BRI driving Laos’ economy, creating job opportunities: Chinese FM

BEIJING, China: The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is of great importance in promoting economic cooperation between Laos and China, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang told a press conference on Tuesday.
The Laos-China railway is a part of BRI cooperation projects supporting Laos to transition from a landlocked to a land link country and will bolster economic growth by 2 percent, he said.

China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang holds a press conference on Tuesday on the sidelines of the first session of the 14th National People’s Congress in Beijing on March 7. --Photo Xinhua

The China-Laos railway is not only a model cooperation project supported by the top leaders of Laos and China, but is also an interconnectivity infrastructure project implemented between China and Asean countries, according to the Chinese government.
Since the launch of the initiative, a number of development projects have been started and implemented. These include the railway, the Boten-Mohan Economic Cooperation Zone, a satellite project (Lao Sat1), an expressway from Vientiane to the Chinese border, hydropower projects, and connected grid network construction. These are the most relevant development projects and are not only creating job opportunities and increasing revenue for Laos, but also providing extensive benefits for the long-term development of Laos as well as providing stable dynamics for economic cooperation between the two countries.
The railway is part of the Pan-Asia Railway Network, connecting the southern mainland of China with Southeast Asian nations through Laos. Built under the Belt and Road Initiative, the Vientiane-Kunming link is the first modern railway in Laos and will eventually run through Thailand and Malaysia before ending in Singapore.
The Belt and Road Initiative is a high-quality public good initiated by China and jointly built by all partners, whose benefits are shared by the world, Mr Qin said, adding that China should never be accused of creating so-called debt traps.
The Belt and Road Initiative has attracted the participation of over three-fourths of countries in the world and 32 international organisations, creating more than 3,000 cooperation projects and 420,000 jobs in countries through which the routes pass. It has helped lift nearly 40 million people out of poverty over the past decade, Mr Qin said.
During the press conference, Mr Qin answered questions from journalists from China and other countries about China’s foreign policy and foreign relations.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update March 9, 2023)