Laos gets it first expressway with Chinese help

The opening of the Vientiane-Vangvieng section of the China-Laos expressway on Sunday gives Laos its first expressway.

The China-Laos expressway runs from Bohan Port in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan province, to Vientiane, Laos, with a total length of 440 kilometers. Once completed, driving time between the two places will be reduced from 20 hours to 5 hours.

The journey from Vientiane to Vangvieng, the most popular tourism destination in the country, will be shortened from 3.5 hours to one hour. The expressway will improve the transportation network within the country and contribute to local socioeconomic development.