Việt Nam, Cambodia, Laos promote border trade connectivity

Việt Nam, Cambodia, Laos promote border trade connectivity

Authorities in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang, in coordination with the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MIT), hosted the Vietnam – Cambodia - Laos border trade connectivity conference on June 5.

At the Việt Nam – Cambodia - Laos border trade connectivity conference. —VNA/VNS Photo

Authorities in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang, in coordination with the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), hosted the Việt Nam – Cambodia - Laos border trade connectivity conference on June 5.

Faster trade flows

According to the MIT, economic corridors, international border gates, border gate economic zones, and cross-border logistics networks linking the three nations are deepening their role in moving goods and services and pulling in capital.

Cambodia ranks among Việt Nam's top ASEAN trading partners. Two-way trade hit nearly US$11.33 billion in 2025, an 11.7 per cent jump from a year earlier. A bilateral trade promotion pact signed for 2025-26 is opening door for border trade, logistics, supply chain links and market expansion. The two countries now target over $20 billion in bilateral trade in coming years.

For Laos, 2025 delivered upbeat signals on trade and economic cooperation. New mechanisms covering trade, energy, coal and power are fueling growth. The bilateral trading relationship draws support from the amended 2024 Việt Nam-Laos trade pact, a border trade agreement and deals on electricity and coal signed last year.

The Việt Nam-Laos trade structure is highly complementary. Việt Nam ships machinery and equipment, construction materials, consumer goods, petroleum and processed industrial products to Laos. In return, it buys electricity, coal, minerals, rubber, timber and a range of agricultural goods.

Fostering trade linkages

Bùi Quang Hưng, Deputy Director of the MoIT’s Việt Nam Trade Promotion Agency, said the ministry, together with relevant agencies, local authorities, and Việt Nam trade offices in Cambodia and Laos, has staged numerous trade fairs, exhibitions, business forums, trade connectivity conferences, and trade missions in recent years.

With the global economy in flux, he said the three countries need to modernise border trade management and operations to seize existing potential and embed themselves deeper in global value chains.

The MoIT will keep working with Vietnamese ministries and Cambodian and Lao authorities to build a friendlier trade environment, Hưng affirmed. At the same time, they'll step up administrative reforms, develop border trade infrastructure, logistics and cross-border e-commerce, and expand trade promotion while helping companies with digital transformation and green transition.

The Mekong Delta spans more than 40,500 sq.km, holds roughly 18 million people and shares a nearly 386km border with Cambodia, making it a key gateway to the Greater Mekong Sub-region. An Giang has emerged as a major agro-fisheries hub, with seaports and strategic trade hubs delivering maritime advantages and creating a seamless corridor to Cambodia and beyond.

Expanding cross-border supply chains

Lê Trung Hồ, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said An Giang shares a nearly 148-km land border and hosts the Vĩnh Xương, Tịnh Biên, and Hà Tiên international border gates, plus a seaport network and Phú Quốc International Airport. That makes it a major Mekong Delta logistics gateway linking to Phnom Penh and the Gulf of Thailand.

According to him, trade through the local border gates hit $1.287 billion in 2025, including $61.35 million in exports and 718 million  in imports. Key items include production materials, farm produce, seafood, rice, fertilisers, and consumer goods.

Ho Sivyong, Government Special Envoy and Director General of Trade Support Services under the Cambodian Ministry of Commerce, said Việt Nam and Cambodia need more investment in technical infrastructure and logistics systems at border gate areas, plus better links among regional logistics and trade hubs to cut cross-border transport costs.

He also stressed the importance of coordinated digital transformation in trade promotion, helping small and medium-sized enterprises access markets through cross-border e-commerce. In addition, he called for transnational agricultural and processing industry supply chains to lift product value.

Souksuan Vilayvong, Vice Secretary of the Champasak provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial Administration Committee, encouraged Vietnamese enterprises to scale up investment in Laos, particularly in Champasak, to tap local strengths and deepen regional economic integration.

On the occasion, An Giang authorities also invited firms from Cambodia, Laos, and around the world to invest in hi-tech and eco-friendly projects tied to green growth and digital transformation. The province pledges all possible support to investors while continuing to improve business climate and service quality, aiming to turn itself into a magnet for global and regional capital, they said. 

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