Rail link to strengthen bonds with SE Asia

BEIJING - Construction of a railway linking China to mainland Southeast Asia through Laos is to begin next month, bringing China closer geographically and diplomatically with its trading partners, analysts said.

Laos' official KPL news agency said on Tuesday the 421-km railway is set to be completed in four years, running at 200 km per hour for passenger transportation and 120 km per hour for goods transportation.

China's Ministry of Railways did not confirm the report.