Chinese border town rises amid development brought by China-Laos Railway

Mohan, a remote town located on the China-Laos border in southwest China's Yunnan Province, is undergoing rapid transformation into an international port city, driven by the fast development brought about by the China-Laos Railway, which began operation over three years ago.

Mohan, with a population of around 20,000, serves as a key hub on the China-Laos Railway, a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

Connecting Kunming in China with Vientiane in Laos, the 1,035-kilometer railway has experienced significant growth in both cross-border passengers and goods.

Luo Feng, general manager of Yunnan Mohan Development and Investment Group Co., Ltd., is both a key participant in and a witness to Mohan's growth.

"Our investment promotion efforts are progressing well. Looking ahead, our industrial park will focus on on-site processing and export-oriented industries," said Luo.

According to Luo, the construction of a 3.4-kilometer tunnel linking Mohan with the neighboring town of Boten in Laos will begin this year to facilitate flow of people and goods between the two sides.

"The tunnel is expected to open to traffic by the end of 2027. Upon completion, it will significantly improve the flow of people and goods between China and Laos, and enhance connectivity within the industrial park," said Luo.

To further facilitate the growing bilateral trade between China and Laos, the land port at Mohan is being expanded from two lanes to 12 lanes.

Meanwhile, people-to-people exchanges between China and Laos are also thriving. Just 40 kilometers from Mohan, an occupational high school accommodates over 500 students from Laos, with the number of applicants steadily increasing. "The China-Laos Railway is not only convenient and fast but also carries our dreams. The trains take us not only to China but also toward a brighter future," said Phetnavongxay Winner, a Lao student.

Since Feb 10, tour groups from ASEAN countries have been eligible for visa-free entry to Xishuangbanna in Yunnan, with Mohan serving as a key entry point.

Experts predict that, with the ongoing advancement of the Belt and Road Initiative, Mohan will become an increasingly important hub in Yunnan's role as a gateway to South and Southeast Asia.

Chinese border town rises amid development brought by China-Laos Railway

Qatar firmly opposes using the Strait of Hormuz as a tool for exerting pressure, warning that any disruption to maritime traffic would have severe consequences for global energy security and supply chains.

Speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday, Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said that any impediment to passage through the Strait of Hormuz would trigger widespread economic ripple effects, and that Qatar firmly opposes any action that obstruct the navigation of vessels.

He stressed the urgent need for enhanced global coordination to ensure the smooth flow of energy supplies and voiced Qatar's support for all international efforts aimed at ensuring the security and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

"So, our focus is on ending that war, on reaching a diplomatic solution that hopefully would mean that you would not resort back to the use of the strait as leverage. But, of course, we call on all parties to open the strait immediately," he said.

Al-Ansari also said that diplomatic means is the only way to resolve the current crisis in the Middle East, and that Qatar supports Pakistan's mediation efforts aimed at de-escalating the situation.

Qatar hopes to reach a comprehensive agreement that takes into account the interests of the Iranian people and the people of other countries in the region, while also addressing the international community's concerns regarding the Iranian issue, said the spokesman.

Qatar opposes using Strait of Hormuz as tool of pressure