The China-Laos Railway, launched three years ago, has emerged as a catalyst for regional economic growth, China's railway operator said on Tuesday.

The 1,035-km railway, a flagship project within the framework of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, connects China's southwestern city of Kunming with the Laotian capital of Vientiane. It started operation on December 3, 2021.

The railway had handled over 43 million passenger trips and transported 48.3 million tonnes of cargo as of Monday, according to China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.