According to plans for the training program, Chinese railway standards will be shared and applied in combination with the situation in Laos, with the additional goal of cultivating vocational talent who understand Chinese culture, can master Chinese technology and can help build cross-border ties.
Yang Guowen, deputy general manager of Yunnan Construction and Investment Holding Group, said the Laos railway college, with Chinese government support, will be able to accommodate 1,000 full-time students and meet the needs of 300 employees for short-term skills training each year.
Thammavongsa, the Laotian trainee, said, "We want to work hard to acquire the requisite knowledge and return to Laos as soon as possible to participate in the development of the Laos railway."
Like many other fellow trainees, Soulisak Vongphachan, 23, said his family has also been very supportive of his choice to learn as much as he can in China.
"I would also like my 19-year-old brother to study in this school and learn about railways," he said. "After the opening of the China-Laos Railway, the life of the people of Laos has improved a lot."
From December 2021 to October last year, the total volume of cross-border cargo transportation on the rail line exceeded 1.72 million metric tons, with an average of more than 5,000 tons a day, accounting for 52 percent of land transportation volume in Laos, according to the country's railway authorities.
Cun Min, deputy director of the Yunnan provincial commerce department, said the authorities are committed to improving the efficiency of passenger and cargo transportation on the railway, speeding up domestic and cross-border connections, and maintaining the safety and efficiency of logistics networks.
The convenience of customs clearance has also continuously improved, she said. Goods delivered via the rail link have expanded to more than 1,200 varieties, including electronics, photovoltaics and cold-chain fruit.
"These achievements are due to the joint efforts of China and Laos, as well as the focus and participation of many groups and people," Cun said. "I hope that we will continue to work hard together to achieve greater success."
Khampheng Latmany, deputy director of the general office of the Laos-China cooperation committee, said the peoples of Laos and China have a long history of friendly exchanges, with important projects like the railway and its related programs making positive contributions to the economic and social development of Laos and improving people's lives.
"This project is not only one of the important achievements of the Belt and Road Initiative, but also an important step for Laos to realize the strategy of turning a landlocked country into a land-linked country," he said.
Laotian railway trainee Phonvilai Weobaiudib, 30, said he hoped the Laos railway network will eventually stretch to places like Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.
Regarding the training program, he said that there "are still many 'blanks' in the Laotian language for professional railway terms".
"Only by studying hard can we undertake the important task of cultivating railway talent for Laos."
