Laos: Chinese Development Finance Profile, 2000-2022
Date Published
Oct 10, 2025
Authors
JulieAnn Sickell, Brooke Escobar
Publisher
Citation
Sickell, J. and Escobar, B. (2025). Laos: The Scale, Scope, and Composition of Chinese Development Finance. Williamsburg, VA: AidData at William & Mary.
Abstract
This country profile provides a detailed overview of the scale, scope, and composition of Chinese state-directed financing in Laos from 2000 to 2022. It includes granular information on key trends in China’s loan and grant-financed commitments, its lending portfolio, ESG risks in its infrastructure projects, and contractual safeguards adoption and implementation.
From 2000 to 2022, China directed $22.5 billion in loan and grant-financed commitments for 334 projects in Laos. The present-day relationship between China and Laos is characterized by the “Four Goods” (good neighbours, good friends, good comrades, and good partners) as well as close cooperation on trade, infrastructure, and energy—defined by projects such as the Laos-China Railway, land-linking the two countries.
The insights in this profile are derived from AidData’s Global Chinese Development Finance Dataset, Version 3.0 and the sources referenced therein. Additional 2022 data collection is based on a forthcoming dataset version launching in November 2025.
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