Hanoi (VNA) – Laos will strive to reach a trade value of 8.94 billion USDin 2017, said Minister of Planning and Investment Souphanh Keomixay.
Accordingly,Laos will increase export earnings to over 4.45 billion USD, while keepingimport value at 4.48 billion USD.
To reachthe target, the Lao Government will focus on production and ensuring that Laoproducts meet international standards, especially in the farm produce processingand garment-textiles industries, the minister said.
Besides, thecountry needs to complete construction of 12 hydropower projects with total designedcapacity of 468.4 MW by the end of 2017.
In relatednews, the Lao Government is mapping out an ambitious project to build a 585-km expresswayfrom the capital city of Vientiane to Champassak province.
Laoofficials said the Government will enable private and foreign businesses tojoin the project in the form of Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT).-VNA