The Vientiane-Vangvieng section of the China-Laos expressway, the first highway in Laos, jointly constructed by the Lao government and China's Yunnan Construction and Investment Holding Group (YCIH), was inaugurated on Sunday. The China-Laos expressway starts in Vientiane and ends at the Laos-China border town of Boten, with an approximate length of 440 km. Construction of the first phase, namely the Vientiane-Vangvieng section, kicked off on Dec. 30, 2018 by YCIH in cooperation with the Lao government. There are 36 bridges, 402 culverts, seven interchanges, 11 separated interchanges, one tunnel, eight toll gates, three service areas, and two parking areas along the road. Construction of the Vientiane-Vangvieng section has overcome multiple difficulties, especially those caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The journey from the capital Vientiane to the tourist town of Vangvieng will be shortened from 3.5 hours to one hour. After completion, the China-Laos expressway will become the backbone of central and northern Laos's transportation, promote economic and social development in Laos, and will help accelerate the construction of a rapid transportation network covering the entire Indochina Peninsula.
