Laos

laos flag

The United States meets regularly with Laos to advance trade and investment issues, including implementation by Laos of the 2005 Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) and support for the accession of Laos to the World Trade Organization (WTO).  Under the BTA, the United States extended Normal Trade Relations status (formerly referred to as "most favored nation" or MFN) to products of Laos.  Laos agreed to implement a variety of reforms to its trade regime, including most favored nation and national treatment for products of the United States, transparency in rulemaking, establishment of a regime to protect intellectual property rights, and implementation of WTO-compliant customs regulations and procedures.

Key Events

In September 2010, a Working Party meeting was held at the WTO Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland to discuss progress made with Laos’s WTO accession.

U.S.-Laos Trade Facts

Laos is currently our 172nd largest goods trading partner with $71 million in total (two ways) goods trade during 2010. Goods exports totaled $12 million; Goods imports totaled $59 million. The U.S. goods trade deficit with Laos was $47 million in 2010.

Exports

Laos was the United States' 188th largest export market in 2010.

U.S. goods exports to Laos in 2010 were $12 million, down 41% ($8 million) from 2009.

The top export categories (2-digit HS) for 2010 were: Precious Stones (diamonds) ($3 million), Machinery ($2 million), Other Base Metals ($1 million), Vehicles ($921 thousand), Optic and Medical Instruments ($874 thousand).

U.S. exports of agricultural products to Laos totaled $971 thousand in 2010.

Imports

Laos was the United States' 135th largest source of goods imports in 2010.

U.S. goods imports from Laos totaled $59 million in 2010 a 36.2% increase ($16 million) from 2009.

The top imports categories (2-digit HS) for 2010 were: Knit apparel ($31 million), Inorganic Chemicals ($15 million), Plastic ($4 million), Precious Stones (jewelry) ($3 million), and Woven Apparel ($3 million).

U.S. imports of agricultural products from Laos totaled $1 million in 2010.

Trade Balance

The U.S. goods trade deficit with Laos was $47 million in 2010, a 104.1% increase ($24 million), from 2009.

Investment

U.S. foreign direct investment (FDI) in Laos (stock) was not available in 2009.

Laos FDI in the United States (stock) was $6 million in 2009 (latest data available), up 50% from 2008.