AnengineeringtrainrunsintheChinaRailwayNo.2EngineeringGroup(CREC-2)railingbaseonthenorthernoutskirtsofLaocapitalVientiane,Feb.10,2021.The422-kmChina-Laosrailway,with75tunnelstotalling198kmand164bridgestotalling62km,runsfromtheBotenbordergateinnorthernLaos,borderingChina,toVientianewithanoperatingspeedof160kmperhour.TheprojectstartedinDecember2016andisscheduledtobecompletedandoperationalinDecemberthisyear.(PhotobyKaikeoSaiyasane/Xinhua)byZhangJianhua,ChanthaphaphonesMixaybouaVIENTIANE,Feb.13(Xinhua)--IntheSpringFestival,therailwaybuildersandpeopleinLaoshaveexpressedtheireagerwishesandanticipationsontheChina-Laosrailway."Forourcommonwish,somanyChineseengineersstayawayfromtheirfamiliesobservingtheirmostimportantreunionfestival.Thishasmademefeeltouchedandgrateful!"21-year-oldSidaPhengphongsavanh,aLaos-ChinaRailwayCo.,Ltd(LCRC)traindrivertraineetoldXinhuaonWednesday.HewasbusypreparingfortheChineseNewYear'sEvepartyattheChinaRailwayNo.2EngineeringGroup(CREC-2)railingbaseonthenorthernoutskirtsofLaocapitalVientiane.SidacomesfromthenortherntownofMuangxay,some350kmnorthofVientiane,wheresinceancienttimeshasbeentheonlywayforthemerchantsbetweenthetwocountries.Shetoldreportersthatherhomeisrightnexttotheunder-constructionMuangxayrailwaystation."AssoonasIheardthattheLaos-Chinarailwayistobebuilt,Idecidedtoworkontherailway,"saidSida.Inordertorealizeherwish,SidawenttoKunming,thecapitalofsouthwesternYunnanProvince,tostudyinelectricalautomationmajor.Throughhardwork,shewasselectedtotheLCRC'sfirstrailwaymachinerytrainingcourse."ImaybecomeoneofthefirstfemaletraindriversinLaos,"Sidasaid.OnChineseNewYear'sEve,about200Laostaff,traineesand200ChinesestaffhadapartyattheCREC-2railingbaseandtogethercelebratedthefestival,hanginglanterns,pastingspringfestivalcouplets,makingdumplings,singinganddancingjoyfully.TheiraspirationsanddreamstowardsthecompletionoftheChina-Laosrailwayhavecloselylinkedthem.TheChina-Laosrailwayhasbecomenotonlyatransportationline,butalsoa"wishline"."AftertheopeningoftheChina-Laosrailway,Iplantobuyacartocarrypassengerstotherailwaystationandmakemoneytobuildanewhouse,"aLaovillagerinthebordertownofBotentoldXinhua."Ihopethataftertheopeningoftherailway,IcanopenastoreneartherailwaystationtoselllocalspecialtiesofLaosandbecomerichassoonaspossible,"acitizenintheancienttownofLuangPrabangtoldXinhua.ThewishesoftheLaopeoplearealsotheexpectationsoftheChineserailwaybuilders.YangYun,whohadparticipatedintheconstructionandoperationoftheChina-LaosrailwayinLaos,toldreportersthatfromauniversitygraduatetoanexperiencedall-roundtalent,hehaslearntalotfromtherailway,anditistheexperienceofthisinternationalprojectteachinghimtoseeproblemsfromalocalangle.YangsaidtheexperienceofworkingintheChina-Laosrailwayis"aperfectintegrationofpersonalgrowthandnationalcauseoftheBeltandRoadInitiative.""IntheNewYear,IwishtheearlyopeningoftheChina-Laosrailway,andIlookforwardtoboardingatraintogotoLaos."Thecommonaspirationallowsthepeopleofthetwocountriestotrustandsupporteachotherandworkhardforthecommongoal.LiaoJing,anengineerwithCREC-5,aChineseengineeringcompanyengagedintherailway'sconstruction,toldXinhuathatafterfiveyearsofhardworkinLaos,manyLaopeoplehavebecomehisgoodfriendsandhedeeplyfelttheirkeennessforthecompletionoftherailway.Thecompany,employingalargenumberoflocalpeopletoparticipateintherailwayconstruction,taughtthemrailwayconstructiontechniquesandtrainedagroupofskilledworkersforLaos.Theywillbeabletobringupmoreskilledworkerstoservethelocaleconomicandsocialdevelopment.The422-kmChina-Laosrailway,with75tunnelstotalling198kmand164bridgestotalling62km,runsfromtheBotenbordergateinnorthernLaos,borderingChina,toVientianewithanoperatingspeedof160kmperhour.TheprojectstartedinDecember2016andisscheduledtobecompletedandoperationalinDecemberthisyear.123NextPageLastPage31