BEIJING — As of May 3, the China-Laos Railway had handled over 2.7 million passenger trips and transported 2.9 million tons of cargo since its launch in December 2021, official data showed.

The railway has seen strong growth in cargo transport, with the cargo freight volume in its fifth month of operation hitting 1.1 million tons, up 550 percent from its first month of operation, according to China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.

So far, over 500,000 tons of cross-border cargo have been transported by the railway to more than 10 countries and regions, consisting of over 100 kinds of products including electronics, automobiles and flowers, said the company.

The railway has also provided more travel options for residents along the route. At present, an average of 36 passenger trains run on the Chinese section of the railway every day, while the section in Laos operates six electric multiple unit trains and two standard passenger trains daily.

The China-Laos Railway connects Kunming in Yunnan province with the Laotian capital Vientiane. The 1,035-km railway, a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, started operation on Dec 3, 2021.