China investment in Laos rises to 731.5 million dollars in 2011

Vientiane - Chinese investment in Laos reached 731.5 million dollars last year, making China the leading investor in the communist country, a state-run newspaper said Thursday.

The investment was an increase from 2001 when China invested 556 million dollars and from 2009's 247 million dollars, according to the Lao government.

China accounted for 99

China is the top foreign investor in Laos with 742 projects worth more than 4.46 billion dollars, the report said.

between the two neighbours reached 1.28 billion dollars last year, up 22.7 per cent.

The economic data was revealed Wednesday at a meeting of the China-Laos Cooperation Commission.

Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Chen Jian agreed at the meeting to provide Laos with a 150-million-yuan (23.8-million-dollar) grant to build an International Convention Centre in Laos and another 50 million yuan to construct a police command centre.

China and Laos are among the world's last remaining communist states although both