A freight train named “Suzhou-Vientiane” blew whistle and embarked on its journey between China and Laos on Tuesday morning (January 11). It’s the first international freight train that had departed from the Yangtze River Delta to Laos since January 1, 2022, the time when RCEP, or Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, officially went into force.
The train is fully loaded with such goods as LCD monitors and auto parts produced by high-tech enterprises in Suzhou bonded area and other parts of Jiangsu province, with a total value of about 50 million yuan, and expected to arrive in Vientiane in seven days.
The freight train mainly travels on the China-Laos Railway and will arrive in Vientiane Station after a seven-day travel. After the train passes through Laos, the goods will be delivered to clients in Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and other countries in Southeast Asia. The rollout of “Suzhou-Vientiane” freight train will further improve logistics efficiency and introduce more Chinese products to RCEP member countries.
Besides, the combination of the China-Laos Railway and the China-Europe Railway Express will contribute to the seamless connection of the “Belt” and “Road” and deepen the economic cooperation between Europe and Southeast Asia.
In the future, the train will be put into regular operation of one run every week and the railway will become a stable logistic channel for international trade.