Beijing: Cargo volumes handled via the China-Laos Railway reached a record high of 4.506 million tonnes between January and October, marking a 12.8% increase year-on-year.

According to Lao News Agency, trade in high-tech products between China and ASEAN has emerged as another focal point, with exports of items such as new-energy vehicles increasing by more than 285%. Simultaneously, imports of ASEAN fruits and other agricultural products rose by more than 27%.

The total cargo value via the China-Laos Railway reached 22.07 billion CNY (3.10 billion USD), reflecting a 45.1% increase year-on-year. An expert noted that this signifies new achievements under China-ASEAN free trade cooperation.

Since the China-Laos Railway began operations nearly four years ago, it has managed nearly 16 million tonnes of imports and exports worth nearly 70 billion CNY. As a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative, the railway has significantly advanced connectivity between China and ASEAN countries.

Recently, positive signals have emerged in China-ASEAN trade openness, including the formal signing on October 28 of the Upgrade Protocol of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA) 3.0, marking a new stage in bilateral cooperation, as stated by China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM).

Since 2022, China-ASEAN trade has sustained steady momentum, with the value of imports and exports exceeding 900 billion USD for three consecutive years. In the first 10 months of 2025, the bilateral trade reached 862.7 billion USD, an 8.2% increase year-on-year, according to the CMG report.