The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) reported recently that, in the period since 2011 to last year, the trade value between Laos and China increased annually from about 10.5 trillion kip (US$1.3 billion) in 2011, up to US$1.7 billion in 2012, about US$2.7 billion in 2013 and US$3.6 billion in 2014.
To enhance safety and facilitate the export of Laos' agricultural products such as bananas, watermelons and cassava to China, the Lao and Chinese governments have exchanged views and reached a consensus on phytosanitary requirements for the export of watermelons, bananas and cassava from Laos to China in accordance with the results of pest risk analysis and shall comply with the relevant phytosanitary laws and regulations of China and Laos.
Deputy Division Director of the Department of Asian Affairs under China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Liu Zhi (whilst addressing at a seminar on production capacity cooperation recently in Beijing), said that China's investment in Laos mainly focuses on infrastructure development that helps to improve people's livelihoods.
