Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone lauded the China-Laos Railway for its economic benefits as well as its contribution to promoting regional connectivity.
As a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, the 1,035-km railway connects Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, with the Laotian capital Vientiane.
It has handled millions of tons of imported and exported goods since it was put into operation in December 2021.
In a recent interview with China Central Television (CCTV), Sonexay highlighted the wonderful results brought by the railway.
"We speak highly of the China-Laos Railway, which is a strategic project of Laos and is in line with China's Belt and Road Initiative. In the past, the regional transport was mainly by sea, which was not conducive to landlocked countries like Laos. Therefore, Laos formulated a strategy to transform its land-locked status into a land-linked one. The China-Laos Railway project has directly promoted this strategy and is highly anticipated by the Lao people. The railway was built during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the project was completed on schedule thanks to the leadership of both heads of states, as well as to the dedicated builders. According to the analysis of real economic data, the performance of China-Laos Railway exceeds expectations, which has not only brought huge economic benefits, but also promoted the connectivity of the Kunming-Singapore Railway under the Belt and Road Initiative. With the help of the project, the exchanges between the people of Laos and China have become faster and more convenient. High mountains and long roads are no longer obstacles," Sonexay said.
He cited the example of products that Laos has exported to China via this crucial line.
"As I've said before, the China-Laos Railway has helped Laos achieve leapfrog development in freight transportation. The main products we export to China include beef cattle, rubber, fruits, and beans. In addition to agricultural products, we also export a lot of minerals to China, such as coal, iron ore and metallic ores," the prime minister said.
Laos has benefited from cooperation with China in the field of energy, accelerating the country's low-carbon energy transition and moving it closer towards its goal of becoming the "Battery of Southeast Asia", said Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone in a recent interview when he came to China for the Boao Foru for Asia Annual Conference 2025.
In April 2023, a groundbreaking ceremony for the 600 MW Monsoon Wind Power Project, the first of this kind in Laos, contracted by Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina), was held in Vientiane, the capital of Laos.
In February this year, the launch ceremony for the construction of the Lao section of the China-Laos 500 kV power interconnection project was held in Vientiane.
In early March, Laos' first photovoltaic and energy storage project was put into substantive operation.
Speaking with China Central Television (CCTV), Sonexay highlighted the significant role the electric power industry has played in the Lao economy.
"Electricity sector is undoubtedly one of the pillar industries in Laos. At present, Laos' installed power capacity has reached about between 11,000 and 12,000 megawatts, which can not only meet most of Laos' domestic electricity demand, but also export a large amount of the electricity to neighboring countries such as Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, and even to Malaysia and Singapore through Thailand," he said.
In the interview, Sonexay stressed that China has invested heavily in Laos' energy sector, which is conducive to the development of the nation's electric power sector.
"Among Laos' 53 sources of investment, China ranks the first in terms of investment. China mainly invests in Laos' energy, minerals, services, real estate, shopping malls, and other areas. Among them, China's investment in the energy field has played an important role in Laos' electricity production. For example, the China-invested Nam Ou River cascade hydropower station satisfy 33 percent of the country's electricity consumption. The Lao government is also promoting the development and utilization of alternative energy sources such as wind and sun," the prime minister said.
