Vientiane, April 5th (Xinhua) — The “Lancang Mekong Week 2025” event, “Discussing the Lancang Mekong Railway and the Magic Capital Holding Hands with the Ancient Capital,” recently kicked off in Luang Prabang, Laos. With the theme of “railway connectivity and people to people connectivity”, the event demonstrated the deep cooperation and people to people connectivity between China and Laos under the “the Belt and Road” initiative through multi-level dialogue and cultural integration practice.
This event is jointly organized by Shanghai University of Applied Sciences and Souvannu Phong University in Laos. In his speech, Wang Tong, member of the Standing Committee of the Luang Prabang Provincial Committee and Mayor of Luang Prabang, stated that since the opening of the Laos China Railway, cooperation between Luang Prabang and Shanghai has become increasingly close. Two groups of Laotian students went to Shanghai to study railway technology, and after completing their studies, they became the backbone of the Laos China railway construction. This railway not only brings development opportunities, but also brings the hearts of people from both places closer together.
Zhang Sheping, Consul General of China in Luang Prabang, delivered a speech saying that the China Laos railway is not only a road of development, a road of friendship, but also a bridge of talent cultivation. The practical cooperation between the two countries, two cities and two universities will cultivate more high-quality engineering and technical talents for the economic and social development of the China Laos railway and Laos, further deepen the friendly cooperative relationship between China and Laos, and promote the Lancang Mekong cooperation to a new level.
It is reported that the “Lancang Mekong Week” event will create a series of youth oriented exchange projects through the “Railway+” model. From April 2nd to 3rd, a historical and cultural architecture exhibition titled “The Magic Capital of the Twin Cities Holding Hands with the Ancient Capital” will be held, showcasing the protection and innovation of historical and cultural architecture in Shanghai and Luang Prabang through images and physical objects. Middle aged and elderly youth will also join hands with youth from other countries in the Mekong River Basin to explore online activities such as railway interconnection, folk science popularization and creative design, story exploration, and youth dialogue later this month. From July to August, we will also rely on the brand project of people to people communication between the two schools to carry out a study and practice program called “Searching for the Lancang Mekong Railway”, allowing young people to conduct field investigations along the railway line.
It is reported that since 2011, Shanghai University of Applied Technology has been deeply involved in the survey, design and technical breakthrough of China Laos railway relying on the advantages of rail transit discipline. Up to now, Shanghai University of Applied Technology has cultivated more than 60 high-level railway technical talents for Laos, of which more than 10 have grown into technical backbone of China Laos railway.