Getting on the Lancang train again, Bounmy Vaylaysan, former chancellor of China-Laos Friendship Nongping Primary School in Lao capital Vientiane, recalled the scene of writing to president Xi Jinping.

Bounmy Vaylaysan, former chancellor of China-Laos Friendship Nongping Primary School.

This school is one of the demonstration projects resulted from China-Laos friendship. For many years, China has been providing educational materials to the school by building new houses and sending volunteer teachers.

In 2009, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and president China, has received a letter from the students and faculty of the school. In the letter, they showed gratitude to China’s help in building this school and expressed the willingness of making contribution to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In Xi’s reply letter, he encouraged the students to renew the friendship between China and Laos.

Bounmy Vaylaysan said that she would like to express thankfulness to Chinese friends who had made contributions to Lao education and the construction of railways.

On receiving Xi’s reply, everyone was surprised and touched. “It is because of the Belt and Road Initiative that we have China-Laos Railway now,” said Bounmy. “And BRI has changed Laos, a land-locked country, to a land-connected one. The convenient transportation is of great help to uplifting people’s living standards as well as the development of Lao education.”

Facility of the school is improved with the help from Chinese friends, added Bounmy happily. Now, the number of students at the school has increased to 270 from about 100. This is of significance to continuing China-Laos friendship.

Feng Tu, a staffer at the Luang Prabang Maintenance and Management Center of China-Laos Railway, has also received a letter full of encouragement. Before the opening of this railway, Feng and another 8 students have written to president Xi. On the opening of the railway, Xi mentioned this letter in his speech.

Staff work at the Luang Prabang Maintenance and Management Center.

Feng comes from Xieng Khuang province of Laos. He studied professional theories and technologies of railway in China through the cooperation project of Souphanouvong University and Shanghai Institute of Technology. To him, this railway has stimulated the economic development of Laos and has helped young people in Laos know more about the world. Now, he is working on this railway and earning more for his family.

Feng Tu. (Photo by Liu Ziyu and Yang Chunmei)

When talking about the future, Bounmy Vaylaysan was full of expectation. She said that as the direct Kunming-Vientiane train service was launched for international passengers, students and teachers are longing to get on the train to China.

Bounmy and several students got on the Lancang train on Apr. 17. This was the first time 10-year-old Dating Puthavong has ever taken a train. As the train was going to be launched on 8:08 in the morning, he even got up at half past 4. Dating said that he wanted to visit China by train and work in logistics in the future.

Students from China-Laos Friendship Nongping Primary School at Luang Prabang station.

In the letter sent to president Xi, the students and faculty said that the Belt and Road Initiative has connected the Chinese Dream and the Lao Dream. With China-Laos Railway, Lao kids will embrace a brighter future.