Vietnam, Laos leaders discuss trade on sidelines of AEM 48

"The summit is a good opportunity to meet with our Laotian ally and partner," said Minister Anh, and discuss issues related to expanding bilateral trade and investment among the two nations’ business communities.

Despite our ongoing efforts to facilitate trade and movement of goods across the border by harmonizing laws and processes, commerce between the two economies has fallen off in the first half of 2016, said Minister Anh.

At the meeting the two ministers pointed out some main causes for the decline and various proposals to resolve problem areas.

For his part, Khemmany Pholsena proposed measures to facilitate cross border business dealings such as enhancing manifesting requirements and improving the electronic dissemination of information to businesses on both sides of the border.

The door is closing on drivers carrying paper documents and presenting them at the border, said Mr Pholsena. The trend toward electronic data transfer is changing the way cross-border shippers manage information.

It may be best for both countries to devise and implement a long range program to enhance and phase in electronic commerce over the next 10 years in search of better cross-border trading methods.