With its position as a gateway and bridge for international economic trade, in recent years, Lao Cai has focused on investing in infrastructure, especially transport infrastructure and border economic zone infrastructure, to date basically meeting the demand for transporting import and export goods. The Noi Bai - Lao Cai Expressway project, put into operation since 2014, not only contributes to completing the Kunming - Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong - Quang Ninh economic corridor but also awakens potential, promotes trade links, connects industrial parks, resorts along the route and has special significance for the development of the Northwest region, while contributing to very effective traffic flow to connect international transport on the Kunming - Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong economic corridor.

In addition, in the orientation of developing transport infrastructure connecting Lao Cai with the midland and mountainous regions of the North, there will be more projects such as the road project connecting Ha Giang with the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway; building Hoang Lien tunnel connecting Sa Pa with Lai Chau, investing in developing inland waterway port clusters, dry port clusters, etc. In particular, the implementation of the construction of Sa Pa Airport will turn Lao Cai into a locality with all 4 types of transport, opening up a new period, new opportunities for Lao Cai and the provinces in the region to develop comprehensively, effectively promoting the role as a transit point for goods and services not only of Vietnam, but also of countries in the ASEAN region with the Southwest region and China.

Upgrading the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong high-speed railway.

In addition, Lao Cai proposed implementing the planning of the 1,435 mm high-speed railway line Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong and building a dual-gauge railway connecting Lao Cai station (Vietnam) to Ha Khau Bac station (China). Furthermore, Lao Cai and Hai Phong are actively collaborating and researching a scheme that would allow specialized vehicles to transport aquatic products and seafood constantly along the Hai Phong - Lao Cai - Kunming route without having to switch to other vehicles at the border gate.

During the period 2015-2023, Lao Cai's import and export value has grown strongly and steadily, reaching an average of nearly 16.5%/year. Notably, in 2019, the value of imported and exported goods through Lao Cai border gates reached 3.81 billion USD, an increase of 71% compared to 2015. In 2023, the import and export value through Lao Cai province reached over 2.1 billion USD, and in the first 8 months of 2024, it reached 1.56 billion USD, an increase of 144% over the same period in 2023. Of which, the export turnover was over 1.1 billion USD, an increase of 208%; the import turnover was nearly 452 million USD, an increase of 61%.

Import and export services are diversified and increasingly improved in quality, including: Logistics services (delivery, receipt, transportation of goods, loading and unloading, storage of goods, packaging, customs declaration, etc.); financial services, technical testing and analysis services, postal services and cross-border e-commerce, tourism services and travel-related services, etc.

Although Lao Cai has achieved many successes in connecting economic trade between regions, ASEAN and Southwest China, it can be seen that these results of Lao Cai are not yet commensurate with the potential and demand for trade and commerce between regions. Commercial infrastructure, roads, and ports have approached maximum capacity, especially lacking modern logistics centers to coordinate import and export activities.

Lao Cai has not yet formed integrated logistics centers, ensuring conditions in the production and circulation chain. Some large, modern infrastructure works with widespread influence serving logistics development such as: Sa Pa Airport; Ban Vuoc Bridge (Bat Xat), the road connecting Noi Bai - Lao Cai Expressway to Sa Pa town; Noi Bai - Lao Cai Expressway Phase 2 (expanding the Yen Bai - Lao Cai section to 04 lanes); 1,435mm standard gauge railway connecting Lao Cai with Ha Khau; inland waterways from Yen Bai to Nam Thi intersection (Lao Cai city), dry ports... have not been fully invested, reducing the ability to connect, transport, service supply capacity, competitiveness and logistics connection capacity between Lao Cai with other provinces in the country and with China.

Lao Cai province aims to build Lao Cai Border Gate Economic Zone, a modern logistics center, a true center for trade connection and a transit area for import and export goods. Accordingly, Lao Cai province will continue to focus on completing detailed planning and building infrastructure for functional areas of the Border Gate Economic Zone according to the general planning.

Lao Cai aims to build Lao Cai Border Gate Economic Zone into a modern logistics center.

Invest in developing a synchronous and modern logistics infrastructure, first of all, prioritize the construction of infrastructure connecting the transport network towards multimodal transport to effectively exploit the transport infrastructure system, attract the development of processing and manufacturing industries associated with import and export. Accelerate the formation of logistics centers for agricultural products to support businesses in effectively building agricultural supply chains associated with logistics services to the international market.

Building the Kunming – Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong economic corridor with the ability to connect with localities along the corridor; Expanding the connection areas so that localities and businesses in the region can participate. Building and connecting industrial clusters and industrial – agricultural – general service clusters according to the value chain and along the economic corridor. Upgrading urban areas along the economic corridor.

Continue to implement publicity, transparency, and simplification of administrative procedures to reduce costs, time, and customs clearance convenience for businesses and investors; meet human resource needs; promptly handle difficulties and problems of businesses. Promote comprehensive digital transformation, focusing on developing high-quality human resources, especially human resources in the logistics sector.

Create clean land funds to attract the production of industrial products for processing, manufacturing, high technology, and smart technology with high added value to create a stable source of export goods to foreign markets.

Maintain and improve the quality of trade, investment and tourism promotion activities. Promote trade connections through trade fairs to promote the province's specialties and products under the Government's "One Commune One Product" (OCOP) Program to meet the needs of customers, especially domestic and foreign tourists./.