On 3 December 2021, the China-Laos Kunming-Vientiane Railway was inaugurated, turning the rift valley between China and Laos into an open, flat road. With a total length of 1,035 kilometers and a speed of 160 kilometers per hour, the railway is invested by China, uses Chinese standards throughout, and is directly connected to the Chinese railway network. The China-Laos Kunming-Vientiane Railway carries the dream of transforming Laos from an inland "landlocked country" to a "land-linked country". Since being provided with a modern railway, Laos has said goodbye to the era of no trains and entering the age of railway transport. The China-Laos Railway is a try of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries and landmark research for the high-quality construction of "One Belt, One Road", linking the deep friendship between China and Laos, interpreting the profound connotation of the spirit of the China-Laos community of destiny through practical actions. As an essential part of the Asian Railway Central Network, the China-Laos Railway contributes to the cooperation and exchange between China and Southeast Asian countries, strengthens the close ties between China and ASEAN.
