A China-Laos Railway passenger train bound for the Lao's tourist destination Luang Prabang awaits departure from Lao capital Vientiane on November 28, 2023. Photo: Wang Qi/GT

The China-Laos Railway has significantly boosted tourism along the route, helping consumption momentum and promoting cultural exchanges and economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

The comment came after the opening of an additional pair of international tourism trains linking Xishuangbanna city in Southwest China's Yunnan Province and Luang Prabang in Laos on Saturday, the first anniversary of the launch of the China-Laos Railway's international passenger service. 

The China-Laos Railway is a premium infrastructure project between China and Southeast Asian countries to promote high-quality construction and connection of China proposed Belt and Road Initiative, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said.

Lin said that the railway has become a significant link connecting ASEAN countries while offering a strong impetus for propelling high-quality development of the two economies with continuously growing passenger and freight traffic and convenient traveling since its operation two years ago. 

Lin said that that the cross-border passenger train line linking major cities in China and Laos have greatly facilitated tourists to visit cultural monuments and natural scenic spots. Over the past year, a total of 734 trains have completed journeys, transporting 700,000 passengers and attracting more than 180,000 tourists from 87 countries and regions crossing the border. 

Lin noted that the China-Laos Railway brings a historical opportunity for great opening, development and growth for China, Laos and all ASEAN countries, aiming for the railway to further accelerate development of the region. 

Laos and China have a long-standing and productive partnership, Phonevanh Outhavon, Vice Minister of Planning and Investment of Laos, told the Global Times in a previous interview during the Boao Forum for Asia 2024 held in South China's Hainan Province last month.

Outhavon noted that large green BRI investments can be developed along the China-Laos Railway and that more cooperation will be undertaken from the milestone project while more investment can be channeled to promote the country's sustainable development.  

The new pair of trains stop at six stations with the whole journey takes about five hours, including the time for customs clearance at the ports, and the same-day round trip between Xishuangbanna and Luang Prabang will come true. During the initial period, the trains run four days a week, every Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, according to a statement sent to the Global Times by China Railway Group.