The Lao Bao Special Economic–Trade Zone in the central province of Quang Tri holds a strategically important position on the East–West Economic Corridor, serving as a key trade gateway linking Vietnam with Laos, Thailand and other countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion.
In 2020, the Prime Minister approved Lao Bao as one of the eight border-gate economic zones prioritised for State budget investment, creating a vital foundation for the locality to tap its potential and advantages, thereby promoting socio-economic development in Quang Tri’s border areas.
In the context of increasingly deep international economic integration, the development of the Lao Bao Special Economic–Commercial Zone aims not only to boost import–export turnover but also to shape a modern border-gate economic space. This approach links trade with services, logistics and tourism, while also ensuring national defence and security.
A highlight of commercial activity in Lao Bao is the Lao Bao Trade Center, which has been operating since 2003 with a total construction area of over 10,000 sq.m.
At present, around 350 traders conduct business there, offering a wide range of goods such as clothing, footwear, beer and spirits, ceramics, and food services, most of which are imported from Thailand and Laos.
