From May 18 to 20, the 2026 "Hunan (Huaihua) Equipment and Manufacturing in Laos" investment promotion conference and a series of economic and trade matchmaking events were held in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. Jointly hosted by the Hunan Provincial Department of Commerce and the Huaihua Municipal People's Government, the events aimed to thoroughly implement the "Action Plan on Building a China-Laos Community with a Shared Future". The initiative sought to establish a platform for government-enterprise engagement between Hunan and Laos, foster practical cooperation in sectors such as equipment manufacturing, trade and logistics, and modern agriculture, and help Hunan build a hub for cooperation with Laos. More than 20 enterprises from Huaihua participated, showcasing over 60 types of products, including furniture, camellia cooking oil, and rice noodles.

At the promotion conference, officials from both Hunan and Laos noted that Hunan views engagement with ASEAN as a strategic move for its opening-up and development. Leveraging the China-Laos Railway, the "Huaihua-Vientiane" freight train service has achieved regular, high-frequency operations; in 2025, Hunan's import and export trade with Laos reached 1.04 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 33.3%. As a key node on the eastern route of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor and Hunan's only freight consolidation center connecting ASEAN, Huaihua has achieved logistics capabilities allowing goods to reach rivers and seas within 30 hours and ASEAN destinations within three days. The Huaihua International Land Port has operated over 800 China-Laos freight trains in total, with its shipment volume ranking first in central China in 2025. Following the conference, enterprises from the Hunan Chamber of Commerce in Laos engaged in on-site matchmaking with local Huaihua businesses.

During the event, the economic and trade delegation from Hunan Province and Huaihua City conducted a series of visits and research activities. They inspected several Hunan-invested enterprises in Laos and met with officials from the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. Discussions focused on topics such as trade of agricultural products, agricultural technology cooperation, and enhancing connectivity between the Huaihua International Land Port and Laos. The delegation visited the Lao Investment Promotion and Management Committee to get aligned on investment policies and industrial park cooperation; inspected the multimodal transport and bonded warehousing operations at the Thanaleng Land Port; and toured the overseas warehouse project site of Hunan Yousu International Trade Co., Ltd. to assess progress on cold chain logistics, the fruit industry, and warehouse construction. With a total investment of 15 million yuan, the facility is designed to include a 10,000-square-meter container yard, a 720-square-meter constant-temperature cold storage unit, and standardized general warehousing; upon completion, it will serve as a key node in the international cold chain corridor connecting Laos and Huaihua. 

(Translated by Le Guobin)