A delegation of the 45th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly in the "Lancang" train of China-Laos railway from the Lao capital Vientiane to Luang Prabang. PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY

Not only has the China-Laos railway become a name brand for Laos, it has also greatly enhanced the Southeast Asian country's status, said Sounthone Xayachak, vice-president of the National Assembly of Laos.

Noting Laos was among the first to possess a modern railway in Southeast Asia, Sounthone made the remarks to delegations during the 45th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-45), held on Oct 17-23 in the Lao capital Vientiane.

The China-Laos railway, a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, began operations in December 2021. The 1,035-kilometer railway connects Kunming in Southwest China's Yunnan province with Vientiane.

During the meeting, participants from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Algeria, India, Bahrain, Canada and the European Union visited the railway's Vientiane station. They embarked on a journey to Luang Prabang in northern Laos on the "Lancang" train of the China-Laos railway, which was adorned in the red, white and blue of the Laos national flag.

The name "Lancang" is a tribute to the ancient name of Laos and the Lancang-Mekong River which flows through both China and Laos.

Participants of the 45th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly pose for a group photo at the train platform in Vientiane Station before boarding on the China-Laos railway on Oct 22. PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY

Inside the carriage, representatives from different countries carefully observed the fully equipped facilities and praised the comfort and cleanliness of the train.

They were also impressed by the construction and the operation of the China-Laos railway, which demonstrated the significant progress Laos has made in infrastructure development.

The Laos-China Railway Co, a joint venture based in Vientiane responsible for the operation of the railway's Laos section, also set up an exhibition booth at the National Convention Center in Vientiane to showcase the key achievements of the railway.

Attracted by the booth, participants at AIPA-45 said the railway not only promotes Laos' socioeconomic development but also injects new vitality into the connectivity between Southeast Asia, China, and Eurasian countries.

This year's AIPA General Assembly was held under the theme "The Role of Parliaments in Enhancing Connectivity and Inclusive Growth of ASEAN", which aligned with Laos' ASEAN chairmanship theme, "ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience".