(KPL) Minister of Public Works and Transport, Mr. Leklay Sivilay, highlighted the transformative impact of the Laos-China Railway in an exclusive interview with the Lao News Agency (KPL) today, crediting it as the key driver in turning Laos from land-locked to a "land-linked" nation while outlining an ambitious infrastructure agenda for the next five years.

Minister Sivilay reported that despite global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crises, the nation has successfully advanced the resolutions of the 11th Party Congress, with the railway serving as a cornerstone of this progress.

Marking its fourth anniversary in December 2025, the railway has demonstrated remarkable performance.

On the 422-km Lao section, it has transported 12 million passengers and 16 million tons of freight. Across the entire 1,000-km Vientiane-Kunming route, these figures soar to over 62 million passengers and 72 million tons of goods.

The economic benefits are substantial. The railway is credited with helping attract 12.5 million international tourists, contributing approximately US$2.6 billion in foreign currency, while supporting 11 million domestic tourist trips, generating around US$5 billion in internal revenue.

"The project has been instrumental in helping the government mitigate financial difficulties and stimulate broad socio-economic development," the Minister stated.

Looking ahead, Minister Sivilay unveiled ambitious targets for the next five-year period. Key infrastructure plans include advancing regional connectivity by linking the Laos-China railway with Thailand and initiating a new rail line to Vietnam, starting from Khammuan province.

Feasibility studies are also underway for a Vientiane-Pakse railway and further expressway networks.

Aligned with this enhanced connectivity, the government aims to leverage the improved transport infrastructure to attract 22 million international tourists and generate US$8 billion in foreign currency revenue in the coming years, signaling a confident step towards deeper regional integration and economic growth.

KPL