Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) – On the reverse side of the Lao 5,000 kip banknote, an industrial building stands out prominently – it is the Vang Vieng Cement Plant No. 1, a landmark project in Laos' industrial development history. This factory, built with Chinese aid in the 1990s, is not only a solid testament to the friendly cooperation between China and Laos, but also completed a magnificent transformation from an industrial pillar to a green landmark amidst the tides of time.
As Laos' first modern cement plant, the completion of Vang Vieng Cement Plant No. 1 is of profound significance. Prior to this, Laos' infrastructure construction had long relied on imported cement, and project progress was constrained by external supply. After the plant went into operation, it broke this predicament, providing a stable core raw material for Laos' domestic infrastructure projects such as highways, bridges, and urban construction, becoming an "industrial engine" driving national economic development, and laying the foundation for the development of Laos' local building materials industry.
"I still vividly remember the days and nights I spent working alongside my Chinese colleagues. Those times, tackling technical challenges together and ensuring the production line ran smoothly, are the most precious memories of my career," said Khamphun Sayaoong, former deputy director of the Vang Vieng Cement Plant No. 1 in Laos, and a representative of the factory's early employees. He recalled that iconic buildings in Vientiane, such as Lan Xang Boulevard and the Dong Chang Hotel, were all constructed using products from the Vang Vieng Cement Plant No. 1. "This factory laid the foundation for Laos' modernization."
As Laos' socio-economic development enters a new stage, the national development strategy has undergone a significant shift. To create an internationally oriented tourism hub, the Lao government has clearly positioned Vang Vieng as a core eco-tourism area. In line with this strategic deployment, the former industrial pillar proactively sought transformation—the Vang Vieng Cement Plant No. 1 shut down its traditional production lines, dismantled industrial equipment, and officially launched its transformation plan, striving to create Laos' first industrial-economic-tourism demonstration project, taking a crucial step in the transition from an industrial economy to a green economy.
From China's aid in Laos' industrial development to the renewed collaboration between the two countries to promote green transformation, the development trajectory of Vang Vieng Cement Plant No. 1 is a vivid microcosm of Laos' industrial restructuring and upgrading. This "monument," bearing witness to the friendship between the two countries and the industrial memories of Laos, is now continuously injecting momentum into Laos' green development with a new image of industrial tourism and ecological demonstration. It witnesses the deepening and expansion of China-Laos cooperation in the new era and writes a vivid chapter in the exploration of sustainable development by developing countries.
