The Technical Cooperation and Electronic Commerce (TCEC) Division of the Department of Foreign Trade Policy (FTPD), Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MoIC) Lao PDR, together with the Support of Regional Economic Cooepration in Asia (SRECA) project, held a hybrid workshop on e-commerce related to trade to the People’s Republic of China on 19 July 2022 in Vientiane.
After the SRECA publication of the “Tropical Fresh Fruit Exporter’s Guide to China ຄູ່ມືແນະນໍາການສົ່ງອອກໝາກໄມ້ສົດເຂດຮ້ອນໄປຍັງ ສປ ຈີນ” and “Fresh Fruit E-Commerce in China – ການຄ້າໝາກໄມ້ສົດທາງເອເລັກໂຕຣນິກ ໃນ ສປ ຈີນ” the one-day workshop provided insights into the trade of agricultural products from Laos to China, particularly related to e-commerce. The workshop brought together public institutions and private-sector actors in Laos related to agricultural trade as well as interested in utilising digital trade facilitation mechansims like e-commerce with China.
The workshop was opened by GIZ and Mr. Saysana Sayyakone, Director General of FTPD. Among the participants were further representatives from MoIC such as the Department of Import and Export and the Department of SME Promotion as well as aligned bodies like the SME Service Center at the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Additional, representatives form the Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Lao PDR, the Lao SME Association, the Lao Business Women’s Association and others joined.
Inputs were given by GIZ consultant Dr. Piya Wongpit from the National University of Laos on “Opportunities and trends in trade of goods from Lao PDR to China, particularly agricultural products”. From China, Dr. Jiang Yan from the Chongqing University of Education, gave a key-note input on “E-commerce in China and its relevance for trading in general and its risks and opportunities for Lao companies in particular”. Partipants were actively engaged during the Q&A sessions which showed the high interest of the Laotian side in the topic.
SRECA will continue to support FTPD on the topic of e-commerce and export promotion for Laotion products to China and the region.