China's cotton output this year has exceeded six million tons, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Wednesday.
The increase is attributed to a rise in planting area and improved yields per hectare.
The total cotton output reached 6.164 million tons, marking an increase of 546,000 tons or 9.7 percent compared with 2023. Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region remains the largest contributor, yielding 5.686 million tons, with an increase of 574,000 tons or a 11.2 percent growth year on year.
The Yangtze River Basin's production reached 221,000 tons, up by 0.8 percent from the previous year.
The cotton-planting area nationwide has also expanded by 50,100 hectares to about 2.84 million hectares in 2024, marking a 1.8 percent growth from last year. The yield per hectare is projected at around 2.172 tons, an increase of 7.8 percent from the previous year.
Regionally, expectations for cotton yields in Xinjiang are stable, encouraging farmers to plant more. The planting area in Xinjiang this year has been increased by 78,600 hectares, or 3.3 percent.
Favorable weather conditions, including adequate sunlight and moisture, have supported cotton growth in Xinjiang, resulting in a yield increase of 165 kilos per hectare, up by 7.6 percent.
In the Yangtze River Basin, weather conditions remain similar to the previous year, with improved planting techniques and optimized varieties contributing to a steady increase in yields, which rose by 27 kilos per hectare.
However, cotton production in the Yellow River Basin has been negatively impacted by climatic factors, leading to a decrease in yields.
China's cotton output tops 6 mln tons in 2024
The China-Laos Railway has become a major transport artery in Southeast Asia, cutting freight times, expanding passenger flows and linking regional economies.
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, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, with Vientiane, the capital of Laos.
It has significantly enhanced regional connectivity, boosted regional economic growth, and facilitated people-to-people and cultural exchanges.
Passengers can now travel by rail all the way from Thailand to China, a journey that would have been difficult to imagine just a few years ago.
"I traveled up from Bangkok last night on the overnight train, and now I'm traveling up to Luang Prabang and then on to Kunming to explore Yunnan province. It's really easy to use the app and to book the trains, so so far so good. Everything seems to be working out," said an Australian passenger.
Jie Sen, a passenger service staff at Vientiane Railway Station, said the railway has become an important channel for cross-border travel.
"Passengers from more than 120 countries and regions have traveled on the railway. International trains between China and Laos now run four times a day, with the fastest trip from Kunming South to Vientiane taking just 9 hours and 36 minutes," he said.
"In terms of freight transport, cross-border shipping time has been reduced from five to seven days by road to just one to two days by rail. More than 3,800 categories of goods are now transported via the railway. Its logistics network reaches 19 countries and regions, including Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore," said He Xuqiang, head of Vientiane Railway Station.
China-Laos Railway becomes key regional transportation corridor
