China-Laos railway boosts tourism to Laos

Laos has been embracing an uptick in the return of Chinese tourists since the China-Laos railway, a flagship Belt and Road project that slashed travel time between the two countries, has fully opened passenger services.

The 1,035-km China-Laos Railway connects Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, with the Lao capital of Vientiane. In April, the two sides agreed to open the two-way cross-border passenger services, enabling same-day travel from Kunming to Vientiane by train in a move to boost regional connectivity.

Surrounded by five nations, Laos is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia, and the Lao government hopes the railway can turn the country into an important hub for transportation and a hot spot for regional tourism.