On November 15, a scene at the busy Wang Jiaying west container central station showed many containers filled with cargo were neatly placed on the freight train. As the starting point for the international freight trains of the China/Kunming-Laos/Vientiane Railway, Wang Jiaying west container central station is the only first-level logistics node in Yunnan province and the largest container yard with complete infrastructure. At present, it is busy preparing for the operation of international freight trains. 

According to Xu Chao, the vice general manager of Kunming container central station, Wang Jiaying west container central station covers an area of 1239 mu with 3 modern warehouses. The storage yard can store 20,000 international standard containers (TEU) at a time. Its annual container operation capacity can reach 800,000 TEU, covering parts of Yunnan, North China, Northwest China, Central China, and South China. The station can expand to almost every Southeast Asian country by sea-rail combined transport, road-rail combined transport, and further connecting China-Myanmar, China-Vietnam, China-Laos, and other outbound railway networks in the future. It will become an essential part of the international logistics system linking Yunnan, and South Asia, and Southeast Asia.

To ensure the smooth operation of international freight trains on the China/Kunming-Laos/Vientiane Railway, China Railway Container Company works closely with several other departments to arrange transportation in advance. “At the moment, Wang Jiaying west container central station is equipped with the industry-leading intelligent terminal management operating system and the first modern station along the way to install an unattended smart door inspection system and a wireless transmission system for operating instructions. Railway data exchange is real-time and efficient, which can realize the seamless connection with port, customs, and other data,” said Xu Chao. 

Zhang Qiu, member of the Party Working Committee and Minister of the System Innovation Department of Kunming Area of China (Yunnan) Pilot Free Trade Zone (Kunming Economic Development Zone), said after the China-Laos railway opening to traffic, its market-driven effect and economic spillover effect will promote the transformation of the transportation structure, industrial structure, and economic structure of Kunming Area, bringing historic opportunities to Kunming Area to accelerate the transformation of location advantages, expand cross-border trade and cross-border logistics. Right now, Preparations for the launching ceremony of the China/Kunming-Laos/Vientiane Railway International Freight Train are underway.

In the next step, Kunming Area of China (Yunnan) Pilot FTZ (Kunming Economic Development Zone) will promote the comprehensive utilization of the China-Laos railway and improve the cross-border railway logistics system along the China-Laos railway by strengthening cooperation with Mohan-Moding Economic Cooperation Zone. The Logistics system will facilitate industrial and trade development and jointly build an economic belt along the China-Laos railway. With Kunming as the core, Mohan, Ruili, and Hekou as supplements, it covers the route network to major cities in South Asia and Southeast Asia. It speeds up the promotion of the Indochina Peninsula international trains and the facilitation of international road transportation. Promoting the orderly flow of surplus production capacity in the Kunming area to the China-Laos cooperation zone also attracts more companies to settle in the two regions and encourages more companies to participate in international competition through fiscal and tax policies. 

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(Editors: Ines, Amy)