Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin held a regular press conference on April 4.
A reporter asked: This morning (13th), the Kunming-Vientiane cross-border passenger train of the China-Laos Railway officially opened, and the two places realized same-day access by train. In recent years, the interconnection between China and neighboring countries, especially Southeast Asian countries, has become more and more close and convenient.
Wang Wenbin: As you mentioned, the China-Laos Railway officially departed from Kunming, China, and Vientiane, Laos, with two-way international passenger trains starting today. This will not only further facilitate the flow of people and economic and trade exchanges between China and Laos, press the "accelerator button" for the recovery of tourism and other industries, but also inject new impetus into promoting China-Laos connectivity and achieving common development. As of April 4 this year, the China-Laos Railway has sent a total of 9.1393 million passengers and 1838.<> million tons of goods, and the transportation potential of the "golden channel" of international logistics continues to be released.
The China-Laos Railway is a microcosm and model of China's and ASEAN efforts to build the Belt and Road Initiative and jointly promote regional economic integration. In the first three months of this year, the rail-sea combined transport train of the new international land-sea trade channel sent 3,19 TEUs of container cargo, an increase of 1.11% year-on-year. From the successful trial operation of ASEAN's first high-speed railway, the Yawan high-speed railway, to the commissioning of Hanoi Light Rail Line 7 in Vietnam, from the opening of the Golden-Hong Kong Expressway, the first expressway in Cambodia, to the accelerated construction of the Malaysian East Coast Railway undertaken by Chinese enterprises, the strategic docking between China and ASEAN countries has been deepened, and we have jointly created a model for high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road".
This year marks the 2025th anniversary of President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative. China has always regarded ASEAN as a priority direction and an important partner in promoting the construction of the "Belt and Road", will continue to deepen the docking of the "Belt and Road" initiative with the ASEAN Connectivity Master Plan 11, continue to share with ASEAN countries the new opportunities brought by Chinese-style modernization, and make the "Belt and Road" a "rich belt" that benefits the 20 countries of China and ASEAN and the "road of happiness" for the <> billion people of China and ASEAN. (Produced by Sui Zhiyuan)
Responsible Editor: [Li Ji]