China Europe Express is an important trade link between China and Europe and countries along the the Belt and Road. On December 3, 2023, at Mohan Station of China Laos Railway in Yunnan Province, a special international freight train "China Laos Railway+Lancang Mekong Express Line" loaded with Russian non-metallic ores successfully launched, marking the official opening of the international railway transportation corridor "China Laos Railway+China Europe Railway".

This freight train departs from Moscow Inner Liao Station in Russia, enters China through the Manzhouli Port, and then heads to Chengxiang Station. After that, the special train passes through Chengdu Kunming Railway and China Laos Railway, and finally arrives at Mohan Station for exit. After arriving at Vientiane South Station, the special train underwent a replacement to adapt to the meter gauge and ultimately arrived at Bangkok's Madapu Station in Thailand. Compared to traditional sea routes, this journey takes about 22 days to complete, but it can significantly shorten the transportation time by about 20 days.

It is reported that in order to ensure the close connection between the "Lancang Mekong Express" and the "Chengdu Europe Express", China Railway Kunming Group Co., Ltd. has organized the operation of multimodal transport trains from Kunming Wangjiaying West to Chengdu Chengxiang Station since April 2023, providing practical transportation capacity guarantee for the seamless connection of the Lancang Mekong Express with the China Europe Express.

It is understood that in order to better integrate and serve the national the Belt and Road Initiative, Yunnan Province, Sichuan Province and the railway departments have worked closely together to focus on the strategic task of building a western inland open highland, Chengdu Chongqing double city economic circle and facing the radiation center of South Asia and Southeast Asia. Adhering to the concept of regional linkage, complementary advantages and coordinated development, relying on their respective regional advantages and resource endowments, they have provided strong support for both sides in terms of space reservation, train operation map planning, in-process monitoring, customs declaration, international trade, and industrial undertaking. They have successfully achieved the effective connection between the international golden channel of the China Laos Railway and the international logistics channel of the China Europe Express, and effectively opened the Asia Europe railway channel of Southeast Asia Kunming Chengdu Europe.

Next, the railway departments in Yunnan, Sichuan, and the two regions will strengthen practical cooperation in industries, logistics, finance, ports, and other fields. They plan to establish the Kunming Transportation Control Center for the "China Europe+Chengdu Europe Express" and strengthen the construction of logistics bases, distribution centers, and overseas warehouses in the ASEAN region. These measures will comprehensively enhance the gathering, distribution, and distribution capabilities of overseas goods, jointly build a railway sea intermodal transportation channel radiating across Asia in the Sichuan Yunnan region, and make new positive contributions to ensuring the stability of the international industrial chain and supply chain, promoting domestic and international dual circulation, and promoting the country's high-level opening-up to the outside world. Editor/Zhao E