Laos, Vietnam boost cross-border exchange

Participants highlighted the effective trade cooperation between Vietnam and Laos and discussed measures to raise the two-way trade turnover.

In 2011, the bilateral trade turnover reached US$783.32 million, up 23 percent over the previous year.

The figure hit US$726.7 million in the first nine months of 2012, representing a year-on-year increase of over 15 percent.

The two countries are expected to record their trade turnover to US$1 billion by the end of this year, and raise the figure to US$2 billion in 2015.

Delegates stressed the need to promote border exchange, develop a border market network and build an overall plan on border trade management regulations.