The first group of Lao train drivers to work independently on the China-Laos Railway have been formally awarded driver certificates after receiving qualification trainings.

Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Saleumxay Kommasith, Lao Deputy Minister of Public Works and Transport Saysongkham Manodham, General Manager of the Laos-China Railway Co., Ltd. (LCRC) Liu Hong, attended the certificate awarding ceremony held here on Monday.

On behalf of the Lao Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Saysongkham presented the licenses to the 14 people.

Speaking at the ceremony, Saysongkham said this was a major event in the history of Laos' transportation development. He hopes that these train drivers will always keep safety first, ensure that passenger and freight trains arrive at their destinations safely and on time, contributing to the development of Laos' railway industry.

Also speaking at the event, Liu said, "In the next step, we will make full use of the teaching resources including from Chinese railway colleges and the Lao railway vocational technical college to build a Lao railway talent team, promoting the high-quality and reliable development of the China-Laos Railway."

The LCRC recruited the first batch of Lao train driver trainees in June 2020. After theoretical study and training courses, 66 Lao assistant drivers were selected in June 2022.

By the end of 2023, the company had selected 14 co-drivers with a driving mileage of more than 100,000 kilometers. After eight months of further trainings, they all passed relevant qualification examinations to become the first Lao train drivers to perform duty independently on the China-Laos Railway.