High expectations as China-Laos railway goes into operation
中老铁路投入运营，期待值高
The China-Laos railway was launched on December 3rd with a special inauguration ceremony held simultaneously in both countries amid high expectations for the opportunities the cross-border link will bring.
中老铁路于12月3日开通运营，两国同时举行了一场特殊的开通仪式，人们对这条跨境铁路带来的机遇寄予厚望。
The 1,000-plus-kilometer line, connecting Kunming, the provincial capital of southwest China's Yunnan, with the Lao capital of Vientiane, is a key project of the Belt and Road Initiative, and will help Laos transform from a landlocked country to a land-linked hub. It took some six years to complete the railway.
这条1000多公里长的线路连接中国西南云南省省会昆明和老挝首都万象，是“一带一路”倡议的一个关键项目，将帮助老挝从内陆国家转变为陆路交通枢纽。完成这条铁路花了大约六年时间。
“We gained valuable experience from this project, which is significant in improving our railway construction capabilities, especially in building tunnels and giant bridges under complicated geological conditions,” Ma Youliang, deputy commander of the project, said.
项目副主管马友良说：“我们从这个项目中获得了宝贵的经验，这对提高我们的铁路建设能力，特别是在复杂地质条件下修建隧道和巨型桥梁具有重要意义。”
“It’s also a good example for international cooperation,” Ma added.
“这也是国际合作的一个好示范，”马友良补充说。
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Laos. Over the past decades, people from both countries have forged a high level of trust and friendship. Now, the massive project will further promote people-to-people exchanges.
今年是中老建交60周年。几十年来，两国人民建立了高度的信任和友谊。现在，这一庞大项目将进一步促进人文交流。
“The railway makes it easier for more people from my country to come to China to study or travel. After graduation, I’ll bring my family here by train,” Soukdavane Rattanabandith, a Lao student from the Kunming-based Yunnan Minzu University, told CGTN.
来自昆明的云南民族大学的老挝学生索克达万·拉塔纳班迪告诉环球时报的记者：“有了铁路，更多老挝人来中国学习或旅游就变得很容易。毕业后，我将带我的家人乘火车来这里。”
The young man said he planned to start his own company in the future and believed that the rail line will greatly facilitate trade between the two sides.
这位年轻人说，他计划将来创办自己的公司，并相信这条铁路线将极大地促进双方的贸易。
It’s also great news for business people at the border. Huang Jie runs a cross-border e-commerce company in the border town of Mohan, where an economic cooperation zone between China and Laos has been set up. He expects more business opportunities.
这对边境的商人来说也是个好消息。黄杰在边境城镇磨憨（Mohan）经营着一家跨境电子商务公司，那里已经建立了中老经济合作区。他期待更多的商业机会。
“The railway will bring in more people here. And the transportation cost will be reduced to a large extent, while the logistics efficiency will be improved,” Huang said.
黄杰说：“铁路会把更多的人带到这里。运输成本大幅降低，同时物流效率得到提高。”
Many say the project can benefit the greater region of Southeast Asia.
许多人说这个项目可以使东南亚广大的地区受益。
“I think more agricultural products from Thailand, such as fruit, will enter the Chinese market more easily, as the transportation costs will be greatly reduced. The Chinese people will enjoy them at much lower prices,” Jaruwan Udomsab from Thailand said. She took the ride on the very first train of the railway on Friday.
“我认为来自泰国的农产品，如水果，将更容易进入中国市场，因为运输成本将大大降低。中国人民可以用低得多的价格享受它们，”来自泰国的贾鲁万·乌多姆萨布说道。星期五，她乘坐了第一列火车。
She said that the rail line will also greatly boost cross-border tourism between China and Thailand.
她说，这条铁路线还将极大地促进中国之间的跨境旅游。
The railway passes through well-known natural and cultural sites in both countries, such as Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, which is known for dense tropical rainforests and its unique ethnic culture. It's also home to the largest natural habitat for wild Asian elephants in China.
这条铁路穿过两国著名的自然和文化遗址，如西双版纳傣族自治州，该州以茂密的热带雨林和独特的民族文化而闻名。这里也是中国最大的野生亚洲象自然栖息地。
“I hope more and more tourists can visit Xishuangbanna and meet the elephants to learn more about this endangered species. It's conducive to promoting protection awareness among the public,” Chen Jiming, a keeper at the Asian Elephant Breeding and Rescue Center in Xishuangbanna, said.
西双版纳亚洲象繁育和救助中心的饲养员陈继铭说：“希望更多游客能够参观西双版纳，认识大象，更多地了解这一濒危物种。这有利于提高公众的保护意识。”
来源：CGTN
原文发布时间：2021年12月4日
作者：Yang Jinghao, Luo Caiwen
检索：殷嘉怡
翻译：胡晨希
审校：徐宣
上传：王君
