VIENTIANE: Lao and Chinese government and business representatives last week met for in-depth talks on cooperation in industry, regional development, and plans for the Thatluang Lake Specific Economic Zone (SEZ) in Vientiane.
Senior Lao government officials, a high-level delegation of Chinese entrepreneurs, and experts from the China Academy of Urban Economics, convened in Vientiane to discuss development plans.
Chen Guangbiao, Chairman of Jiangsu Huangpu Renewable Resources Utilization Co., Ltd., led the delegation of top Chinese entrepreneurs in a high-level dialogue with the Lao government and experts at the Thatluang Summit and Investment Forum.
The Summit and Forum, held last Thursday at the Pullman Hotel in the Thatluang Lake SEZ, was co-hosted by the Thatluang Lake SEZ and the China Entrepreneurs Club (CEC).
The visit to Laos by more than 90 influential Chinese business leaders represented a milestone in China-Laos economic engagement.
The delegation included chairpersons of listed companies, heads of industrial groups, leaders of “Little Giant” specialised enterprises, and seasoned overseas investors.
This was the largest, most structured, and most influential entrepreneurial mission to Southeast Asia ever organised by the CEC, representing a shift from scattered investment attempts towards a coordinated model of “Capital + Industry + Operation”.
Lao authorities outlined their stance on SEZ development, with the Head of the Vientiane Investment Promotion and Management Committee Office, Mr Thanongxay Khoutphaythoune, giving a detailed briefing on the functions, industrial positioning, tax incentives, and investment procedures around SEZs in Vientiane.
He highlighted the Thatluang Lake Special Economic Zone as the most multi-functional in the city’s SEZ system, describing it as an urban core set to host business events, provide modern services, and foster tourism and cross-border commerce.
Professor Fu Huayang, Deputy Director of the China Academy of Urban Economics, said the China-Laos Railway has reshaped regional logistics and reduced cross-border costs.
Mainland Southeast Asia remains an open, fast-growing, “quasi-blue-ocean” market, he said, with Vientiane holding a geometric-centre position connecting six ASEAN countries.
Improved tax incentives, multi-currency flows, and optimised investment policies will create new advantages for Chinese companies, he added.
“The next 5-10 years will be a decisive window for Chinese enterprises to position themselves in Mainland Southeast Asia,” Professor Fu said.
The Thatluang Lake Special Economic Zone, operated by Chinese developers as a primary land developer, is responsible for land preparation, infrastructure, and urban function planning.
It also provides coordinated policy support and full-process investment services, functioning more like an integrated urban investment and development operator than a traditional industrial park.
During the Summit, top Lao government officials and the SEZ management joined the CEC delegation in witnessing Chen Guangbiao’s donation of RMB10 million worth of medical and general consumer goods to Laos.
Combining golf resorts, trade and exhibition centres, cross-border logistics, education, and healthcare projects, the Special Economic Zone aims to create a city-level demonstration zone of China-Laos cooperation. - Vientiane Times/ANN
