Laos-China expressway to be ready in 10 years
Deputy Director of the Laos-China Joint Expressway Development Co., Ltd., Tao Jun has informed that the survey of the next three sections is now complete. It is estimated that this will take 10 years to build the next three sections of the Laos-China expressway from Vangvieng district in Vientiane province to the Chinese border in LuangNamtha province with a total distance of 440km at a cost of US$6 billion.
The first stage between Vientiane and Vangvieng district in Vientiane province has already been built and is in use while section 2 between Vangvieng and Luang Prabang province will cost about US$3.2 billion, section 3 link Luang Prabang and Oudomxay provinces will cost US$2.89 billion, and section 4 will extend between Oudomxay and the Chinese border which will cost US$1.6 billion to build.
A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed on funding for construction and an assessment of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the import of construction equipment has been carried out. The project agreement was signed in 2017 during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Laos. The expressway is a cooperation project under China’s One Belt, One Road Initiative, Chinese investor is operating the expressway under a 50-year concession agreement
With these 4 sections of the express way, motorists will benefit through the much shorter travel times that will be possible when they are complete. It will also bring more foreign investment which Laos will definitely take the advantage to participate in the regional industrial chain as well as benefit the countries to be connected. The government is working hard to improve the transport of goods and people, promote the production of goods, and boost commerce, investment, tourism and services.