Enhancing economic and trade cooperation efficiency

Implementing directives from the leadership of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Laos, particularly the outcomes of the ministerial meeting held on March 20 in Hanoi, working groups under the Coordination Committee for Cooperation between the two ministries convened technical-level meetings from April 8 to 10 in Vientiane, Laos.

The meetings aimed to agree on the detailed implementation plan for cooperation activities in 2026, contributing to the achievement of bilateral trade exceeding USD 4 billion by 2026 and reaching USD 10 billion by 2030.

Prior to the technical sessions, the Vietnamese delegation paid a courtesy visit and reported to the Lao Minister of Industry and Commerce on the objectives, content, and working program of the meetings. The Lao minister welcomed both sides’ proactive implementation of high-level directives through the working group mechanism, and called for stronger coordination between relevant units, with a focus on practical and immediately implementable areas of cooperation, thereby improving the effectiveness of economic and trade collaboration between the two countries.

This was the first technical-level meeting of the Coordination Committee since its establishment in March 2026, with participation from representatives of five working groups and relevant agencies and enterprises from both countries.

Over the three-day working session, the working groups engaged in intensive, urgent, and effective discussions, focusing on substantive exchanges across key sectors, including electricity, oil and gas and energy infrastructure, industry, industrial zones and mining, trade promotion and market connectivity, and general coordination.

The discussions were conducted in a practical manner, aimed at addressing specific implementation challenges, removing bottlenecks, and clearly defining tasks and next steps.

Promoting bilateral trade growth

At noon on April 10, 2026, both sides signed the meeting minutes and approved the 2026 Action Plan of the Coordination Committee, which outlines specific tasks by sector, along with clear designation of lead agencies, coordination mechanisms, implementation timelines, and expected deliverables.

Based on the technical discussions, both sides agreed to implement key task groups aimed at promoting bilateral trade growth, focusing on high-potential sectors such as energy, manufacturing, border trade, and infrastructure connectivity.

In the electricity sector, the two sides will continue to review Lao power projects intended for export to Vietnam, while also studying and assessing grid connection options, including a proposed 500kV interconnection scheme, ensuring alignment with the power development plans of both countries. The process will be coordinated with relevant entities such as the Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) and Electricité du Laos (EDL) to evaluate feasibility and report to competent authorities.

In the oil, gas, and energy infrastructure sector, both sides agreed to study the development of a master plan for fuel storage and supply systems in Laos, promote business linkages in fuel supply between the two countries, and explore energy infrastructure projects as well as appropriate distribution system development models.

In industry and mining, the two sides agreed to conduct surveys and research on the development of industrial zones for mineral processing in Laos, linked to extraction activities and value chain development, while reviewing existing projects and promoting industrial linkages between the two countries.

In trade promotion and market connectivity, both sides agreed on a plan to organize trade promotion activities in 2026, including fairs, exhibitions, and business matchmaking events; promote cross-border trade and cross-border e-commerce; and study the establishment of a Vietnamese Trade Promotion Office in Laos. They will also strengthen logistics connectivity and trade infrastructure.

In addition, both sides agreed on a technical coordination mechanism, including clearly designated focal points for each working group, regular information exchange, and periodic meetings to ensure the continuous, synchronized, and effective implementation of cooperation activities.

A number of images from the working sessions of the Vietnam - Laos working groups were also released.

The meeting helped concretize high-level directives into specific, time-bound, and clearly structured tasks, laying an important foundation for agencies and units of both countries to coordinate implementation in 2026 and subsequent phases, towards enhancing economic, trade, and energy cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.