HCMC – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh arrived in Vientiane this morning, January 11, for his official visit to Laos at the invitation of his Lao counterpart Sonexay Siphandone.

This is his first Laos visit since he took office, the local media reported.

As part of his two-day visit, PM Chinh and his Lao counterpart will co-chair the 45th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-governmental Committee.

The visit will help strengthen the two countries’ multifaceted ties. During his visit, many cooperation agreements will be signed.

Vietnamese firms are involved in 238 operational projects in Laos with total pledged capital of US$5.34 billion, making Vietnam the third largest investor in Laos after China and Thailand.

As of November 2022, bilateral trade between Vietnam and Laos totaled US$1.5 billion. The two-way trade reached an estimated US$1.6 billion in 2022, up 20% year-on-year.