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1 1 (December 13, 2019)

handle is hein.crs/govbcyt0001 and id is 1 raw text is: FF.ri E.$~ & mppm qq\ p\w -- , gn'a', go I aS 11LIANJILiN, Updated December 13, 2019 Laos The Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR or Laos) has a population of 7.2 million in a land-locked area around the size of Utah. Laos has been ruled by a single party, the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, for more than four decades. The National Assembly, 73% of which consists of new members elected in 2016, reportedly has become more outspoken in recent years, particularly on the issue of official corruption. Laos is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the primary multilateral grouping in Southeast Asia. The LPDR depends heavily on foreign investment, much of it from the People's Republic of China (PRC), for its infrastructure development. Since a 1986 economic opening, Laos has gradually implemented market-based economic reforms, and in 2013 became a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The economy has been growing steadily during the past decade, but Laos remains one of Asia's poorest nations. Laos at a Glance Capitol: Vientiene President and General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party: Bounnhang Vorachith (2016) Prime Minister: Thongloun Sisoulith (2016) Per Capita GDP (purchasing power parity): $7,400 GDP composition: Agriculture (2 1%); Industry (33%); Services (46%). Life Expectancy: 65 years Literacy: 85% Religious Affiliations: Buddhist, 65%; Christian, 2%; Lao folk religions, 3 1%; other or unspecified, 2%. Source: Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook, 2019. ltsxtaws ROdafmns The United States did not sever diplomatic relations with Laos, as it did with Cambodia and Vietnam, when communist parties in these three countries took power in 1975, although it did downgrade U.S. representation in Vientiane. Full diplomatic ties were not restored until 1992. In 2016, when Laos served as ASEAN's chair and host of key regional meetings, President Barack Obama became the first U.S. president to visit Laos. The U.S. government and Hmong-American groups remain concerned about human rights issues and the Lao government's treatment of its ethnic Hmong minority. The LPDR government places substantial restrictions on civil and labor rights and political freedoms. There are a handful of known political prisoners, and a number of Hmong-Americans and Lao-Americans have disappeared in Laos over the past 20 years, with little apparent investigation by the Lao government. Laos is heavily influenced by China and Vietnam. Some observers say the LPDR hopes to offset its reliance on its neighbors, particularly China, by broadening its relations with others, but it is wary about U.S. advocacy for democracy and human rights. U.S. engagement in Laos has focused on addressing Vietnam War legacy issues such as unexploded ordnance (UXO) and helping the LPDR develop the legal and regulatory frameworks it needs to participate in global and regional trade agreements and integrate economically into ASEAN. U.S. and Lao officials meet regularly through ASEAN diplomatic channels as well as the Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI), a sub-regional foreign assistance effort launched by the U.S. State Department in 2009 to promote cooperation and development among member countries in the areas of economic integration, education, energy, the environment, food security, health, water, and women's empowerment. LMI participants are Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. Congress did not extend non-discriminatory treatment to the products of Laos until 2004. Bilateral trade has grown by nearly three times since 2013, reflecting a rise in Lao exports of electrical machinery and precious metals to the United States. In 2018, total trade between the United States and Laos was valued at $158 million, including $142 million worth of Lao exports to the United States and U.S. exports to Laos totaling $16 million. The U.S. government has noted progress and cooperation in some other areas of the bilateral relationship. In 2009, the United States and Laos exchanged defense attachs, the first time in over 30 years, and the Obama Administration removed the prohibition on U.S. Export-Import Bank financing for U.S. companies in Laos, citing the country's commitment to opening its markets. In 2010, the two countries signed a comprehensive Open Skies agreement to expand and liberalize aviation ties. The Defense POW/MIA (Prisoner of War/Missing in Action) Accounting Agency (DPAA) has conducted approximately 150 Joint Field Activities (JFAs) with the LPDR since 1985. Joint efforts have recovered the remains of 281 American service personnel while 291 remain missing. According to the World Bank, the LPDR's GDP growth averaged 7.7% over the past decade, and it grew by 6.5% in 2018. Neighboring countries China, Thailand, and Vietnam are Laos's largest export markets and dominate foreign investment. Major economic growth sectors include hydropower, infrastructure, mining, and tourism. Despite economic growth, Laos performs poorly on many social development indicators. It has the highest level of child mortality in Southeast Asia, and about one-fourth of Lao

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