In this aerial drone photo, a fully loaded train operated independently by a Lao train driver leaves for Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, from Vientiane Station in Vientiane, Laos, Aug. 5, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

Three years since its launch, the China-Laos Railway has handled over 43 million passenger trips and more than 48.3 million tonnes of cargo, with safe operations.

A flagship project within the framework of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, the 1,035-km railway, linking Kunming of southwest China's Yunnan Province and Laotian capital of Vientiane, has significantly enhanced regional connectivity, boosted regional economic growth, facilitated people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and demonstrated great development potential as a golden transport corridor.

High-quality, comfortable journey

Five-year-old Li Hao, seated by the window of train D87 departing Kunming South Station for Vientiane on Tuesday morning, clapped with joy as he balanced a coin with his father's help and watched it stay upright while the train gained speed.

The popular "coin stability challenge" is tied to the TQI index, which gauges railway smoothness and service quality. A lower TQI value indicates a smoother ride and a better experience. Since its opening, the TQI of the China-Laos Railway has consistently remained below 2.7 millimeters, ensuring a high-quality and comfortable journey on par with high-speed rail.

The maintenance of the China-Laos Railway's Chinese section is handled by the Pu'er infrastructure division of China Railway Kunming Bureau Group Co., Ltd., with track adjustments about every two weeks. "Track maintenance is highly precise, down to 0.1 millimeters," said Bian Jiang, foreman of the Mohan maintenance station, adding that the introduction of drones and track inspection vehicles have greatly enhanced efficiency and accuracy.

The Chinese and Lao sections of the railway are operated and maintained under the same standards and requirements, with over 900 Chinese railway professionals having been sent to Laos to provide assistance.

The Lao section of the railway also features advanced systems to protect key areas, including monitoring of rainfall, strong winds and foreign object intrusions, as well as tunnel inspection robots that improve efficiency and accuracy.

"The railway has endured heavy traffic, torrential rains, and earthquakes," said Du Yonghui, director of the maintenance management center under China Railway Kunming Bureau Group Co., Ltd. in Luang Prabang of Laos.

Over the past three years of operation, the railway has completed more than 100,000 train trips without a single safety incident. It is a model of high-standard, high-quality construction and maintenance for cross-border railways, said Ngamprasong Muangmani, Lao Minister of Public Works and Transport.

Trade facilitation

On Tuesday noon, 20 tonnes of durians from Laos arrived at China's Mohan Station via the Lancang-Mekong Express service of the China-Laos Railway, receiving clearance to proceed within just five minutes.

In April 2022, Kunming is entrusted to assume full management of Mohan Town in Yunnan's Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, and introduced swift customs clearance for the railway, significantly reducing clearance times at the Mohan railway port and boosting trade facilitation.

Mohan has become a highland for opening up. "With the China-Laos Railway, we are confident in Mohan's future," said Wang Yi, general manager of China Railway Yunnan Construction Investment Co., Ltd., which has increased investments in Mohan and actively participated in key projects like the digital economy industrial park and industrial management center.

Since the China-Laos Railway started operation on Dec. 3, 2021, the time and logistics costs for freight transportation between China and Laos have significantly decreased, and economic and trade cooperation between the two countries further deepened. In 2023, the bilateral trade volume between the two countries reached 7.1 billion U.S. dollars, up 26.6 percent year on year.

The China-Laos Railway has facilitated China's exports of its mechanical and electrical products and agricultural goods, as well as imports of Laos and Thailand's natural rubber and tropical fruits, demonstrating increasing trade and economic exchanges along the route.

As of this November, over 10.6 million tonnes of imported and exported goods, valued at over 44 billion yuan (about 6.11 billion U.S. dollars), had been handled by Kunming Customs since the railway began operations. The variety of goods transported across the border has also expanded, growing from more than 500 types to over 3,000, according to Kunming Customs.

Since the railway's launch, sales of dried cassava chips from Laos have surged in China, sparking increased enthusiasm among Laotian farmers to plant cassava and even causing a short supply of cassava seedlings this year, said Hu Shengli, who works with Thongta International Logistics (Lao) Co., Ltd., adding that the China-Laos Railway has brought tangible benefits to the people of Laos.

This September, the first multimodal freight train connecting China, Laos and Thailand departed Kunming for Vientiane, from where the goods were transported by road to Thai wholesale markets, completing the entire journey in just three days and a half.

Chinese consumers enjoy better-quality durians, while Thai businesses and farmers benefit from new market opportunities, said Pan Jiaoling, chief operating officer of Thailand Speed Inter Transport Co., Ltd.

A bridge of cultural exchange

In winter, Xishuangbanna, with its mild, pleasant climate, becomes a popular destination, drawing a steady flow of travelers aboard international passenger trains on the China-Laos Railway.

"An increasing number of travelers from Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia, Thailand, and Laos are taking the China-Laos Railway into China to visit Xishuangbanna," said Chen Yunya, deputy general manager of Xishuangbanna Renda international travel agency, adding that the railway has built a bridge of cultural exchange between China and neighboring countries.

The international passenger trains on the China-Laos Railway have made it possible to travel between Kunming and Vientiane, with round-trip services allowing same-day arrival. The passenger trains have greatly promoted cultural exchange along the railway, further strengthening the friendly ties between the two countries, according to Daophet Chanthanasinh, deputy consul-general of Lao PDR in Kunming.

As of Dec. 2, over 346,000 passengers from 108 countries and regions have traveled across border on the China-Laos Railway. Among them, about 49,000 were foreign nationals, with approximately 87 percent of them entering China visa-free, according to the Mohan frontier checkpoint.

"My home is in Vientiane, and my child studies in Kunming. Before the train service, long-distance bus travel was really difficult, and my child rarely came home. Now, with the China-Laos Railway, we can reach China in a day, making it easier for my child to visit and allowing us to fulfill our dream of visiting China," said Souksavanh, a traveler from Laos.

On Nov. 19, the China-Laos Railway city alliance was established in Kunming. The launch cities of the alliance are Kunming and Vientiane, with the eight first members from both countries.

"The China-Laos Railway city alliance will promote cultural exchange and mutual learning between China and Laos, creating a more interconnected cooperation network. The cities can work together in cultural and tourism sectors, fostering joint initiatives and sharing resources to attract global tourists," said Ma Yong, a researcher of Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences.

This "steel Silk Road," as beautiful as the mountains and rivers it links, is expected to continue to enrich the lives of people along its route, fostering prosperity through trade and strengthening friendships through cultural exchange, Ma said.