1st China-Laos railway tunnel holing through

Ban Somsanook No. 2 Tunnel, the first tunnel along the China-Laos railway has been bored through in Laos' Vientiane Province with the length of 301 meters.

Bai Jian, representative of Sino Corporation Engineering Bureau 15 Co., Ltd, the tunnel project contractor, told Xinhua on Wednesday that the tunnel has been constructed safely with high quality.

The geological conditions of the tunnel area are clay, mudstone and sandstone with high safety risk and difficulties for construction.

Since the beginning of building the tunnel, the project department has strictly followed the design and requirements, and has always put safety management and quality control in the first place, said Cheng Pingjun, project manager of Sino Corporation Engineering Bureau 15 Co., Ltd, on Wednesday.

"I feel proud of participating the construction of the tunnel and the railway, one of the most important projects in Laos," Soukthavy Keosouvanh, a Lao translator working with the Bureau 15, adding that the railway, when ready in the future, will bring convenience and benefits to Lao people.

Chindasack Nhotmanhkho, general manager of NTP, a Lao company supplying fuel to China-Laos railway construction contractors said, "I feel proud to support such a big project like this."

The China-Laos railway is promoted by leaders of the two countries as one of interconnectivity projects. Construction of the railway began in December 2016 and bridges, roadbed and other sections were progressed smoothly along the route.

The China-Laos railway has a length over 414 kilometers, linking Mohan-Boten border gate in northern Laos and capital Vientiane. Operating speed on the route is designed at 160 km per hour. The railway is expected to open to traffic in December 2021.