Chongqing Entrepreneur to Launch Southeast Asia's Largest Pharmaceutical Factory in Laos

Chongqing - December 3 marked the third anniversary of the China-Laos Railway, which has emerged as a major catalyst for freight and passenger transport while driving Laos' industrial growth. Chongqing entrepreneurs have been instrumental in this transformation.

The first China-Laos-Thai cold chain train of the ILSTC in the Year of the Dragon arrived in Chongqing. (Photo/Tan Yao)

The China-Laos Railway, spanning 1,035 kilometers from Kunming, China, to Vientiane, Laos, has reduced travel time between the two cities to just 10 hours. In 2024, the railway saw a 175.6% year-on-year passenger increase, totaling 177,000 in the first three quarters of 2024. The railway now serves passengers from 101 countries and regions, while its cross-border freight service reaches 19 countries, including Laos, Thailand, and Singapore, boosting trade and tourism.

Chen Ting, the 32-year-old founder of Laos Alliance Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., is working to make his company the largest pharmaceutical enterprise in Southeast Asia.

Chen Ting, founder of Laos Alliance Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. (Photo/Huang Hong)

Alliance, one of the three major over-the-counter (OTC) pharmaceutical companies in Laos, holds 27% of the Lao pharmaceutical market and has established itself as the country's largest pharmaceutical company.

By leveraging Laos' strategic position and benefiting from favorable trade agreements such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Chen has expanded his company's market reach beyond Laos to other Southeast Asian countries.

"We've developed several high-demand drugs that were previously imported and expensive," Chen explained. "For instance, Apixaban, a medication for preventing postoperative blood clots, was imported from Thailand at 280 yuan (about USD 38) per bottle. After we started local production, the price dropped to just 30 yuan per bottle, significantly reducing medical costs for Lao patients."

In addition, Alliance is committed to strengthening local expertise. In partnership with Lao universities, the company trains 120 professionals annually, helping to build a homegrown research, development, and production workforce.

The factory of Laos Alliance Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. (Photo/Huang Hong)

Alliance is also investing 1.5 billion yuan in a new plant in Vientiane, currently under construction. Chen stated that once operational next year, the plant will have an annual output value of 5 billion yuan, positioning the company to become the largest pharmaceutical producer in Southeast Asia.

Latsavong Plaza, the tallest building in Laos, now dominates Vientiane's skyline. The China-Laos Railway made a joint venture between Chongqing Fangde Real Estate and local Lao partners possible. 

The construction relied on imported materials from China, as many could not be sourced locally. Following the opening of the China-Laos Railway in late 2021, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (Chongqing-Vientiane) shuttle train quickly began transporting essential building materials. By the end of 2022, over 2,000 containers filled with construction and facility products from Chinese companies such as Gree, Haier, Huawei, and iFlytek were delivered to Vientiane.

Once completed, the shopping mall at Latsavong Plaza will feature a dedicated area to showcase and sell products from the ILSTC. The project will also provide a platform for international tourists to purchase local Lao specialties such as coffee, rice, and durian.

Another Chongqing entrepreneur, Zhu Ting, has played a key role in enhancing fire safety standards in Laos. After nine years of collaboration with the Laos Ministry of Public Security, Zhu co-founded the Laos Fire Protection Corporation Co., Ltd, focusing on fire equipment development, personnel training, and fire safety testing. In early November, the company and the Ministry finalized a fire safety standard, expected to be completed in the next two months.

Laos' dry tropical climate contributes to frequent fires, particularly in provinces like Luang Prabang, Sayaboury, and Oudomxay. Zhu emphasized that human factors, including improper agricultural practices and carelessness in daily life, often cause fire hazards. He hopes the new standards will raise public awareness and improve fire prevention efforts, prioritizing safety overreaction.