Through the China-Laos Railway, bath bombs with essential oil entered ASEAN countries, which were the first batch of products of cooperation between Shandong Shanzuo Holding Group Co., Ltd. from Jinan Area of China (Shandong) Pilot FTZ and Xicao Group from Kunming Area of China (Yunnan) Pilot FTZ. Cargo from Qingbeijiang Area of China (Sichuang) Pilot FTZ had been delivered to Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and other countries after arriving in Vientiane on the China-Laos Railway.

Among the important events of China’s economic opening-up in 2021, the operation of the China-Laos Railway was definitely a highlight. As a “window” of opening up for Kunming and Yunnan, Kunming Area of China (Yunnan) Pilot Free Trade Zone expands its connectivity with the China-Laos Railway. Dong Jia, Vice Director of System Innovation Department of Kunming Area of China (Yunnan) Pilot Free Trade Zone, said based in Wangjiaying central station of China United International Rail Containers Co., Limited, Kunming Area jointly cooperates with Qingbaijiang Area, Jinan Area, and Qinzhou Port Area, coordinating other platforms including national areas, comprehensive bonded zones and cross (border) cooperation zones.

According to data, at present the phased goals of increasing the volume, optimizing the stock and improving the quality of the China-Laos Railway had been initially achieved, paving the way for building a “golden” route connecting Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia. With the first international freight train started operation on the China-Laos Railway, goods from Sichuan, Chongqing, Shanghai, Guangdong and other provinces and cities to South Asian and Southeast Asian countries have been assembled in Kunming. Other services including international cold chain trains, the Lancang-Mekong Express and market purchase trade have been launched successively. As of March 4, the China-Laos Railway has handled about 1.7 million passenger trips and 1444 international freight trains and transported over 39 thousand metric tons of cargo, worth about 1.13 billion yuan.

According to the Management Committee of Kunming Area of China (Yunnan) Pilot Free Trade Zone, Kunming Area has signed inter-provincial cooperative agreements with Jinan Area, Qingbaijiang Area and Qinzhou Port Area. A regional container distribution center will be established with the integrated linkage of railway logistics to assemble goods from Yunnan, Sichuan, Shandong, Guangxi and other provinces, connecting with the China Railway Express and the China-Laos Railway.

Dong Jia also said, as the China-Laos Railway adjacent to Japan and South Korea, linking ASEAN countries, Kunming Area will step up the construction of economic corridor, forming a link radiating East and Southeast Asia, Japan, South Korea and Northeast Asia. Efforts will be made to improve the timeliness of customs clearance of goods, carry out convenient declaration modes such as “advance declaration”, “two-step declaration” and “air inspection land release”, promoting customs exchanges and cooperation along the China-Laos railway, and improving the level of facilitation of cross-border transportation of international trains. Kunming Area will jointly launch the “China-Laos Railway International Transport Capacity Cooperation Alliance” in conjunction with various free trade zones to promote the innovative path of cross-border barter in customs clearance supervision, foreign exchange settlement, information logistics and other fields.

Click here to view Chinese report

(Editors: Ines, Amy)