China-Laos Railway handles over 50,000 passenger trains since launch

The China-Laos Railway has handled 50,187 passenger trains and over 34.05 million passenger trips since its launch in December 2021, according to the railway operator.

The cross border passenger service was launched in April 2023, with the trains connecting Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, with Lao capital Vientiane, to offer a convenient and efficient travel option for citizens of both countries.

Meanwhile, the China-Laos Railway's international service expanded in April this year, with a pair of trains connecting Xishuangbanna, a popular tourist destination in China, to Luang Prabang, another tourist hub in Laos.

The launch of cross-border passenger services further promotes cultural and people-to-people exchanges as well as economic cooperation between the two countries.

To ramp up transport capacity and offer a seamless travel experience, the railway department leverages real-time data. By analyzing ticket pre-sales and wait lists, they optimize train operation and ticket management, ensuring efficient service.

The China-Laos Railway is a landmark project of the Belt and Road Initiative. The 1,035-km railway started operation on Dec 3, 2021.

Myanmar exported 305,821 tons of rice and broken rice in the first two months of the current fiscal year 2026-27, which began in April, according to the Myanmar Rice Federation on Sunday.

The Southeast Asian country earned about 93 million U.S. dollars from the exports during the period, the federation said.

According to the federation's data, rice exports in April and May this fiscal year were lower than the over 400,000 tons exported during the same period last fiscal year.