H.E.Mr. Wang Shouwen, Vice Minister, Ministry of Commerce of China

H.E.Mr. Tang Renjian, First Vice Governor, People's Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China

H.E. Ministers and Vice Ministers

H.E. Mr. Yi Xiaozhun, Deputy Director General of WTO and Distinguished guest,

On behalf of Lao PDR, please allow me to express my sincere thanks to the government of the People Republic of China, particularly, to the government of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region for hosting this important and meaningful symposium.

Upon this meaningful Anniversary, and having in mind the Symposium topic, from Lao PDR perspective, we also have some positive progress to share with you on the progress of preparing in implementation of the newly concluded agreement of the WTO on the December 2013, at the Bali Ministerial Conference, that's a Trade Facilitation Agreement, as part of a wider "Bali Package". Later, the WTO Members adopted a Protocol of Amendment to insert the new Agreement into Annex 1A of the WTO Agreement and open for Member to proceed with their domestic acceptance process. As mentioned, many WTO Members have affirmed their hope of seeing this Agreement enter into force by the WTO's 10th Ministerial Conference in Nairobi next December of this year.

To follow the majority expectation of the Members, Lao PDR has also insert tremendous effort on moving forward the ratification process and the formulation of the list measures that fall under category A, and finally the good news is our National Assembly has already ratified the protocol and we are more than ready to submit it any time before the 10th Ministerial Conference on upcoming December. At the same time, the category A, which defined list of measures that would be implemented upon the date of the entering into force of the agreement, has also been submitted to the WTO few days ago before I came here.

Ladies and Gentlemen, trade facilitation has been considered as one of important national economic development agenda for Lao PDR. It has also been considered as a basis to improve business climate by formulating some policies such as: the contribution of trade to GDP, trade for poverty reduction and economic development. So far, National Trade Facilitation Committee has been setup, the establishment of the Lao Trade Portal has basically completed in order to provide trade related regulation and administration information to online accessible for business. Subsequently and positively, Lao PDR has reaped certain benefit out of trade facilitation policy implementation in term of improving in doing business environment by seven orders as ranking under World Bank Report 2015 over the period of 2013-2015export cost per container reduced by 9 percent from 2013 to 2015, while import cost per container also reduced by 10 percent over the same period due to relevant effort have been made by the committee.

Ladies and Gentlemen, that's something I can share with you on what we have done at the national level, however, Lao PDR has still long way to go to reach the final goal of trade facilitation and make contribution for the National Socio-Economic Development Plan, in particular, to transform Laos from a Landlocked to be a Landlinked country. From this perspective, it's necessary to take into account both hard and soft condition and environment, including infrastructure development, and improving in doing business environment covering also the elimination of Non-tariff barriers or NTB. As you may aware that NTB has played an important role in current trade policy formulation, and implementation, trade facilitation wouldn't go anywhere if NTB was not taken into account effectively by all countries. Therefore, one country wouldn't be efficiency enough to address the issues as a whole, even within its own country, this issues is required valid synergy from all trading partners. Taking in to account of this perspective, Lao PDR is considering on how to make use of ASEAN Chairmanship opportunity in 2016 to mobilize potential momentum form all ASEAN Members to come on board and look further into the issue.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it would be able to create a long term win-win solution for every one if we can make it linked between ASEAN trade facilitation momentum and the mentioned by China "21st Century Maritime Silk Road" with also on the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank of the People Republic of China. Therefore, from this point of view, Lao PDR is looking forward to cooperating with China and ASEAM Members through an appropriate framework, including the "2+7 cooperation framework".

Thank you for your kind attention!