Recently, Prof. Sithixay XAYAVONG, President of Savannakhet University and Member of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR, visited the Energy and Environmental Development Research Center (EED). He held in-depth discussions with Dr. Liu Xin, Founder of EED, and the EED team on China–Laos international cooperation, Chinese enterprises going global, and China’s foreign aid projects.

Prof. Sithixay XAYAVONG serves in multiple capacities as a legislator, university president, and expert on China studies, and has long been interested in the localization and application of China’s green transition experience in Laos. During the visit, the two sides explored opportunities for further cooperation across three key areas:

In the area of projects financed by international financial institutions, EED has extensive experience in providing services for projects financed by multilateral financial institutions such as the Asian Development Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and the World Bank, with strong expertise in environmental and social policies and full-cycle compliance management. The two sides discussed the feasibility of jointly developing loan and technical assistance projects in Laos in areas such as water environment management, agricultural and rural development, clean heating, and renewable energy.

Regarding Chinese enterprises going global, both sides noted that Chinese investment and cooperation in Laos are evolving from traditional engineering contracting toward more integrated development in sectors such as renewable energy, rubber, and green agriculture. EED can provide Chinese enterprises with full-cycle services ranging from pre-investment due diligence to post-investment ESG management, helping them move beyond simply “going global” toward achieving deeper and more sustainable local integration.

In the area of China’s foreign aid projects, EED has been deeply involved in the Technical Assistance Project for Environmental Protection Planning in Laos. Looking ahead, EED and Savannakhet University may establish a joint research mechanism, conduct training programs for local government officials and technical personnel, and facilitate the adaptation of China’s ecological civilization experience into practical governance capacity in Laos.

The visit marked a shared understanding between the two sides on promoting collaboration through a “parliament–university–consulting institution” partnership. Going forward, EED will continue working with universities, research institutions, and Chinese-invested enterprises in Laos to advance the development of international financial institution projects, green investment by Chinese enterprises, and capacity building under foreign aid programs, contributing to greener, more resilient, and deeper China–Laos cooperation.