With a border stretching over 455km and a system of border gates and openings with Laos and China, our province identifies the strong development of the border gate economy, logistics, and border trade as a new growth driver associated with a green, smart, and sustainable development model.

Điện Biên is gradually perfecting institutions and policies to develop the border gate economy, which includes establishing and upgrading functional zones within the Border Gate Economic Zone and planning commercial centers, border markets, and warehouses for goods collection. According to the programs and action plans of the Điện Biên Department of Industry and Trade following the 15th Congress, the development of commercial infrastructure and logistics is oriented toward forming warehouse clusters and transit centers near border gates. The province is also working to attract investment in bonded warehouses, container yards, customs brokerage services, and door-to-door logistics, an approach that helps reduce logistics costs for businesses and creates local added value instead of just stopping at raw export and import stages.

Since the beginning of the year, the Department of Industry and Trade has drafted a proposal for the establishment of a provincial border gate management board under the provincial People’s Committee. Simultaneously, the department advised the provincial People’s Committee on implementing procedures and seeking opinions from central ministries regarding the trading and exchange of goods through the A Pa Chải Border Gate and announcing the list of border gates permitted for such activities in Điện Biên.

Furthermore, the department has actively exchanged information and connected with agencies under the Trade Bureau of Pu’er City, Yunnan (China), regarding business connections for Chinese enterprises to research and sign import-export contracts with Vietnam. These efforts led to the successful announcement of the A Pa Chải Border Gate and the first export of 22 tons of coffee on February 4. The department also provided feedback on the cooperation agreement for sugarcane planting between Sín Thầu commune and Jiangcheng County in China, opening an important connection that creates a foundation for logistics services and goods transit between Vietnam, Laos, and China.

According to the evaluation by the Department of Industry and Trade, import and export activities in the province have been stable since the start of the year, primarily through the Tây Trang International Border Gate. Functional forces at the border gates continue to coordinate closely to facilitate customs clearance for businesses. The official commencement of trading activities at the A Pa Chải Border Gate has opened new opportunities for enterprises, traders, and border residents, providing further momentum for local socio-economic development.

Consequently, the total value of import-export and border trade activities in the first quarter of 2026 is estimated at USD 41.18 million, representing a 23% increase compared to the same period last year and reaching 25% of the annual plan. Within this total, exports are estimated at USD 25.56 million, up 2.9% year-on-year, while imports are estimated at USD 15.62 million, marking a significant 85% increase compared to the previous year.

Alongside these results, the province focuses on coordinating with Sơn La, Lai Châu, and Northern Laos provinces in border gate infrastructure planning, transport connectivity, and goods flow distribution. Điện Biên participates in bilateral and multilateral cooperation mechanisms for border trade and management to facilitate trade. In addition to the central government’s general policies for the border gate economic zone, Điện Biên is gradually finalizing internal regulations and coordination mechanisms for managing and exploiting border trade infrastructure, improving the investment environment, and reducing administrative processing times for businesses. The province also prioritizes national defense, border sovereignty, and the prevention of smuggling and trade fraud to ensure a stable and safe trading environment.

Looking toward 2030, with the formation of the expressway to the Tây Trang border gate and the upgrading of logistics infrastructure, Điện Biên expects to become a transit hub for goods in the Northwest region along the Vietnam-Laos-China corridor, fulfilling the province’s resolution for rapid and sustainable development.