The Lao Bảo international border gate in the central province of Quảng Trị. — Photo VNA

VIENTIANE — The Vietnamese Trade Office in Laos has employed various measures to support Vietnamese exporters amid declining trade revenue between the two countries in the first half of this year.

Trade Counsellor at the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos Lê Thị Phương Hoa told the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) that the office has regularly sent lists of Vietnamese exporters to Lao agencies.

Those agencies then inform local enterprises that are seeking Vietnamese goods, Hoa said.

The office has also worked with businesses to address difficulties in goods transportation while co-ordinating with the Lao Ministry of Industry and Commerce to put forth mechanisms to support companies.

According to the counsellor, demand in Laos for production and construction materials and consumer goods has fallen significantly due to the impact of COVID-19.

The pandemic has also obstructed goods transportation and trade promotion activities, she added.

As a result, trade between Việt Nam and Laos in the first half of this year was down 14.6 per cent year-on-year at just US$491.7 million.

Việt Namimported goods from Laos worth $214.85 million, down 6.1 per cent against the same period last year, while exporting $276.85 million worth of goods to the neighbouring country, down 20.2 per cent. — VNS