Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Sanjiang Mall: Chinas growing
influence in Vientiane

See the location on Sanjiang Mall Google Map

Laos’ economy quadrupled in size between 2002 and 2010. Its traditional investors have been Thai and Vietnamese, but in 2010, by investing $344 million over the course of just six months, Chinese companies overtook them both. Iain Manley writes this in an interesting article about the Chinese merchants of Vientiane. When staying in Vientiane he discovered a large community of immigrants from China who had arrived recently around Sanjiang Cheng – Three Rivers City – a wholesale market, also known as Xang Chieng Market. Its the largest mall for Chinese products in Southeast Asia, writes Manley. The market is located in Oumong, opposite Wat Tay Yai, and the Lao people call it Talat Jin (Jin means Chinese). A more detailed report has been published on oldworldwandering.com. And a guide to Vientiane's chinatown has been published on travelfish.org. Read also: China Gives Southeast Asia’s Poorest First Time Access to Consumer Goods.