MOIT VIETNAM | Vietnam–Laos Trade Surges to Nearly USD 1 Billion in Q1 2025

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Vietnam–Laos Trade Surges to Nearly USD 1 Billion in Q1 2025

15th June 2025 post by MOIT Vietnam

In the first quarter of 2025, two-way trade between Vietnam and Laos reached USD 980.1 million, marking an impressive 105.5% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

Vietnam’s exports to Laos were valued at USD 346.4 million, up 138.6% year-on-year, while imports from Laos totaled USD 633.6 million, an increase of 91.1%.

Vietnam and Laos share more than 2,300 km of land border, spanning 10 provinces in each country. This border lies along the strategically important East–West Economic Corridor, offering vast potential for trade and investment cooperation.

Along this shared border, the two countries have established a comprehensive network of checkpoints, including nine international border gates, six main border gates, 18 auxiliary checkpoints, and 27 designated border-crossing points.

In 2015, the two sides signed the Vietnam–Laos Border Trade Agreement, initially effective until 2018 and later extended to the end of 2024. A new Vietnam–Laos Bilateral Trade Agreement was signed on April 8, 2024, and officially took effect on February 24, 2025. In addition, on January 9, 2025, the Minister of Industry and Trade of Vietnam and the Minister of Energy and Mines of Laos co-signed a new agreement on coal and electricity trade, which took effect immediately upon signing.

On the investment front, Vietnamese enterprises have implemented 267 projects in Laos, with total registered capital of USD 5.7 billion. Of this, approximately USD 2.8 billion has been disbursed. Many of these projects are operating effectively, making a substantial contribution to Laos’ socio-economic development and further strengthening the long-standing friendship and cooperation between the two countries.