The China-Laos Railway, a landmark project of the Belt and Road Initiative, has not only deepened connectivity and exchange between the two countries, but also become a catalyst for economic development, said Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone in an interview with China Media Group (CMG) aired on Friday.
Since its launch in December 2021, the 1,035-km railway linking Kunming of southwest China's Yunnan Province and Laotian, capital of Vientiane, has seen booms in both freight and passenger transport. It now connects travelers to over 560 tourist attractions along its route.
"The tourism industry is a key economic pillar in many countries. It represents a form of local service export and it's a sustainable green industry. That's why tourism goes beyond simply moving people from one place to another. It also fosters friendly relations between people from different countries," the prime minister said.
The China Railway Kunming Group Co., Ltd. said that as of March 28, it had operated 71,000 passenger train trips on the railway, serving more than 480,000 international travelers from 112 countries and regions worldwide.
Last October in Kazan, Russia, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith agreed on the need to further develop and strengthen the China-Laos Railway, to advance the development of the China-Laos Economic Corridor, and to turn it into a model of cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.
"To fully unlock the potential of the China-Laos Railway and ensure it delivers real benefits to people of both countries, our leaders have jointly called for the railway to be developed into a 'golden corridor' that improves people's lives. Guided by this shared vision, the Lao government has taken active steps to put these ideas into action. Looking back at more than three years since the railway's launch, we've focused particularly on enhancing passenger and freight services, with the aim of greatly improving convenience and efficiency," he said.
The railway has also opened up new development opportunities for regions beyond the capital city of Vientiane, with several key initiatives underway.
"First, China and Laos have already reached a consensus on jointly developing the China-Laos Border Economic Cooperation Zone (CLBECZ), which will include the areas of Boten (in Laos) and Mohan (in China). On our side, Laos has designated Boten as a special economic zone, and China is also actively strengthening cooperation at the provincial level to support this initiative. Second, Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage city, will leverage its rich cultural heritage and stunning natural landscape to focus on the growth of its service and tourism sectors. At the same time, there will be a strong emphasis on developing environmentally friendly industries to ensure sustainable development. Third, there is the Saysettha Development Zone, a comprehensive industrial park invested and developed by enterprises from Yunnan Province. Covering a planned area of 1,000 hectares, most of the zone is already completed and operational, serving primarily production and export functions," he said.
A Chinese military spokesperson on Wednesday condemned a recent U.S. assessment report for its irresponsible remarks on China, saying that smearing China cannot help remove the U.S. label as the empire of hacking.
Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks while responding to a media query concerning the 2025 Annual Threat Assessment released by the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which claims that China is the biggest military and cyber threat for the U.S., and that the Chinese military likely will use large language models for information operations to generate deceptive content.
The United States often accuses others of actions it itself has taken or is currently engaged in, Zhang said, adding that it is not only the main source of cyber attacks against China but also a well-known global cyber threat.
"From the case of WikiLeaks to the incident of Edward Snowden, from the 'Stellar Wind' surveillance program to 'Operation Telescreen' (the Bvp47 backdoor program), the U.S. has been doing whatever it wants to do in cyberspace, resorting to every extreme measure for surveillance, espionage and attacks, leaving behind a disgraceful and shameful track record," Zhang charged.
"Smearing China can not help remove the U.S. label as the 'empire of hacking'. We require the U.S. side to stop acting like a thief crying 'stop thief', cease cyberattacks against other countries around the world, including China, and act responsibly to ensure a clear and secure cyberspace for all of humanity," said the spokesman.
Smearing China cannot help remove U.S. label as empire of hacking: defense spokesperson