Vientiane (VNA) – The Vietnamese and Lao Ministries of Industry and Trade jointly organised a thematic seminar on promoting cross-border e-commerce betwཧeen the two countries in Vientiane on July 18.

The event aimed to strengthen digital economic cooperation and support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in adapting to the digital age. The seminar brought together policymakers, experts, and business leaders from both countries, marking a significant step toward realising the untapped potential of bilateral digital economic cooperation. Addressing the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Minh Tam highlighted the strategic significance of e-commerce within the context of the special Vietnam–Laos relationship. He emphasised that cross-border e-commerce offers the most direct and effective way for businesses, particularly SMEs, to access neighbouring markets, helping them overcome geographical and cost-related barriers. At the event, representatives from Vietnam and Laos emphasised the essential role of digital platforms, which are seen as the backbone of the e-commerce ecosystem. They also highlighted the significance of infrastructure in facilitating the smooth transport of goods between the two countries. Doan Xuan Huy, General Director of Global Investment, Connectivity and Technology Development Group (Globaltech Co. Ltd), expected to seek Lao partners at the seminar. He wants to transfer Vietnamese technologies and develop cross-border distribution chains, particularly for products under the One Commune One Product (OCOP) programme and traditional handicrafts. These would be introduced to the Lao market, with plans to expand further into Thailand and China via Laos as a transit hub. Huy also revealed that his company had already established initial connections with several potential Lao partners in the fields of logistics and digital platforms such as LaoApp, a product developed by Star Telecom (Unitel), a joint venture between Lao Asia Telecom and Vietnam’s Viettel Global JSC. Globaltech intends to integrate Vietnamese and Lao products via API connections on VIVINA, a national digital platform developed by the company, thereby contributing to a broader bilateral digital ecosystem.

Meanwhile, Happy Sisomphone, Director of Houng Aloun, a Lao express delivery company, praised the comprehensive and long-standing cooperation between Laos and Vietnam, viewing it as a valuable opportunity for enterprises to deepen their partnerships. He commended Vietnam’s dynamic economic growth and leading role in manufacturing in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and expressed admiration for the quality and export potential of Vietnamese goods. Houng Aloun can be a logistics bridge between the two countries, offering end-to-end services including warehousing and logistics in Laos and transport and distribution in Vietnam, he added. Speaking to Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Laos, Duong Thi My Binh of Vietnam–Lao AZ Joint Stock Company (VLCO), a representative of the organising board, said the event introduced a comprehensive “toolkit” of sale platforms, logistics solutions, and payment systems which are designed to help businesses, especially SMEs, navigate, connect, and establish full product delivery routes to one another’s markets. She noted that the seminar served not only as a professional forum but also as a foundation for stronger cooperation between Vietnamese and Lao enterprises in e-commerce, contributing to sustainable economic development in the digital era. A technological highlight of the event was the launching of Lamo, a new e-wallet solution expected to facilitate smooth cross-border payment flows between Vietnam and Laos./.