Mohan, a border town in Mengla county, Yunnan province, has become a key hub for strengthening connectivity between China and other Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies.
The Mohan port, located along the China-Laos Railway, has witnessed an increase in trade exchanges between the two nations, as well as with other Southeast Asian countries.
Following the launch of the China-Laos Railway on Dec 3, 2021, Mohan port has emerged as the largest rail gateway linking China with ASEAN member states, according to Huang Zhonglei, head of the comprehensive business section at Mengla Customs under Kunming Customs.
Huang added that as of Oct 7, the cumulative import and export cargo via the China-Laos Railway has exceeded 20.7 million tons, with a trade value surpassing 100 billion yuan ($15 billion).
People-to-people exchanges are becoming increasingly frequent. According to the Mohan Border Inspection Station, by mid-October, the China-Laos Railway had operated over 4,000 international passenger trains, transporting more than one million visits from over 120 countries and regions across its borders.
Thanmany Peng, an international student from Laos, noted that before the railway opened, he had to take an international bus to travel to China, which took two to three days. "Now, with the railway in operation, it takes only one day to reach China. It's much easier to return home if there's an emergency," he said.
Regional connectivity has also brought more employment opportunities to the people of Southeast Asian countries.
Xae, a Lao worker in Mohan, noted that after receiving training, he is now employed in peanut processing and enjoys a more stable income than before.
"Since the opening of the China-Laos Railway, our interactions and exchanges with China have become much more convenient," he said.
Jiang Zhida, a senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, noted that China has shifted from "participating in discussions" to "providing public goods" in promoting connectivity among APEC economies.
"Mohan, as a vital corridor, is helping Laos transition from a landlocked to a land-linked country," he said. "The Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed railway, a flagship project of cooperation between China and Indonesia, has transported over 18 million passengers in three years. Additionally, Chancay Port — an important project under the Belt and Road Initiative cooperation — has reduced China-Peru sea shipping time to about 23 days."
In the first 10 months of 2026, China's trade with other APEC economies reached 27.08 trillion yuan, growing by 25.4 percent, making it the largest trading partner for 13 APEC economies, according to Jiang.
Yuan Hongli contributed to the story.
