Vientiane Times

Minister of Public Works and Transport, Mr Leklay Sivilay (right), welcomes representatives of Chinese companies. –Photo Vientiane Mai newspaper

Chinese firms eye investment opportunities in Laos

A delegation representing 12 Chinese companies is exploring investment opportunities in Laos as the country seeks to build on expanding development ties to attract fresh investment.
Potential fields for development opportunities include construction, energy, mining, digital technology, and finance.
Minister of Public Works and Transport, Mr Leklay Sivilay, briefed the Chinese delegation on progress in Laos’ overall socio-economic development.
The two sides discussed the national transport master plan, progress towards construction of the Laos-Vietnam railway, investment in real estate development, the Smart City development plan, urban infrastructure, and the use of new technologies and cooperation in production processes.
The visit signals growing investor interest in Laos as large-scale development projects continue to advance and economic cooperation between Laos and China expands.
Background cooperation also provides support for the investment outlook. A recent meeting of the Laos-China Cooperation Committee reported progress in grant projects and investment cooperation, with six grant projects worth more than CNY 869 million successfully monitored and promoted, while 11 projects worth more than CNY one billion are under implementation.
China continues to rank first in foreign direct investment in Laos, with accumulated investment valued at about US$16 billion by the end of 2025.
Development schemes, including a solar energy project in Oudomxay province and the installation of a high-voltage power transmission line linking the two countries, have also moved forward.
The Laos-China railway continues to support connectivity and trade. By the end of 2025, the railway had carried 11.771 million passengers, including 3.923 million passengers in 2025, while 16.654 million tons of freight was transported, including 5.508 million tons in 2025.
The value of trade between Laos and China reached US$8.8 billion from January to November 2025, up 19 percent compared to the same period in 2024.
Laos exported more than US$4.9 billion worth of goods to China, an increase of 21.1 percent, while the value of imports from China exceeded US$3.8 billion, up by 16.3 percent.
Discussions with the visiting Chinese firms centred on closer cooperation in infrastructure development, digital transformation, and enhanced production.
The visit is expected to open the door to further opportunities for cooperation and investment in priority sectors linked to Laos’ long-term development plans.

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