Experiencing the China Laos Railway: Listening to the Good News of the Times of Peace and Development Neon | Region | Times
Stepping onto the high-speed railway from Xishuangbanna to Luang Prabang, the window is filled with twinkling neon tunnels, intertwined with the intoxicating greenery of farmland. On the seamless railway track, the train flies by, leaving behind no longer the clanging sound of the train hitting the rail gap, but the good news of the Fuxing heading south and the Lancang heading north, and the two-way development of China Laos friendship in the new era.
This year marks the tenth anniversary of China's "the Belt and Road" initiative and the first year of the opening of the international passenger transport service of the China Laos railway. As a landmark project of high-quality joint construction of the "the Belt and Road", the China Laos railway is prosperous in both passenger and cargo traffic, which greatly promotes China Laos trade and cultural and tourism exchanges. According to China Railway Kunming Bureau Group, from December 3, 2021 to June 3, 2023, the China Laos Railway has been in operation for 18 months, with 16.4 million passengers and 21 million tons of goods sent.
"After the opening of the China Laos railway, the occupancy rate of our hotels has increased, and most of our holiday hotels in China are full," said Mr. Xi, the bellboy of Beltulai Resort, Luang Prabang, Laos. The ubiquitous presence of foreign tourists in Luang Prabang has driven local consumption. Whether at the stalls of supermarkets, restaurants, or night markets, local merchants speak a few Chinese words, "After all, there are many Chinese tourists, and we are all very welcome!".
In the streets and alleys of Laos, Chinese goods that cross the border by the China Laos Railway are often seen, and the sales of Laos goods are also opened through the China Laos Railway. The LC International Logistics and Trade Warehouse Center, established in 2022, is the largest land port in Luang Prabang. It has completed over 80000 tons of cargo trade, transporting Chinese steel, building materials, chemical raw materials to Laos, as well as Laotian iron ore and cassava starch to China.
The China Laos Railway not only connects China and Laos, but also brings people and goods from more than ten countries and regions along the "the Belt and Road", such as Thailand and Myanmar, into the great development pattern. At present, the names of cross-border freight transport products of the China Laos Railway have expanded from more than 10 at the initial stage of opening to more than 1200. "This train is very convenient and fast, and many Thais will also take this train." On the Fuxing train from Yunnan to Vientiane, Laos, a Thai passenger praised the convenience of China Laos railway for her multi country tour.
Once upon a time, hundreds of unexploded bombs left by the United States during the Vietnam War were buried just below the tracks of the China Laos Railway. It was hard to calm the lingering sadness. During the construction of the China Laos Railway, about 459 unexploded bombs and more than 460 pieces of related debris were removed from 2931 hectares of land to ensure safety. Nowadays, in the night market of Luang Prabang, the night economy is booming, and people of different nationalities are crowded. A Laotian girl is selling handicrafts made from shells thrown by the United States during the Vietnam War.
The baptism of time has made peace and development a strong voice of the times. With the spirit of turning artillery shells into handicrafts, the Lao people are working together with China's friends and neighbors to forge ahead along the golden thoroughfare of the China Laos Railway, so as to achieve a better tomorrow of prosperity and development.
