China-Laos Railway reports robust cargo transport volume

KUNMING - As of Jan 2, customs authorities in Kunming in Southwest China have handled over 2.23 million tons 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 ($2.13 billion).

In December alone, Kunming customs handled the 286,000 tons 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.