Vientiane Station—the largest on the overseas section of the Laos-China Railway. (File photo)

Laos-China Railway wins China’s top civil engineering prize

The Laos-China Railway has been awarded the 21st Tien-yow Jeme Civil Engineering Prize, the highest honour for scientific and technological innovation in China’s civil engineering sector.
The China Civil Engineering Society confirmed the award for the 1,035-kilometer Vientiane–Kunming line, often described as the “Oscars” of the industry.
The railway has operated safely and smoothly for more than four years, easing travel between Laos and China while boosting economic, social, and cultural ties.
Officials describe it as an international golden corridor that links domestic and overseas markets, benefits neighbouring regions, and advances mutual cooperation.
China Railway Construction Group played a central role in the project’s station buildings.
Project manager Li Cong of Station Building Lot II on the Boten–Vientiane section said the team followed a “one station, one distinctive landscape; station-city integration” approach.
“We adhere to the philosophy of ‘one station, one distinctive landscape; station-city integration,’ and have meticulously crafted every station building into a local landmark and a cultural window,” the manager said.
The company delivered 13 stations to high standards, including Kunming South Railway Station on the Chinese side, Vientiane Station—the largest on the overseas section—and Luang Prabang Station, noted for its cultural design.
During construction, engineers applied advanced techniques, independently developed the PocketBIM lightweight collaborative platform, and pioneered a decoration-free shaped steel structure process.
They resolved complex challenges such as irregular roofs shaped like the Chinese characters “卅” and “人.” Designers also incorporated cultural elements including traditional Chinese window latticework, dragon-head upturned eaves, Lao frangipani, and the Tree of Life, crafting with ingenuity premium cultural passenger stations of a new era that deeply integrate regional culture with architectural art.
The railway overcame additional major engineering obstacles, among them tunnels through highly corrosive salt-rock formations, the world’s tallest railway bridge pier at 154 meters, and deep soft-soil subgrades. The project had already received the China Construction Engineering Luban Prize for overseas works.
The award underscores the technical achievements and lasting regional impact of the Laos-China Railway as a flagship infrastructure link between the two countries.

By Advertorial Desk
 (Latest Update September 16, 2026)