STORY: A Shared Path | A railway that unlocks countless opportunities
DATELINE: Oct. 18, 2023
LENGTH: 00:05:30
LOCATION: Beijing
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

STORYLINE:

Laos

Laos, the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia, has been longing for ways to reach out to the world.

Leave home village and have far-reaching vision.
--Lao proverb

32-year-old Sida Phengphongsawanh is a train maintenance worker at the Laos-China Railway Company.

She's been dreaming of becoming a train driver.

The job on the China-Laos Railway has brought her one big step closer to her dream.

Kunming, China

SOUDNBITE (Lao): VIENGXAY PHOUDTHAVONG, Lao internet celebrity
"Hello, I'm Viengxay Phoudthavong. Conductors on the train have all undergone training sessions. They can speak both English and Laotian."

32-year-old Viengxay Phoudthavong is a Ph.D. student in China's Yunnan, a province bordering Laos. For him, pursuing studies and a career in China has been a dream come true.

On his social media account, Viengxay often shares interesting stories about the China-Laos Railway. Sida is one of his followers.

Though they live hundreds of kilometers apart, the railway allowed them to become known to one another.

Muangxay, northern Laos

In Laos, mountains and plateaus cover 80% of the land. Sida's hometown Muangxay is located in a river basin surrounded by mountains.

SOUNDBITE (Lao): SIDA PHENGPHONGSAWANH, Maintenance worker, Laos-China Railway Company
"I seldom walked out of these mountains during childhood, but I've always wanted to see what it's like on the other side of the mountains."

The China-Laos Railway, connecting Kunming in Yunnan Province with the Lao capital of Vientiane, started operation in December 2021.

In April 2023, cross-border passenger services were officially launched.

The 1,035-km railway, a landmark project of the Belt and Road cooperation, has brought great changes to the lives of people living along the route.

SOUNDBITE (Lao): Lao citizen
"I want to travel to China and other countries."

SOUNDBITE (Lao): Lao citizen
"I can import goods from China and sell them in Laos."

SOUNDBITE (Chinese): Chinese citizen
"I want to travel in Laos and other Southeast Asian countries."

SOUNDBITE (Chinese): Chinese citizen
"I want to taste the authentic Lao milk coffee and Lao bamboo rice."

The railway is helping Lao people realize their long-cherished aspirations.

However, the construction process was full of challenges, as the rail line passes through areas with complicated geological conditions.

During the construction, the Laos-China Railway Company also set up training camps, teaching around 600 Lao students about train driving, dispatching and maintenance. Sida was one of the trainees.

After completing the training sessions, Sida became a train maintenance worker on the China-Laos Railway.

SOUNDBITE (Lao): SIDA PHENGPHONGSAWANH, Maintenance worker, Laos-China Railway Company
"My friends in the village said they envied me so much."

SOUNDBITE (Lao): Sida's mother
"As her mother, I'm very happy and proud."

SOUNDBITE (Lao): SIDA PHENGPHONGSAWANH, Maintenance worker, Laos-China Railway Company
"This is the hot pot seasoning bought from China. After the China-Laos Railway started operation, we can have more delicious food from China."

The China-Laos Railway has greatly shortened cargo transport time between China and Laos. Chinese delicacies can now often be seen on the tables of Lao families.

Delicious food, reminiscent of families and hometowns, brings people and their dreams closer.

After a busy day, Sida has completed her work. She then turns on the online livestream of Viengxay, who's on the Chinese side of the China-Laos Railway.

SOUDNBITE (Lao): VIENGXAY PHOUDTHAVONG, Lao internet celebrity
"I hope I'll be engaged in cross-border trade between China and Laos in the future."

SOUNDBITE (Lao): SIDA PHENGPHONGSAWANH, Maintenance worker, Laos-China Railway Company
"I hope you'll realize your dream soon."

This is a railway that is turning a landlocked country to a land-linked hub, facilitating trade and tourism, and ultimately, bringing dreams to fruition.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Beijing.
(XHTV)