China-Laos railway handles $13.29 bln in trade since launch: official data

(ECNS) -- The China-Laos railway has handled 90.28 billion yuan ($13.29 billion) worth of cross-border goods since it began operations in 2021, with more than 22,000 international freight trains running on the route as of June 30, according to data from Kunming Customs.

In the first half of this year alone, the railway facilitated 17.16 billion yuan in imports and exports, up 33.7% from the same period a year earlier, the customs office said.

The railway, a key project under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), started operation in 2021, connecting China's southwestern city of Kunming with the Lao capital Vientiane.

Officials and analysts have described it as a "golden corridor" for trade between China and Southeast Asia, with its role in boosting regional connectivity becoming increasingly evident.

(By Zhang Donfang)