Lao Deputy Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone on Saturday hailed the Laos-China Railway as a source of pride for the country.

When addressing a gathering to review the operation of the railway that opened on December 3, 2021, Sonexay said the cross-border railway, a landmark project of Laos-China friendship, transforms Laos from a landlocked country to a land-linked hub, synergizing with the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.

Sonexay, a politburo member of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party central committee, said the railway greatly enhanced Laos' international strategic position, making Laos an integral hub for transportation in the region.

He said that over the past year, the China-Laos Railway has been running smoothly, providing quality services for passengers and freight transportation, thereby supporting the socioeconomic development of Laos.

Xiang Fangqiang, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Laos, said China is willing to work with Laos to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the railway, and strengthen the connectivity of China-Laos-Thailand railways, thus making an even greater contribution to regional connectivity and prosperity.

Ju Guojiang, chairman of the Laos-China Railway Co., Ltd., a Vientiane-based joint venture which is responsible for the operation of the Lao section of the railway, said that since its opening one year ago, the railway has carried a total of 1.27 million passengers and almost 2 million tonnes of goods, including more than 1.58 million tonnes of cross-border goods.

Ju said that the company has cultivated local railway talents and provided over 100,000 jobs.

The 1,035-kilometer China-Laos Railway connects Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan province, with the Lao capital Vientiane.