China-Laos Railway sees rapid growth

Freight volume transported by the China-Laos Railway had surpassed 10 million metric tons as of Monday, about one month before its one-year anniversary since opening.

The number of categories of goods has increased from about 100 when it opened to about 1,200 now, the China Railway Kunming Bureau said. Major exported cargo includes cloth, electronics and chemical fertilizers, while major imported goods include rubber and fruit

Freight transportation volume has seen steady growth monthly, with October breaking the monthly record with 1.35 million tons, it said. Trade through the railway reaches countries such as Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Singapore.

"The railway is fast and safe, with a large transport capacity, which is why it's favored by traders from home and abroad," said Xu Jiefeng, director of the marketing department at Kunming East Railway Station.

Xu said the railway is a convenient and efficient international logistics "golden channel" between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It boosts economic cooperation between the Chinese market and southern Asia, and "saves transport time and cost".

Twenty-five provincial-level regions in China have operated international freight on the railway. The number of cross-border freight train trips increased from two to 12 per day on average. Cross-border cargo transportation volume has reached 1.8 million tons, with a value of more than 12 billion yuan ($1.65 billion).