Railway improves economy, livelihoods in Laos

As a landmark project of the Belt and Road Initiative and a symbol of China-Laos friendship, the China-Laos Railway has greatly boosted economic recovery, improved people's livelihoods and promoted people-to-people exchanges along the line since it was launched at the end of 2021.

The key role of the important regional transportation route has become increasingly prominent.

First, passenger and freight transportation on the railway has flourished, creating direct economic benefits. By May 30, over 4,000 freight trains had transported 4 million metric tons of cargo between the two countries, with the variety of goods expanding from some 100 in the early days to over 2,000. The Boten-Vientiane section of the line has handled 2.5 million passenger trips since the launch of the service, with the maximum number of trips reaching 10,000 in a single day.

Second, the railway's operation has brought job opportunities to locals. Since the launch of the railway service, the annual output of iron ore and tapioca flour along the line has increased by 1.8 million tons and 2 million tons, respectively. The increased exports of Laotian products have directly created more than 3,500 jobs, driving the development of industries such as logistics, transportation and tourism, and more than 100,000 jobs have been added indirectly.

Products of other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, such as Myanmar, Malaysia and Vietnam, have also benefited from the railway. Sticky rice from Laos and durian from Thailand can now be delivered to the tables of Chinese consumers in only three days.

Third, the China-Laos Railway has facilitated people-to-people exchanges. Traveling to Laos by train has become popular with tourists. In the first four months of this year, more than 1 million international tourists visited Laos, fueling the recovery of the local tourism industry.

Since cross-border passenger service started on April 13, it costs less than $100 to travel from Kunming, the capital of Southwest China's Yunnan province, to the Lao capital, Vientiane, and enjoy the beautiful scenery along the line. Recently, 100 children from Laos took the train to China and celebrated International Children's Day along with their Chinese peers, which sowed the seeds of friendship in their hearts.

In a recent interview, Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith hailed the contribution that the China-Laos Railway has made to boosting the local economy and creating a better future for Laos. He said Laotian people are proud of their nation's first railway.

I myself often travel by train. Whether it is the Lancang bullet train, or the old-fashioned green train, I have witnessed the vitality and prosperity that trains have brought to the lives of Laotian people, and the dramatic changes that have taken place in Laos.

Regrettably, some media that view China through colored spectacles have groundlessly sought to smear the China-Laos Railway. In a recent report, Reuters claimed that construction of the railway has driven deforestation, destroyed bat habitats and escalated the risk of a bat virus infecting humanity. By fabricating a far-fetched link between the railway with "another global health crisis", the article maliciously disregards the efforts of developing countries to seek better lives.

In fact, environmental conservation has been prioritized during the construction and operation of the China-Laos Railway. For instance, to protect biodiversity along the line, the railway passes around six natural and cultural preservation zones. To protect Laos' national forest reserves, constructors built tunnels and bridges to minimize the impacts on plants and animals living in forests, which drove up the costs of the project. A total of 8.6 million shrubs and 55,000 trees were planted along the rail line, and about $260 million has been directly spent on environmental protection during the construction.

Speaking of the damage caused to the land, the United States dropped millions of bombs on and used chemical weapons such as Agent Orange in Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia during the 1960s and 1970s, causing immeasurable suffering to local people and an environmental disaster. During the construction of the China-Laos Railway, more than $100 million was spent to clear unexploded bombs in regions along the rail line.

If media outlets like Reuters really care about countries in the region, they should shed light on the misery suffered by people who were maimed or killed by the unexploded ordnance left by the US, and urge the perpetrators to make amends. We welcome all constructive suggestions for China-Laos cooperation, but will not tolerate stigmatization and groundless accusations.

As a young Laotian man said, thanks to the China-Laos Railway, young people living in the northern mountainous regions of the country can now leave the mountains and broaden their horizons, which opens up more opportunities for them.

To improve the livelihoods of Chinese as well as Laotian people and create a better future for the next generation is the original aspiration for China-Laos cooperation. We would like to keep deepening the strategic cooperation between the two nations and push for the building of a China-Laos community with a shared future.

The author is Chinese ambassador to Laos. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.