From May 23-26, a group of 100 primary students from Laos took a special trip from Vientiane to Kunming, China, on the China-Laos Railway, before heading to Beijing on a high-speed train. During their journey, they were treated to a warm welcome and special service from the railway, customs, and border inspection departments.
The round-trip international train service, which has been in operation since April 13, 2023, has made travel between China and Laos easier and more convenient. As train conductor Jiang Yahong noted, the students were well taken care of throughout their journey. "We made sure they had meals and fruit they would enjoy, and also gifted them creative products from the China-Laos Railway," she said.
The 100 Laotian students visited China at the invitation of the China Charity Federation for the 6th Belt and Road Initiative Heart to Heart Student Exchange program. This program has provided them an opportunity to meet and learn from their Chinese counterparts in various locations, including Xishuangbanna, Kunming, and Beijing.
They expressed their excitement about their China trip, with one student, Alusa, particularly looking forward to witnessing a flag-raising ceremony in Beijing. The students arrived in Kunming on May 25, having entered China two days earlier. In Kunming, they enjoyed local activities such as making flower cakes and creating long scroll paintings with local students.
The trip, which was part of a larger initiative by the China Charity Federation, aims to deepen cultural exchanges and understanding between countries along the Belt and Road. The China-Laos Railway, which began operation on December 3, 2021, has been instrumental in facilitating such exchanges and promoting socio-economic development along its route.
