Minister of Trade and Industry Nguyễn Hồng Diên (left) and Lao Minister of Energy and Mines Phosay Sayasone at the talks. — Photo ven.congthuong.vn

HÀ NỘI — In the second quarter of this year, Việt Nam will issue a price framework to purchase electricity from Laos for the period after 2025, said Minister of Trade and Industry Nguyễn Hồng Diên.

During talks with Lao Minister of Energy and Mines Phosay Sayasone on April 7 as part of his visit to the country, Diên said that at the request of Lao and based on the 2024 cooperation agreement between the two Governments, the MoIT had directed Việt Nam Electricity (EVN) to study and propose an electricity purchase price framework after 2025. Once the draft is completed, the ministry will make evaluation before submitting to the Vietnamese Prime Minister for approval.

The Lao minister proposed the two sides work together to design more specific cooperation plans and programmes, and highlighted issues that need immediate actions to resolve.

He asked Việt Nam to support and exchange experiences with Laos on establishing electricity regulatory agencies; facilitate the transport of goods from Laos to border gates/ports in the Vietnamese central province of Quảng Trị and Huế City; cooperate in inspection work and in developing mineral planning and mineral maps.

Minister Diên agreed with the Lao minister's suggestions, including the establishment of the two ministries' working group to address obstacles in bilateral cooperation in energy and minerals.

He said that Việt Nam always offered favourable conditions for the transport of Lao goods through borders to ports in Việt Nam, noting that the two governments pay great attention to coal trading, adding that Việt Nam has high demand for coal while Laos wants to increase the export of coal, but the question is how to reach agreement on reasonable prices.

The Vietnamese minister also asked to upgrade existing roads from Kaleum to Việt Nam's La Lay and Lao Bảo international border gates to improve transport capacity. — VNS