News Background
Recently, the "Sino-Lao Love - Happy Road" network international communication campaign entered the second phase, the Lao Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, the Department of Mass Media, Lao National Television, Lao National Radio, Vientiane Times, New Vientiane Newspaper, Lao Youth League Radio and other Sino-Lao Railway Media Union interview groups, visited the Lao section of the Sino-Lao Railway Luang Prabang, Luang Namtha and Mading along the route. In Luang Prabang, the delegation explored the story of Sino-Lao power cooperation, and witnessed the development process of "Passage + Hub + Industry + Market Body + People's Livelihood Project" driven by the Sino-Lao Railway in factories and logistics enterprises in the Special Economic Zone in Mading and in the villages along the route. Up to now, Lao media have pushed out more than 60 reports on paper, TV, FM radio, website, Facebook, oil pipe and other platforms, and the total number of readers on Lao platforms has exceeded 5 million (Note: According to the data provided by the Department of Mass Media of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism of Laos, there are about 3.5 million internet users in Laos).
Business opportunities converge in the Special Economic Zone in Moding
After the opening of the China-Laos Railway, the advantages of the Special Economic Zone in Mading, Luang Namtha Province, Laos, have come to the fore, attracting enterprises to move in continuously.
At present, there are 396 enterprises stationed in the Special Economic Zone in Mading, including 360 Chinese-held enterprises. The investment industries include catering, entertainment, retail, import and export trade, finance, tourism, processing, manufacturing, technology, etc.
With a planned development site of 16.4 square kilometers, the Lao PDR Special Economic Zone is planned to create four major industries, namely, international business, finance and exhibition industry, tourism and resort industry, international bonded logistics and processing industry, and culture, education and medical industry. Up to now, the investment amount of the enterprises stationed in the Special Economic Zone has reached USD 493 million, among which the total investment in infrastructure is USD 454 million. In the near future, the Mardin Economic Development Group plans to accelerate the expansion of the construction of international schools, medical and health care, cultural and tourist attractions, etc.
The opening of the railroad has highlighted the advantages of Mading as a dry port. The opening of the railway has highlighted the advantages of Mading as a dry port. Lan Jiawei, Director of Operation of Mading Special Economic Zone Development Group, said, "Once the train rings, gold will be in the air. In the future, Mardin will become a distribution center and hub for overland cargo transportation between Lao, China and Thailand."
Lao Youth League Radio Reporter Hamsana Boshay Yunnan Daily Reporter Yang Chunmei Editor
Nadui Anju Village is a good place to live and work
Nathu village, Luang Namtha district, Luang Namtha province, is located near the customs of Mading, with 435 households in the village. As the Sino-Lao railroad passes through the village, 159 families have been relocated to the Settlement Village, which is 2 km away from the village. Nadou Settlement Village, a project to support the relocation of the Lao-China Railway, was completed and handed over on May 29, 2022. It is divided into three building types: large, medium and small, and is also equipped with public service facilities such as kindergarten, elementary school and health clinic.
Na Dui village chief Si - Jia Le Xi introduced: "The villagers are very satisfied with their new home, settled village schools, roads, electricity, running water, health and medical facilities are all available, comfortable and convenient living environment."
Villager Song-Wenxi moved to a new home in July this year. The new home has 3 rooms and 2 bathrooms. She happily told the reporter, "The house is a reinforced concrete structure of brick and tile, it is very strong, and it is very happy to live in it."
Translated by Thong Van Malai Thong, New Vientiane, Yunnan Daily, Yang Chunmei
North Mongolia 2 substations supply power to China-Laos Railway in a stable and orderly manner
The 230 kV Beimun 2 substation is located in Namthong District, Luang Prabang Province, Laos, and the project covers an area of about 9 hectares. The first phase of the project was invested by Lao National Electricity Company and built by Southern Power Grid Yunnan International General Contractor, which started construction in March 2014 and put into operation in November 2015. At present, 230kV Beimeng 2 substation is supplying power to China-Laos Railway in a stable and orderly manner.
After the commissioning of 230 kV Beimun 2 substation, the power grid in northern Laos is upgraded from 115 kV to 230 kV and is connected to the grid in central Laos, forming a nationwide unified 230 kV backbone network and providing a reliable power supply for the socio-economic development of northern Laos. It is an integral part of both the 230 kV Northern Laos Grid Project, a national demonstration project in Laos, and the external power supply project for the Lao section of the China-Laos Railway. The project has witnessed the deepening of power cooperation between the two countries, and is the epitome of building the Sino-Lao Community of Destiny in the field of power.
China Southern Power Grid and its Lao partners have established a good relationship of mutual trust and fruitful cooperation in more than 10 years. 2022, the Lao power grid through 115 kV ASEAN-Na Mao line and China's Yunnan Province Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture power grid network operation, officially opened the two-way power trade between China and Laos.
At present, China Southern Power Grid Corporation and Laos National Electric Power Company are deepening cooperation in interconnection, power trade and humanistic exchanges, expanding the complementary energy advantages of the two countries through higher voltage level power interconnection and larger scale power trade, and helping Laos' socio-economic development and people's living standard improvement.
Lao national television reporter Akashan Pippajia Yunnan Daily reporter Yang Chunmei Editor
Millstone Customs clearance efficiency continues to improve
The reporter learned from the Lao customs in Phnom Penh that in the first six months of this year, Phnom Penh customs exported more than 748 million tons of goods valued at about US$224 million; imported more than 325 million tons of goods valued at about US$567 million; and tax revenue from customs clearance goods exceeded 290 billion kip (about RMB 129.8 million), exceeding the plan by 12.83%.
"The Lao-China Railway has helped Laos to realize the transformation from a 'land-locked country' to a 'land-linked country', and Laos' role as a logistics hub in Southeast Asia has become increasingly prominent." Villagon Godavong, Director of Customs in Mardin, said that such a breakthrough in taxation at Mardin Customs could not be achieved without the logistical growth of the Lao-China railroad and the convenient, fast and modern customs clearance equipment of the customs system. In the future, Mading Customs will work hard on talent team, resource allocation and management level to help people and goods to clear customs efficiently and provide more quality land-rail service for regional countries.
Pengxai Pambunyavong, an official of the Department of Mass Media of Laos Compiled by Yang Chunmei, Yunnan Daily
Elemental Pharmaceutical Factory is fully committed to ensuring the livelihood of the Lao people with medicines
Elemental Pharmaceutical Factory was located in the Special Economic Zone in Mading in October 2020, with a construction area of 1,500 square meters and an investment of 6.25 billion kip (about RMB 2.68 million) to build the factory. At present, the annual production capacity reaches 100 million capsules and 70 million boxes, and the products are mainly sold in Laos.
At present, Elemental Pharmaceutical Factory has obtained GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) and GLP (Good Manufacturing Practice) international certifications, and can produce more than 20 kinds of drugs, focusing on diabetes, cancer, and neocoronary pneumonia. Lola Mahathai, director of the production department of Element Pharmaceutical Factory, said, "We respond to the 'One Belt, One Road' initiative to run a pharmaceutical factory, since the products were put on the market in 2021 until now, sales have been very impressive, the company has invested a total of 20 billion kip (about 8.95 million yuan) for research and development and expansion of production system to fully protect the livelihood of Lao people with medicines."
By Peng Peng-Lao Yin, Vientiane Times, Yunnan Daily, edited by Yang Chunmei
Hauli's Southeast Asia textile factory provides a lot of local jobs
Hao Li Southeast Asia Textile Factory was located in the Special Economic Zone in Mading in May 2022, specializing in the production of gloves and can customize and produce more than 100 styles of gloves. The factory produces 600,000 pairs of gloves per month, mainly exporting to Europe, the United States and Australia, with an annual export volume of 6 million pairs and total annual sales of US$10 million.
Hauli Southeast Asia Textile Factory provides a lot of local employment opportunities in Laos. At present, the total number of employees is 150, of which 147 are Lao employees. Meanwhile, the company is continuing to expand its production investment scale.
Lan Bo, general manager of the company, said, "The Sino-Lao railroad has greatly facilitated the import of raw materials and export of finished products, effectively reducing investment costs, and the company is very confident in expanding its market share."
Lao National Radio reporter Gadai Manosa Yunnan Daily reporter Yang Chunmei Editor
Observation.
Good Media Partner
Write wonderfully all the way
Gadai Manosa, a journalist from the Lao National Radio, was the leader of the "China-Lao Love - Road to Happiness" interview group in Laos. He told the reporter that he had experience of joint interviews with foreign media in the past, but he was deeply impressed by this joint interview and report. The Lao media also found many new things along the railroad line, and the report presented very good results, and the advantages of "1+1>2" of media integration between China and Laos were obvious.
The Lao media counterparts have discovered and witnessed the magic of "where the train goes, there is development". "As long as the Lao-Chinese railroad passes through a remote village, the villagers' lives will change drastically, which proves the Chinese saying 'to get rich, first build a road'." said Gadai Manosa, a Lao national radio reporter.
A video posted on the Facebook page of the Lao National Radio, "Villagers in Nadu Anju Village are happy with their new homes", has received more than 1.2 million views. The video report "In the first six months of this year, the revenue collection from the customs in Moding exceeded the plan by 12.83%" also received 500,000 views.
For Laos, which has a small internet user base, this joint interview report can be said to have generated a great deal of attention. Lao netizens have praised the win-win situation brought by China-Laos Railway, and the win-win cooperation and people-to-people ties between China and Laos are deeply rooted in people's hearts. The media people of China-Laos Railway Media Union firmly believe that the story of the golden road, happy road, connected road and road out of poverty will continue to write wonderfully.
Wang Huan Yang Chunmei
