Lao businesses eye further cooperation with China-Laos Railway operator

VIENTIANE, May 17 (Xinhua) -- The Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI) and the Laos-China Railway Co., Ltd. (LCRC) have engaged in discussions on various projects related to business cooperation schemes.

According to a report issued by the LNCCI on Wednesday, President of LNCCI Oudet Souvannavong met a delegation from the LCRC, a joint venture based in the Lao capital Vientiane responsible for the operation of the railway's Lao section.

The two sides discussed at Monday's meeting promotion of cooperation between Lao businesses and the LCRC, especially in advertising, transport and warehouse services, tourism and culture, and development of projects along the cross-border railway.

They also talked about the Laos-China Economic Cooperation Conference to be held in Vientiane in August 2023, which will focus on transport, mining, agriculture, culture and new energy.

The two sides agreed to hold a special meeting between Lao businesses and the LCRC at the end of this month to discuss cooperation in transporting goods by rail.

The Lao business community has been encouraged by sizable profits arising from the use of freight trains of the China-Laos Railway. However, a number of them, both exporters and importers, still face challenges regarding payment of deposits for containers.

The amount of cross-border freight transported by the China-Laos Railway has risen to more than 1.4 million tons between early December 2021 and October 2022, according to the report.

The China-Laos Railway, a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, began operation in December 2021. The 1,035-km railway connects Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan province with Vientiane in Laos.