Construction on China-Laos railway underway

Construction of the China-Laos railway got underway with an official ceremony in Luang Prabang, Laos, on Dec. 25, 2016. [Photo from Xinhua]

Construction of the China-Laos railway got underway with an official ceremony in Luang Prabang, Laos, on Dec. 25, 2016. 

Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith turned the first sod and struck a gong nine times.

Chairman of the Laos-China Railway Company Huang Difu  said the Laos-China railway is an important part of the Trans-Asian Railway and an important infrastructure project linking the two countries.  

Lao Minister of Public Works and Transport Bounchanh Sinthavong said the railway project is a historic milestone in the comprehensive strategic cooperation between the two countries, with great significance for the Lao socio-economic development. It will also expand and upgrade their cooperation in trade, investment, tourism and other areas and further enhance economic ties in China- ASEAN Free Trade Area.

The more than 400-kilometer-long railway starts at Mohan on the China-Laos border, passing through the border town Boten in northern Laos and running southward to its capital Vientiane.

There are 32 stations along the line, and trains can reach an average speed of 160 kilometers per hour.

The construction is expected to be finished in 5 years, with a total investment of nearly 40 billion yuan.