The China-Laos Railway, a landmark project of the Belt and Road Initiative, has not only deepened connectivity and exchange between the two countries, but also become a catalyst for economic development, said Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone in an interview with China Media Group (CMG) aired on Friday.
Since its launch in December 2021, the 1,035-km railway linking Kunming of southwest China's Yunnan Province and Laotian, capital of Vientiane, has seen booms in both freight and passenger transport. It now connects travelers to over 560 tourist attractions along its route.
"The tourism industry is a key economic pillar in many countries. It represents a form of local service export and it's a sustainable green industry. That's why tourism goes beyond simply moving people from one place to another. It also fosters friendly relations between people from different countries," the prime minister said.
The China Railway Kunming Group Co., Ltd. said that as of March 28, it had operated 71,000 passenger train trips on the railway, serving more than 480,000 international travelers from 112 countries and regions worldwide.
Last October in Kazan, Russia, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith agreed on the need to further develop and strengthen the China-Laos Railway, to advance the development of the China-Laos Economic Corridor, and to turn it into a model of cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.
"To fully unlock the potential of the China-Laos Railway and ensure it delivers real benefits to people of both countries, our leaders have jointly called for the railway to be developed into a 'golden corridor' that improves people's lives. Guided by this shared vision, the Lao government has taken active steps to put these ideas into action. Looking back at more than three years since the railway's launch, we've focused particularly on enhancing passenger and freight services, with the aim of greatly improving convenience and efficiency," he said.
The railway has also opened up new development opportunities for regions beyond the capital city of Vientiane, with several key initiatives underway.
"First, China and Laos have already reached a consensus on jointly developing the China-Laos Border Economic Cooperation Zone (CLBECZ), which will include the areas of Boten (in Laos) and Mohan (in China). On our side, Laos has designated Boten as a special economic zone, and China is also actively strengthening cooperation at the provincial level to support this initiative. Second, Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage city, will leverage its rich cultural heritage and stunning natural landscape to focus on the growth of its service and tourism sectors. At the same time, there will be a strong emphasis on developing environmentally friendly industries to ensure sustainable development. Third, there is the Saysettha Development Zone, a comprehensive industrial park invested and developed by enterprises from Yunnan Province. Covering a planned area of 1,000 hectares, most of the zone is already completed and operational, serving primarily production and export functions," he said.
The scale of goods exported and imported through China's new western land-sea corridor hit a record high in the first quarter this year, according to Chongqing Customs.
The value of goods that imported and exported by the 13 provincial-level regions and two cities along the corridor reached over 200 billion yuan (more than 27 billion U.S. dollars), increasing by more than 10 percent over the same period last year.
The new western land-sea corridor lies in the hinterland of the western part of China and is a major channel to support the region's high-level opening up.
Currently, it sends more than 1,250 types of goods to 563 ports across 127 countries and regions around the world.
New western land-sea corridor sees record-high import, export scale