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Xinhua News Agency, Vientiane, November 16Communication: Join hands to create a better future: Laos people eagerly await the opening of the first Laos-China cooperation highway
Zhang Jianhua, reporter for Xinhua News Agency
“This is our first road in Laos and we hope that other places in Laos can have such good roads.” Kong Sawan, born in 1998, lives in Nasai Thong County, north of Laos’ capital, Vientiane. Starting point of the old section of the Vientiane-Wangrong highway.
This is the Wanwan Express Bridge (right) and the China-Laos Railway Bridge (left) under construction in Vientiane Province, Laos, on Oct. 21. (Photographed by drone) Posted by Xinhua News Agency (Photo courtesy of Yunnan Construction Investment Group)
This is the Wanwan Highway under construction in Vientiane province, Laos, on October 7. (Photographed by drone) Posted by Xinhua News Agency (Photo courtesy of Yunnan Construction Investment Group)
The China-Laos Highway begins in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, and ends at the Laos-China border. The entire line is designed for approximately 440 kilometers and is a central component of the China-Indochina Peninsula transportation artery. The China-Laos Highway project adopts Chinese technical standards for construction and operation, and is scheduled to be implemented in four phases.
Among them, the first phase of the Vientiane to Wanrong section (named “Wanwan Expressway”) started on December 30, 2018 and was built by Yunnan Construction Investment Holding Group Co., Ltd. (named “Yunnan Construction Investment Group”) in cooperation with the government of Laos. He is currently preparing for the operation. Wanwan Expressway has a total length of about 110 kilometers and is designed as a four-lane, two-way highway with a design speed of 80-100 kilometers per hour. Once completed, it will become the first highway in Laos.
Kong Sawan studied Chinese in Kunming, China, and returned to Laos to work in the highway construction and operation department of Yunnan Construction Investment Group more than a year ago. She told reporters that in the past, she would drive from Vientiane to Vang Vieng with her family. The old road was “very different” from the current road. The current road is of good quality, fast and safe.
This is the Wan-wan highway under construction in Vientiane province, Laos, on July 6. (Photographed by drone) Posted by Xinhua News Agency (Photo courtesy of Yunnan Construction Investment Group)
Afa, a 38-year-old driver from Phongsaly province, the most remote province in northern Laos, worked in Vientiane and raced between Vang Vieng and Vientiane for seven or eight years. He is looking forward to the opening of Wan Wan Expressway, because “it used to take more than 3 hours to get to Wan Vieng, but it will only take more than 1 hour in the future.”
Afa expressed that he hopes that this road can connect with the surroundings of his hometown, “it is convenient to visit my hometown frequently.”
This is the Wan Wan Expressway Friendship Tunnel taken in Vientiane Province, Laos, on October 27. Issued by Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Keqiao)
Yang Yun, deputy project manager for Wanwan Highway Civil Engineering Zone, has been in Laos for almost 3 years. He introduced that the climate here is relatively hot, there are many rainy seasons, the local equipment is insufficient and there is a lack of skilled labor, especially this year’s epidemic has led to the entry of materials, which has increased the difficulty of the building. Fortunately, the project team has two to three years of experience, the overall construction progress is relatively rapid, and effective steps have been taken to deal with various situations.
“Now I work mainly as an interpreter and will be responsible for the business of the highway operation department in the future.” Laotian girl Kang Linda joined the Wanwan Expressway project after graduating from Wuhan University in May this year. She said she is honored to be involved in the construction of the Laozhong Highway and will continue to do her job well. “Laos and China are good neighbors and partners. I hope the two countries and their people can come together to create a better future.”
This is the Wan Wan Highway under construction in Vientiane Province, Laos, on June 2. (Photographed by drone) Posted by Xinhua News Agency (Photo courtesy of Yunnan Construction Investment Group)
This is the Wanwan Highway under construction in Vientiane province, Laos, on October 22. (Photographed by drone) Posted by Xinhua News Agency (Photo courtesy of Yunnan Construction Investment Group)
This is the Wanwan Highway under construction in Vientiane province, Laos, on October 7. (Photographed by drone) Posted by Xinhua News Agency (Photo courtesy of Yunnan Construction Investment Group)
This is the Wan Wan Highway under construction taken in Vientiane province, Laos, on October 27. Issued by Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Keqiao)
This is the entrance to Vientiane of the Vientiane Expressway under construction taken in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, on October 27. Issued by Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Keqiao)
