Laos and China strengthen educational ties with increased opportunities for Lao students

Laos and China have agreed to deepen cooperation on higher education and vocational training, granting Lao students increased access to Chinese schools and fostering a stronger people-to-people connection between the two countries.

A key part of this initiative is the role of Mengla County Vocational Senior High School in southwest China's Yunnan Province. The school, which has been welcoming Lao students since 2001, is renowned for its commitment to education and training in Chinese language and various professional skills. Over the past two decades, it has trained nearly 3,000 Lao students, hailing from all of Laos' provinces and municipalities.

Situated near the border with Laos, Mengla is in a strategic location that makes it an ideal place for Lao students to study. The school has become especially popular as economic and cultural exchanges between China and Laos have flourished in recent years, particularly with the ongoing development of the Belt and Road Initiative and the opening of the China-Laos Railway in 2021.

In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), two Lao students currently studying at Mengla Vocational High School shared their experiences and future aspirations. The school, offering tuition-free education and additional subsidies thanks to government funding, has become a key destination for Lao youth pursuing education in China.

"Our major is International Business in Chinese. I have always been fascinated by the Chinese language and culture. However, travel costs to China were a major hurdle. My brother also graduated from this school, and has been working as a tour guide in Laos. He recommended me this school. It is closer to Laos, which makes it more convenient, and the travel expenses are lower", said Toulor Yong, a 23-year-old student from Vientiane.

Similarly, Kong Yang, a 26-year-old student from Luang Prabang, shared his decision to study at Mengla.

"I studied painting in Laos for three years, and then found a job. But since the pay was too low, I thought about moving to Vientiane. My boss who also graduated from this school, recommended me to study here, so I grabbed the opportunity," said Yang.

A significant number of Lao students are eager to pursue their future in China, with top-performing students like Yong aiming to take their academic journey to Chinese universities.

"According to my investigation, many Lao students plan to return to Laos for work after graduation. But, as I am passionate about Chinese culture, I want to go to university and learn more about Chinese culture," said Yong.

Yang also decided to stay in the country, as traveling across the border now takes only around 4 hours, compared to nearly a day before the railway was put into service.

"For me, after graduation, I would like to stay here if I can. With this railway, it will be so much easier for Chinese and Lao people to connect, and I can work here too," said Yang.

The two students, along with their peers from Laos studying in China, not only gained valuable knowledge and skills, but also formed lasting friendships, nurtured ambitious goals, and developed aspirations for a brighter future

"We support each other and work through problems together. I have also made some Chinese friends," said Yong.

"Things are so much better now than before. I never had the chance to learn these skills in Laos, but here, I have gained so much knowledge and lots of experience," said Yang.

Laos and China strengthen educational ties with increased opportunities for Lao students

Lao students pursue higher education, build aspirations in China

The ripple effects of tensions in the Middle East have now spread to the major eastern Chinese trading hub of Yiwu, a city famously known as "the world's supermarket," as companies and traders try to work around the disruption and rely on strong logistics networks across the region to keep business moving.

The Yiwu International Trade Market has become an important center for foreign trade, housing nearly 80,000 booths offering over two million types of commodities. However, the recent situation brought by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and the disruption it has caused to both shipping transport and air cargo is forcing some traders to take steps to mitigate the impact.

Zhang Shidan, a plastic household goods trader in Yiwu, said her company has been left with no choice but to raise product prices as transportation and insurance costs have surged due to escalating tensions in the Middle East.

"We will adjust prices after the stocks of most products run out. The prices are expected to rise by 10 percent," Zhang said.

The travel turmoil brought by the conflict has also created a headache for customers from the region who are trying to reach Yiwu themselves.

"We flew from Lebanon to Egypt, from Egypt to Dubai, from Dubai to Hangzhou. It's a long time. Because in [the main] Lebanon airport, only one company can fly -- a Middle East company -- so its expensive," said Heysam Yassine, a Lebanese buyer.

While making the trip from the Middle East to Yiwu has become more difficult, logistics companies with well-established supply chain networks across the region are helping to cushion the impact on trade and working to distribute goods as best as they can.

"We have 28 warehouses across 12 countries in the Middle East, so we have a relatively complete layout in the region," said Chen Fangfang, general manager of Safe Way Express Cargo, a logistics and cargo shipping firm.

Last year, the total value of Yiwu's exports reached over 100 billion U.S. dollars, with more than 14 billion U.S. dollars going to Middle Eastern markets.

Traders in Yiwu look to work around Middle East disruption, rely on strong logistics networks