A freight train fully loaded with goods departed from Kunming City of southwest China's Yunnan Province for Laos on Thursday, marking a new milestone for the China-Laos Railway which has transported over 50 million tons of cargo since its launch in 2021, according to China Railway Kunming Bureau Group Co., Ltd.
The railway has transported a total of 11.58 million tons of cross-border cargo.
Since its operation, the railway department has introduced innovative services like the "Lancang-Mekong Express."
The express service utilizes dedicated freight trains capable of reaching speeds of 120 kilometers per hour, a speed much faster than traditional international freight train operations.
Over 1,670 trains featuring this service have been operated to date.
Meanwhile, collaboration among railway, customs, and border check agencies in China and Laos has greatly enhanced the management at the Mohan railway port, cutting clearance time for goods imports by 60 percent and exports by 90 percent.
"We have deeply explored the potential of China-Laos Railway, promoted innovative models such as advance declaration of inbound goods and 'rapid customs clearance for rail service'. We have implemented reforms of 'single document regime' for multimodal transport, and railway waybill financing. By introducing cutting-edge technologies like 5G, Beidou, and AI, we have created a digital and intelligent freight yard, significantly enhancing the efficiency of loading and unloading operations," said Tao Qiang, deputy director of the freight department under China Railway Kunming Bureau Group Co., Ltd.
China-Laos Railway handles over 50 million tons of goods
China-Laos Railway handles over 50 million tons of goods
Officials and business leaders form China and Finland on Monday signed new agreements and pledged deeper trade ties in Beijing during Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's ongoing visit to China.
The 6th China-Finland Committee for Innovative Business Cooperation Meeting, a long-standing cooperation mechanism aimed at linking the two countries' companies, capital and innovation, was co-hosted by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.
The gathering brought together representatives from the government and business sectors spanning the fields of energy, manufacturing, aviation, healthcare and sustainability.
Orpo, who arrived in the Chinese capital on the previous day, said he hopes his visit will "open doors to Finnish companies" and the meeting was primarily about matchmaking -- connecting policy priorities with real business needs and turning cooperation into concrete projects.
"We have a rather small scale, here we can see the scale, whether it's about the patient numbers, manufacturing services, or equity values," said Juha Yrjanheikki, CEO of Aurealis Therapeutics, a cell and gene therapy platform company.
"More and more of the most innovative solutions, whether it's to do with how we work or how our products work, we see them coming more and more from China," said Jussi Herlin, vice chair of board of directors of Kone Corporation, a global leader in the elevator and escalator industry.
"China has always been an important market for us -- for the Finnish companies, because it's a huge market. So if you manage to be successful here with your technology, then you can compete all over the world," said Timo Vuori, vice president of the Confederation of Finnish Industries.
In a speech at the meeting, Orpo said his visit also sends a broader signal of commitment to cooperation, even as global trade faces rising uncertainties.
"Finland and China enjoy stable and long-standing relations. Over these years of collaboration, trade relations between our countries have grown steadily. China has become a very important market for Finnish businesses. To truly flourish, we must together preserve the shared rules-based trade system. It provides the predictability and confidence needed for companies to expand their partnership and pursue sustainable growth," said the prime minister.
In his speech, Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao outlined how cooperation between the two sides has translated into concrete outcomes.
"Our bilateral trade topped eight billion U.S. dollars in 2025, with two-way investment stock exceeding 23 billion dollars. During today's meeting, companies from both countries engaged in active exchanges and enthusiastic cooperation, signing over 10 cooperation agreements," said Wang.
China and Finland pedge deeper trade ties at Beijing business meeting during Orpo's Visit
