News
Lao officials balk at China’s loan terms for railway project
Lao government officials have expressed concern about the interest rate on a U.S. $500 million loan from China to build a multibillion-dollar, high-speed railway through the Southeast Asian nation, and have asked political leaders to negotiate a lower rate, a high-ranking Lao official said. Keep reading ...
Rail network development plan disclosed
The Lao government has announced that it will pursue the development of at least four rail lines that will turn landlocked Laos into a land-linked nation with the planned Laos-China rail project given as top priority. Minister of Public Works and Transport Dr Bounchanh Sinthavong told ...
Laos segment of China-Singapore railway expected to begin construction in November
A transnational railway linking China and Singapore is set to be constructed. The construction of the segment in Laos will start in November. Keep reading ...
China imports threaten traditional Vietnam festival masks
Vu Thi Thoan’s family has been making papier mache masks, part of traditional Vietnamese celebrations for the mid-autumn festival, for over four decades. But cheap Chinese toys are threatening her business. The mid-autumn festival, which falls on 27 September with the full moon, is Vietnam’s equivalent of ...
China calls for border stability in Myanmar ahead of elections
China’s defense minister has urged Myanmar to maintain stability on their common border as it prepares for what Beijing hopes will be successful elections in November, the defense ministry said on 22 September. Myanmar holds an historic election in November, when the military-backed ruling party will compete with the ...
Vietnam expels Chinese man for illegal mass earthworm hunting
Quang Tri border guards have deported a Chinese man who had asked locals to help him hunt earthworms using an illegal chemical and promised to buy the crawl for a high price. Gan DeQiang, 40, was also fined VND16 million (US$712) for his violations, according to ...
Laos to receive technical training from Chinese on proposed high-speed railway
Chinese railway experts are providing technical training this month for Lao officials in charge of a U.S. $7 billion high-speed railway project that will link the two neighboring countries and extend to Thailand, although the Chinese government has yet to sign a contract to begin ...
China, Vietnam vow to promote economic ties
Visiting Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said on 17 September that Vietnam will strive to develop balanced and sustainable trade with China. Chinese enterprises are encouraged to increase investment in infrastructure and interconnectivity projects in Vietnam, said Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the China-Vietnam Economic and ...
Chinese vice premier meets ASEAN leaders
Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli on 17 September met with leaders from Thailand, Myanmar and Laos ahead of an annual expo and business summit between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in southwest China. They will attend the 12th China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment ...
China building its first international undersea cable with ASEAN
China is building its first international undersea cable that will carry information and data flow between the country and the ASEAN nations. State-owned China Unicom is cooperating with Myanmar’s telecommunications operators to build the underwater cable, said Jiang Zhengxin, vice general manager of China United Telecommunications ...