Mr Thongloun Sisoulith (left) shakes hands with the Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, Mr Wang Hao, during their meeting in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, on June 2.

President seeks more investment from China’s Zhejiang province

Party Secretary General and State President Thongloun Sisoulith has encouraged businesses from China’s Zhejiang Province to explore investment opportunities in Laos across tourism, agro-processing, and other high-potential sectors as the two sides seek to deepen economic cooperation.
The Lao leader extended this encouragement during a courtesy visit from the Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, Mr Wang Hao, in Hangzhou on Monday, as part of his state visit to China scheduled for June 2–6.
President Thongloun said Laos welcomed greater involvement from Zhejiang businesses and proposed stronger economic cooperation to unlock new opportunities, leveraging the Laos-China Railway.
He encouraged companies in the province to expand investment in tourism, agricultural product processing and other sectors where both sides have strong potential.
The Lao leader expressed his pleasure at visiting Hangzhou, describing it as a highly developed city with attractive historical and scenic tourist attractions that showcase Zhejiang Province’s strengths in economic and social development.
During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on socio-economic development in Laos and Zhejiang Province.
They spoke highly of the long-standing friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Laos and China in line with the “4 Goods” principle of good neighbours, friends, comrades, and partners, and the Laos-China community with a shared future, saying the relationship had delivered tangible benefits to the people of both countries.
They also reviewed past cooperation between Laos and Zhejiang Province, noting steady growth in trade and investment since the establishment of the Zhejiang Chamber of Commerce in Laos in 2013.
The leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation across a range of sectors and make greater use of the Laos-China Railway to improve connectivity, trade, and people-to-people links through more channels.
According to data from the Kunming Group, the railway had operated more than 100,000 passenger train journeys as of June 1, carrying over 73 million passengers. Of these, more than 840,000 were cross-border travellers from over 120 countries and regions.
The railway has become an important trade route between Laos, China and neighbouring countries. Freight volume on the line has exceeded 84 million tonnes, including more than 19 million tonnes of cross-border cargo.
The meeting took place as economic ties between Laos and China continue to grow. The value of bilateral trade reached US$9.82 billion in 2025, an increase of 19.3 percent compared to the previous year, reflecting strong momentum in commerce between the two countries, CGTN reported.
China remains the largest source of foreign investment in Laos, with Chinese businesses investing in a wide range of sectors, from major infrastructure and industrial projects to community-level development initiatives. These investments have played an important role in supporting Laos’ economic growth. This year marks the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Laos and China. Over the decades, cooperation has expanded beyond traditional sectors such as trade, investment and infrastructure to include emerging fields such as the digital economy, advanced technology, and green energy.
President Thongloun thanked the Chinese Party, government and people, especially the leadership of Zhejiang Province, for their long-standing support and assistance to Laos, which he said had contributed significantly to the country’s socio-economic development.
He also invited Mr Wang Hao to visit Laos at a mutually convenient time.
Mr Wang Hao welcomed President Thongloun and his delegation, saying the visit was an important step in strengthening the friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
He expressed his readiness to promote greater cooperation in trade, investment, tourism and other sectors between Zhejiang Province and Laos. He also accepted President Thongloun’s invitation to visit Laos in the future.
On the same day, President Thongloun and his delegation visited Hangzhou Yunshengshu Technology Co., Ltd. and the Alibaba Group, highlighting the growing importance of innovation and digital development in cooperation between Laos and China.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update June 4, 2026)