STORY: China-Laos Railway, a road of prosperity
DATELINE: Aug. 25, 2023
LENGTH: 0:01:56
LOCATION: Beijing
CATEGORY: ECONOMY/SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of China-Laos Railway
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): U.S. tourists
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): GAO JIABING, Staff with Vientiane operation center at Boten station in Laos
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Laos): KHIENKHAM PHOUDCHANTHAVONGSA, Deputy general manager of the Lao-China Joint Venture Investment Co., Ltd.
5. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): MA YONG, Head of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies under the Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences

STORYLINE:

The China-Laos Railway links the Lao capital Vientiane with Kunming, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province.

Since its launch in December 2021, the 1,035-km rail line has transported more than 19 million passengers and delivered 24 million tonnes of freight.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): U.S. tourists
"The railway is really comfortable and convenient."

With its cross-border cargo transport covering over 10 countries and regions, the railway has become a docking project between the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Laos's strategy to convert itself from a landlocked country to a land-linked one.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): GAO JIABING, Staff with Vientiane operation center at Boten station in Laos
"Boten is the first checkpoint for Chinese goods entering Laos and also the last one for Lao goods exporting to China. We work to ensure the safety of freight transportation. We also coordinate with other departments such as customs, immigration, and inspection and quarantine to ensure fast customs clearance of freight trains."

SOUNDBITE 3 (Laos): KHIENKHAM PHOUDCHANTHAVONGSA, Deputy general manager of the Lao-China Joint Venture Investment Co., Ltd. 
"The railway, under the BRI, has converted Laos from a landlocked country to a land-linked country and helped promote the development of the Lao economy and the regional economy. It also contributes to strengthening regional and global connectivity and helps Laos realize its strategic development."

SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): MA YONG, Head of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies under the Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences 
"China-Laos Railway is an epitome of China sharing development opportunities with the world with a more open attitude."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Beijing.
(XHTV)