The 10th Anniversary of the the Belt and Road "Family Visits" Realized the Reunion of the Chinese and Laotian Railway Builders

Lancang of Mercedes Benz on the China Laos Railway

Family members of the "anti family visit" activity arrive at Vientiane Airport for a group photo

International online report: This year marks the tenth anniversary of the "the Belt and Road" initiative. As a demonstration project of the "the Belt and Road" initiative, the China Laos Railway has officially opened to traffic for more than one year, and the international passenger trains of the China Laos Railway have been running for nearly a hundred days.

Behind the opening of the China Laos Railway, there is a great deal of hard work and sweat paid by Chinese builders. Today, many of them are still stationed along the China Laos Railway to ensure the safety of railway operation. Recently, under the organization of China Railway Group, these left behind overseas builders welcomed their long-awaited family members at the Vientiane Wadai Airport in Laos, fulfilling their long-awaited dream of reunion.

China Laos Railway is an international railway directly connected with China's railway network. It starts from Kunming, Yunnan, China in the north and ends at Vientiane, the capital of Laos in the south, with a total length of 1035 kilometers. The whole line adopts Chinese standards and was started on December 25, 2016. 11 subordinate units of China Railway participated in the construction of civil subgrade, bridge and track laying on the line, electrification installation and other works of the China Laos Railway. After the opening and operation of the China Laos Railway, nearly 200 employees remained for a long time, responsible for the protection and escort of the China Laos Railway and the development of the Laos market.

During this family visit, China Railway Group specially organized the family members of the Chinese and Laotian railway builders to return to the construction base of the year and introduce the story of the construction period of the Chinese Laotian railway. Li Yongcheng, chief engineer of the project department of China Railway Erju in Laos, said, "In the process of building the China Laos railway, we encountered a large no man's land in Laos, which is an environment we have never encountered in domestic construction. The no man's land is mainly reflected in the inconvenience of transportation and lack of signals. During the construction process, we were very proud to complete the most difficult section of construction through careful speech before the shift and careful construction arrangements."

When talking about the difficulties we once experienced, Guo Yanchun, an employee of the old project of China Railway Erju, said in an interview that in order to start the construction of the China Laos Railway on schedule, everyone felt it was worth working hard and hard. "I followed our track laying army all the way to Boten, and the difficulties were really unimaginable in China. Due to the rainy season, coupled with the poor roads in this mountain area, I often encountered mud rock flows. There were several equipment failures in the way, and we all relied on overnight relay to send accessories and other things from Vientiane all the way, one by one. I am sorry for the children in recent years. My little son, who was only over two years old when I came here, just started kindergarten. His biggest wish is to let his father pick him up to school, and then told me, Dad, you will never come back I graduated from kindergarten, which is the most sad thing for me. But for the sake of the scheduled commencement of the China Laos Railway, I think it is worth the sacrifice."

On July 17, the builders of the China Laos Railway boarded the "Lancang" train with their families and flew on the track of the China Laos Railway. Lan Guangwen, the head of the project of China Railway Erju in Laos, told his family about himself and the railway.

Lan Guangwen said, "Wanrong Railway Station is about to enter. Look, this is also the railway we built."

Lan Guangwen said, "Look, this is the signal light, the railway signal light. Yes, this is the crossing."

Lan Guangwen said, "These goods are returning to China, and some of them can also be transported to Chongqing."

Lan Guangwen said, "He often said at home that he will also become an engineer in the future, right?"

Lan Guangwen's son said, "I also want to work as an engineer to build railways."

The Chinese Laotian railway builders are very sorry for their families and are relieved by their understanding. Zhang Wenjun, the husband of Li Hui from China Railway Eighth Bureau, expressed understanding and support for his wife's long-term work abroad. "My feeling is that my wife works outside all year round, and these family matters are also related to her work. She has this necessity, and we should also support her work, so that she can make greater contributions to the company with peace of mind and solidity, and do her job well. I feel very happy, excited, and emotional today. Riding on the high-speed railway that China is assisting in building abroad, I feel that our motherland is very strong, and I am proud as a Chinese."

The dream of railways is passed down from generation to generation, and the great love of the people connected by railways is also flowing in the hearts of the people of China and Laos. During this visit, China Railway Group organized an exchange activity with employees and family representatives to visit Haonongbing Village Primary School in Laos. During the activity, China Railway donated learning and sports goods to Nongbing Village Primary School, and also extended an invitation to Lao teachers and students to visit China on the the Belt and Road to Beijing. Pan Tong Kangtongmi, the principal of Haonongbing Village Primary School in Laos, said, "They are very concerned about our school and have always provided us with a lot of help. Every time they visit our school, they bring a lot of love items and study materials to their classmates. Students study more seriously, and there are no more students who are absent from class. The constant love sent by everyone encourages students."

As the "the Belt and Road" and the landmark project of China Laos friendship, the China Laos Railway will be officially opened on December 3, 2021. This friendship, science and technology, green and open railway will certainly carry the dreams of the Chinese and Laotian people, cross mountains and create brilliance.