and processing of cereals, food, milk, and other items.
The focus is mainly on quality projects that support sustainable development in fields where Laos has strong potential, mainly clean energy, mining, and agriculture.
In addition, the two sides have jointly sought to identify ways to ensure cooperation and investment between the two countries is easily manageable and flexible.
Of particular note are investments in the field of wind energy, such as the Truong Son and Savan 1 wind energy projects, which have yielded satisfactory results.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update March 23, 2026 )