Minister Le Manh Hung accompanies Prime Minister on official visits to Laos and Cambodia to advance economic, trade and energy cooperation

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung’s official visits to Laos and Cambodia took place from 8 to 10 October 2026, at the invitations of Lao Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. These were Prime Minister Le Minh Hung’s first official visits to the two countries in his capacity as head of the Vietnamese Government, underscoring Viet Nam’s high regard for and priority given to relations with Laos and Cambodia. The visits also aimed to advance the implementation of high-level agreements and commitments, bringing economic, trade and investment cooperation to greater depth, substance and effectiveness.

Promoting economic and trade cooperation and energy infrastructure connectivity between Viet Nam and Laos

During the official visit to Laos from 8 to 9 October 2026, Minister Le Manh Hung participated in activities of the Vietnamese Government’s high-level delegation in the capital, Vientiane.

On 8 October, the Minister attended the official welcoming ceremony for Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, hosted by Lao Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith, as well as the talks between the two Prime Ministers and the ceremony for the exchange of cooperation documents between the two countries. The Minister also took part in other key diplomatic engagements of the high-level delegation, including meetings with Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith and Lao National Assembly President Sonexay Siphandone. He also attended the Viet Nam - Laos Investment Promotion Conference, co-chaired by the two Prime Ministers, and other activities on the visit’s programme.

Minister Le Manh Hung and leaders of ministries and agencies accompany Prime Minister Le Minh Hung at a meeting with Lao National Assembly President Sonexay Siphandone. Photo: chinhphu.vn/Nhat Bac

During the high-level engagements, the two countries reaffirmed their determination to further deepen the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion between Viet Nam and Laos. Economic, trade and investment cooperation, together with infrastructure connectivity, were identified as areas requiring further substantive progress.

One of the key industry and trade priorities during the visit was the promotion of energy cooperation. The two countries continued to prioritise electricity trading, transmission infrastructure development, coal and mineral extraction and supply, processing industries, border trade and market connectivity. They also promoted cooperation in developing petroleum supply infrastructure between Viet Nam and Laos.

In addition, the two sides continued to coordinate the implementation of signed agreements and arrangements in trade, promote import-export activities, address difficulties facing businesses, strengthen trade and logistics infrastructure connectivity, and work towards higher bilateral trade targets.

Strengthening the Viet Nam - Cambodia trade framework towards the USD 20 billion target

Following the visit to Laos, on 9 October 2026, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and the Vietnamese high-level delegation, including Minister of Industry and Trade Le Manh Hung, arrived in Phnom Penh to begin an official visit to the Kingdom of Cambodia from 9 to 10 October 2026.

During the visit, Minister Le Manh Hung participated in the delegation’s high-level diplomatic activities, including the official welcoming ceremony hosted by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, talks between the two Prime Ministers, the exchange of cooperation documents, and other important engagements on the programme.

The visit took place as economic and trade relations between Viet Nam and Cambodia continued to develop positively. Viet Nam is currently Cambodia’s third-largest trading partner worldwide and its largest trading partner within ASEAN.

Minister Le Manh Hung accompanies Prime Minister Le Minh Hung at talks with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. Photo: chinhphu.vn/Nhat Bac

In 2025, bilateral trade reached USD 11.3 billion, an increase of 11.7% compared with 2024. In the first eight months of 2026, two-way trade totalled USD 8.7 billion, up 8.3% year on year.

The two countries are actively implementing measures to promote trade, strengthen supply chain connectivity, develop border trade, improve logistics infrastructure and facilitate business activities, with the aim of raising bilateral trade turnover to USD 20 billion at an early date.

One of the notable outcomes of the visit was the exchange by Minister of Industry and Trade Le Manh Hung, on behalf of Viet Nam, of two important cooperation documents with Cambodia.

First, the Agreement on the Promotion of Bilateral Trade between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and the Royal Government of Cambodia for 2027 - 2028. The Agreement builds on bilateral trade promotion arrangements implemented by the two countries in previous years, helping maintain and maximise trade preferences for goods originating from each country.

In particular, this cooperation framework facilitates the import and export of certain agricultural products, including Cambodian rice and unprocessed tobacco leaves. It also contributes to promoting border trade and strengthening production and processing linkages between businesses in the two countries. The signing of the Agreement for 2027 - 2028 is of practical significance in maintaining continuity in preferential trade policies and providing a stable and favourable environment for businesses in both countries to develop production and business plans and expand their markets.

Second, the Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of the Viet Nam - Cambodia Joint Trade Committee. This document is important in establishing a bilateral trade cooperation mechanism at ministerial level, co-chaired by the Minister of Industry and Trade of Viet Nam and the Minister of Commerce of Cambodia.

Through this mechanism, the two ministries will strengthen exchanges and coordination in developing and implementing trade cooperation programmes, promptly review and resolve difficulties and obstacles affecting import-export activities, promote trade promotion and business networking, develop border trade, and expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest. The establishment of the Joint Trade Committee is expected to provide additional impetus and an effective coordination mechanism for implementing the cooperation orientations agreed upon by the two countries’ senior leaders, particularly the target of raising bilateral trade turnover to USD 20 billion at an early date.

The exchange of the two cooperation documents during this visit marks an important step towards strengthening and completing the framework for Viet Nam - Cambodia trade cooperation. The documents will facilitate import-export activities during 2027 - 2028 while establishing a ministerial-level coordination mechanism to advance bilateral trade relations in the new period.

Strengthening economic and trade connectivity between Viet Nam and its two neighbouring countries

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung’s official visits to Laos and Cambodia reaffirmed Viet Nam’s consistent policy of valuing and prioritising relations with its two neighbouring countries, with which it shares longstanding special bonds of traditional friendship.

For the industry and trade sector, the visits helped advance the implementation of high-level cooperation agreements, improve the legal framework, strengthen energy, trade and logistics infrastructure connectivity, and create more favourable conditions for Vietnamese businesses to expand their investment, production and business activities in Laos and Cambodia.