China-Laos Railway reports robust cargo transport volume

Containers on the first banana train heading to China via the China-Laos Railway are seen at the Vientiane South Station in Vientiane, Laos, on Dec. 6, 2022. (Photo by Kaikeo Saiyasane/Xinhua)

KUNMING, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- As of Jan. 2, customs authorities in Kunming in southwest China have handled over 2.23 million tonnes of cargo transported via the China-Laos Railway since the service was launched 13 months ago. The cargo transported was worth nearly 14.57 billion yuan (about 2.13 billion U.S. dollars).

In December alone, Kunming customs handled the 286,000 tonnes of import and export cargo transported via the railway, up 6.04 times from the first month of the service, with a value of 616 million yuan, up 6.2 times.

"Since the opening of the China-Laos Railway, the types of import and export goods handled by our company have greatly increased. Our business volume has increased 40 percent year on year, and our market competitiveness has been significantly improved," said Zhang Xianzhou, head of an international logistics company in the Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province.

The China-Laos Railway, which kicked off operations in December 2021, stretches over 1,000 km, linking Kunming, capital of China's Yunnan Province, with Vientiane in Laos.