According to reports from Lao media, on December 3, 2025, Mr. Chanthong Sithiseth. The general manager and founder of Lao Petroleum Trading Company, during an interview with the media at the Lao-Vietnam Investment Promotion Conference, stated: The Lao-Vietnam railway construction project (from Vientiane to Yenam) is in line with the policies of the Lao and Vietnamese governments to enhance economic cooperation (including logistics). And it is also a strategic project for Laos to transform from an inland country to an integrated country and to promote trade and transportation, etc.
At present, the Lao side has completed 90% of the work related to fund raising. Surveying, research, design and environmental assessment. And plans to start construction in 2026. The Vietnamese side is currently in the economic and preliminary design stage and is expected to start construction in 2027 and complete it in 2030.
After the completion and opening of the Lao-Vietnam Railway project. It will greatly facilitate the travel of people from both Lao and Vietnam. Making the communication between the two countries more convenient, faster, and safer. It will also promote the transportation of goods between the two countries. Moreover, the Lao-Vietnam Railway will help strengthen the friendly relations. Special unity and comprehensive cooperation between Lao and Vietnam, and between the two peoples. This will enable the relations between the two countries to develop better and more stably and prosperously.
In 2025, the total registered investment by Vietnamese enterprises in Laos reached 6.21 billion US dollars. Ranking first among the 85 countries and regions where Vietnam conducts foreign investment. Additionally, the Vietnamese government continues to offer scholarships to Laos to assist in the training of officials and students. Currently, the number of Lao students studying at various universities in Vietnam has exceeded 10,000.
Both sides highly praised and congratulated the achievements made by the two parties of Vietnam and China. As well as the two countries and their people in the course of national development. They also highly evaluated the continuous maintenance of the highest level of mutual trust in the bilateral relations, and the regular exchanges and visits among delegations at all levels from the central to local governments.
Both sides expressed satisfaction with the recent cooperation achievements, particularly the state visit to Laos by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Mr. Su Lin, the outcomes of the 2026 annual meeting of the political committees of the two parties in Laos and Vietnam, the successful holding of the 48th meeting of the bilateral cooperation committee between the governments of Laos and Vietnam, as well as the various cooperation projects jointly completed by both sides.
