The China-Laos Railway, a 1,035-kilometer rai line connecting Kunming in southwest China's Yunnan Province with Vientiane in Laos, handled 3.82 million tonnes of import and export cargo worth 23.38 billion yuan (about 3.48 billion U.S. dollars) in the first eight months of this year, with cargo value up 31.5 percent year on year, according to Kunming Customs.
Export value reached 11.24 billion yuan and import value 12.14 billion yuan, both increasing 31.5 percent compared with the same period last year, underscoring the railway's growing role as a "golden route" for regional trade.
Fresh tropical fruit, including durian and mangosteen, accounted for a major share of inbound trade, with imports valued at 5.26 billion yuan, up 12.3 percent year over year and making up 43.4-percent of the railway's total import value.
Imports of bulk commodities such as metal ores reached 2.49 billion yuan, an increase of 28.7 percent year on year.
On the export side, mechanical and electrical products totaled 7.42 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 58.4 and accounting for 66 percent of the railway's total export value. Among them, solar panels, new energy vehicles and lithium batteries posted standout growth. Photovoltaic product exports reached 2.04 billion yuan, up 245.3 percent, while new energy vehicle exports hit 690 million yuan, up 326.1 percent, reflecting the accelerating overseas expansion of China's smart manufacturing.
The China-Laos Railway, a landmark project under the Belt and Road Initiative, began operations in December 2021.
Foreign trade via China-Laos Railway up 31.5 pct in first 8 months of 2026
Deepening China-Gabon relations meets the common expectations of the people of both countries, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday during his talks with visiting Gabonese President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema in Beijing.
The two leaders announced the elevation of bilateral relations to a China-Gabon community with a shared future for the new era during their talks.
"I am very pleased to see you again, Mr. President. I visited Gabon in the 1990s and was deeply impressed by the development achievements of this 'land of green gold' of Africa. The traditional friendship between China and Gabon has a long history. For more than half a century, the two countries have adhered to equality, mutual support and common development, and China-Gabon relations have withstood the test of changing international circumstances and remained rock-solid," Xi said.
"Deepening China-Gabon relations meets the common expectations of the people of both countries and follows the trend of the Global South seeking strength through unity. To this end, I propose elevating our bilateral relations to a China-Gabon community with a shared future for the new era," Xi added.
"Political mutual trust is the cornerstone of our partnership. This meeting vividly reflects the profound friendship and brotherhood between our two countries over more than half a century. In recent years, our cooperation has been full of vitality, with a series of major projects in key areas being implemented. Today, we have the opportunity to further expand the scale of our cooperation and better benefit the peoples of both countries," said Nguema.
Deepening China-Gabon relations meets peoples' common expectations: Xi
