Hanoi, Aug. 21 -- Laos is not only a close neighbour of Vietnam but has also become a promising destination for Vietnamese businesses seeking to expand investment and operations abroad. Trade and investment ties between the two countries have grown strongly in recent years. Bilateral trade reached a record 2.2 billion USD in 2024 before rising to 2.98 billion USD in 2025, up 33% year on year. In the first six months of 2026, Vietnam imported more than 22,000 tonnes of glutinous rice from Laos, up over 12% year on year. Laos was also Vietnam's third-largest rice supplier, with nearly 33,000 tonnes shipped during the period. Imports of Lao fruits and vegetables reached nearly 9 million USD in 2025, up 200% from the previous year. Meanwhile,...