Laos

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 173rd largest goods trading partner with $85 million in total (two ways) goods trade during 2011. Goods exports totaled $26 million; Goods imports totaled $59 million. The U.S. goods trade deficit with Laos was $33 million in 2011.

Exports

Laos was the United States= 184th largest export market in 2011.

U.S. goods exports to Laos in 2011 were $26 million, up 117.5% ($14 million) from 2010.

The top export categories (2-digit HS) for 2011 were: Precious Stones (diamonds and platinum) ($6 million), Aircraft ($4 million), Vehicles ($4 million), Other Base Metals (germanium) ($3 million), and Cereals (rice) ($1 million).

U.S. exports of agricultural products to Laos totaled $2 million in 2011.

Imports

Laos was the United States= 135th largest source of goods imports in 2011.

U.S. goods imports from Laos totaled $59 million in 2011 a 0.4% decrease ($2 thousand) from 2010.

The top imports categories (2-digit HS) for 2011 were: Knit Apparel ($31 million), Inorganic Chemicals ($8 million), Spices, Tea, and Coffee (mostly coffee) ($8 million), Precious Stones (jewelry) ($5 million) and Woven Apparel ($3 million).

U.S. imports of agricultural products from Laos totaled $8 million in 2011.

Trade Balance

The U.S. goods trade deficit with Laos was $33 million in 2011, a 30.4% decrease ($14 million), from 2010.

Historical Trade Data

U.S. Goods Trade with Laos (in millions of dollars)

Investment

U.S. foreign direct investment (FDI) in Laos (stock) was not available in 2010.

There was no Laos FDI in the United States (stock) in 2010

NOTE: No services trade data with Laos is available