The 141 km Yuxi-Mengzi railway line in Yunnan Province (south-west China), part of the Pan-Asia railway network that will connect China to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, started operation on 23 February after seven years of construction.

The railway, which is part of the eastern line of the planned Pan-Asia railway network, has a designed maximum speed of 120 km per hour. It passes through 35 tunnels and crosses 61 bridges, which together account for 55% of the eastern line’s total length.

According to experts, this line will improve freight transport between China and ASEAN countries and boost economic development along the line.

The Pan-Asian railway network, which comprises three lines: eastern, central and western, starts in Kunming, capital of Yunnan Province, and passes through the cities of Yuxi, Mengzi and Hekou in Yunnan to link with ASEAN countries such as Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Singapore.

(Source: AVI/VI)