China News Service, Kunming, December 3, title: "Three Voices" from the first train of the China-Laos Railway
China News Agency reporter Miao Chao
At about 16:44 on December 3, the heads of state of China and Laos issued a train departure order, and the China-Laos Railway was opened to traffic.
Immediately, the first train departed from the Kunming Railway Station behind the "Zero Kilometer Mark" sculpture of the China-Laos Railway and drove southward toward the China-Laos border at a speed of 160 kilometers per hour.
A reporter from China News Agency was fortunate to be one of the more than 700 passengers on the first train, witnessing the historical moment of the opening of the China-Laos railway.
On the fast-moving train, the reporter recorded three voices.
"Ending the history of Laos with only 3.5 kilometers of railway"
Laos is located in the central part of the Indo-China Peninsula. It covers an area of 236,000 square kilometers. It is surrounded by 5 countries including China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar. 80% of the land area is mountainous and plateau. In the era of globalization, the closed geographical conditions have severely restricted the Lao people’s well-being. Travel and exchange with countries around the world.
"In Laos, there are many young people who love each other from Vientiane to Tanaleng every day, because it is the only railway station in Laos, and the train is the most popular wedding photo background." The passenger Phoudthavong Viengxay is from Pocho Province, Laos. An internet celebrity, currently studying in China.
The romantic story he said has an unromantic background: the train from Thailand only runs 3.5 kilometers to Thanaleng, Laos. This is the only railway in Laos before.
"People don't think of trains as means of transportation, but as attractions."
Today, such a scene has become history.
The China-Laos Railway has increased the Laos railway journey from single digits to three digits, and has set up stations in Vientiane, Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang and other places.
"Ending the embarrassing history of Laos with only 3.5 kilometers of railway." Phoudthavong Viengxay said that the China-Laos Railway is a well-known "net celebrity project" in Laos, and the whole country is paying attention to this railway. There are many Lao video bloggers today. Filming and reporting the news of the opening to traffic.
The opening of the China-Laos Railway will speed up the pace of economic development in Laos and bring the people of Laos a yearning for a better life.
"Land Lock Country" is connected with Asia and Europe
The China-Laos Railway is more than 1,000 kilometers long, starting from Kunming, China in the north, and reaching Vientiane, Laos, in the south. It consists of a Chinese section and a Lao section.
"We have five railway containers of textiles and hardware products, which will be shipped to Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar via the China-Laos Railway." said Wang Shiyun, chairman of Shanghai Ruiyi International Logistics Co., Ltd., her company is to connect with China-Laos railway freight business. One of the first batch of enterprises.
Why did this batch of textiles from China's coast choose the China-Laos Railway?
Royal Cloud told reporters that the Southeast Asian textile market has strict requirements on the arrival time of new products. Compared with the current unsmooth sea transportation, the China-Laos Railway can reduce the transportation time by about 6 days.
"Compared with sea transportation, railway time is controllable, low-carbon and environmentally friendly, which has obvious advantages for demanding international logistics."
For the first time to test the old railway in the water, the royal family wanted to open up the logistics line connecting the China-Laos railway and the China-Europe railway.
"Our company also undertakes cargo logistics needs from Southeast Asia to Europe. The China-Laos Railway can connect with China-Europe Express trains in Kunming. The'Southeast Asia-Europe Railway Direct Transportation' will be the key logistics route we will develop in the next step."
The opening of the China-Laos Railway opened up a thoroughfare connecting Southeast Asia, China, and Europe, turning Laos, a land-locked country, into a land-linked country.
"The tree of traditional friendship between China and Laos is more prosperous"
China and Laos are connected by mountains and rivers, separated by a strip of water. The cultures of the two countries have many common points in common.
As good neighbors connected by mountains and rivers, the two countries have been walking together through trials and hardships for 60 years.
"My family has relatives in Phongsaly Province, Laos. Before the outbreak of the new crown pneumonia, we would go to Laos every year to celebrate the Songkran Festival with relatives." Yanjue from Xishuangbanna, China told reporters that Xishuangbanna borders Laos, and the local customs and customs are the same as Laos. resemblance.
The friendship between nations lies in the closeness of the people.
Yanjue said that the China-Laos railway has become the most talked topic between him and his relatives in Laos since the start of construction. This railway can shorten the time and distance between them and increase their chances of meeting.
"Frequent people-to-people exchanges will make the tree of traditional friendship between China and Laos more luxuriant."
After the opening of the China-Laos railway, the large-volume, all-weather trains will further expand the scope of exchanges between the two peoples. There will be more and more exchange projects and the friendship between the two peoples will become deeper and deeper.
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