Investment minister inspects projects in southern Laos
Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung inspected the construction of and assessed challenges facing several Vietnamese-invested projects in southern Laos on August 7-8.
Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung (second from left) visits the proposed site for the Kaleum Coal Fired Power Plant (Photo: Ministry of Planning and Investment)
Vientiane (VNA) – Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung inspected the construction of and assessed challenges facing several Vietnamese-invested projects in southern Laos on September 7-8.
On September 7, he visited the Kaleum coal mine operated by Phonesack company and the proposed site for the Kaleum Coal Fired Power Plant now being developed in Sekong province.
The mine's current maximum annual capacity is about 20 million tonnes, of which 3 million tonnes are sold to Vietnam.
The Petrovietnam Power Corporation (PV Power) is seeking lending partners to invest in the project and participate in its management, operation, and maintenance. Construction on the 4.06-billion-USD project is expected to begin in April 2025, and its first turbine is hoped to become operational in January 2028.
In the afternoon, the minister visited a bauxite mining and alumina processing complex, one of Vietnam’s largest projects in Laos, of Viet Phuong Group in Sekong’s Dakcheung district. The total projected investment is about 1 billion USD, and exports are expected to begin in the second quarter of 2026.
Thanking the Vietnam-Laos and Laos-Vietnam Cooperation Committees for their support, the group’s leader proposed the Lao Ministry of Planning and Investment facilitate the implementation of the Lakmang Thermal Power Plant project, with a capacity of approximately 600 MW, to supply electricity for alumina processing. This project is also intended to create a value chain from coal and bauxite ore to alumina and aluminum.
Minister Dung expressed his hope t🐲hat local authorities will create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese business and the project will becom🀅e a symbol for the two countries’ relations in all fields./.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received visiting Lao Minister of Planning and Investment and Chairman of the Laos-Vietnam Cooperation Committee Phet Phomphiphak in Hanoi on August 19.
Vietnamese leading investors like Vingroup, TH Group, FPT, and Vinamilk have affirmed their intention to continue expanding their investments abroad in the coming time, given their effective business activities in the host countries.
Vietnam’s overseas investment approximated 150.7 million USD in the first seven months of 2024, reported the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) under the Ministry of Planning and Investment.
According to Mastercard data, Vietnam has recorded a remarkable 92% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in contactless transaction volume from Q4 2022 to Q4 2024.
Tuan expressed his confidence that LH, with its expertise and experience, would swiftly implement the urban area project, contributing to a modern urban landscape for the province.
With its strategic location, abundant workforce, and modern infrastructure, Vietnam holds significant potential to become a leading centre for power and electronics production in the region and the world.
The renewable energy workforce training and development centre, invested by Germany's GEO Group, is expected to be a cornerstone in shaping Binh Dinh as a renewable energy and innovation hub in central Vietnam, meeting the growing demand for skilled technical personnel in offshore wind, solar farms, and green hydrogen projects.
A notable trend is the shift toward satellite regions. With land scarcity and soaring prices in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, investors are eyeing provinces like Hung Yen, Bac Ninh, and Hai Phong, which are benefiting from improved technical infrastructure and transport connectivity.
To further strengthen private-sector innovation, Bac Ninh plans to accelerate administrative reforms, build a digital, service-oriented government, and develop an integrated innovation ecosystem that connects businesses with domestic and international institutions, universities, and experts.
The participation of H&M, one of the world's largest fashion corporations, in Vietnam International Sourcing 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City in early September is considered a special highlight, opening up many cooperation opportunities for Vietnamese businesses in the fashion, textiles and sustainable supply chains.
This latest order builds on a previous agreement signed at the Singapore Airshow last year for 40 engines, bringing the total number of Trent 7000 engines ordered by the airline to 80.
Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien acknowledged that despite concerted efforts by ministries and local authorities in combating fake and substandard goods, the situation remains highly complicated, attributing the persistent challenges to high profits luring numerous participants, increasingly sophisticated violations, limited resources within enforcement agencies.
The group also placed among the Top 5 energy companies in Southeast Asia and secured the top spot among the largest Vietnamese enterprises featured on the list.
The zone will cover 1,881 ha, comprising functional areas for production, logistics, trade and services, digital technology industry, information technology, and innovation.
Dung underlined several key objectives, including a comprehensive review of the legal framework governing SOEs, and called for updates that reflect international standards and support modern, transparent governance.
While the US market has become more difficult to access due to new tax policies, Australia could play the role of a trade cushion, helping to reduce shocks and maintain export momentum for Vietnam's shrimp industry.
Vietnam Cycle Expo 2025 will coincide with the Vietnam Sport Show 2025, an international exhibition on sports and outdoor entertainment, expected to attract more than 20,000 visitors in the three-day event.
Despite global economic uncertainties, Binh Duong has maintained strong momentum in both exports and industrial production during the first half of 2025.
