Students and faculty from Beijing Jiaotong University pose at Vientiane Railway Station in Laos, where they traveled to experience development along the BRI. )Photo provided to China Daily) Twenty-four students and faculty from Beijing Jiaotong University took a weeklong trip during the summer via the China-Laos Railway to Vientiane, Laos, to experience the development of countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. During their journey from late July to earlier this month, they talked with China-Laos Railway staff, passengers and representatives from the Confucius Institute of the National University of Laos, witnessing the remarkable achievements of the railway.
The group included Chinese and international students from academic disciplines at the undergraduate, master's and doctoral levels. "Since the railway opened, both passenger and freight volumes have exceeded expectations," said Zhang Zhendong, the train station head of the Vientiane operation and management center. Daily passenger count has surged from over 2,000 at the start to a peak of more than 14,000, and freight volume has jumped from over 4,000 metric tons per day to 20,000 tons, Zhang said.
At the center, the group met with Chinese assistant engineer Zhou Wei and high-speed train mechanical engineer Duan Xingchang, who both graduated from Beijing Jiaotong University. Zhou said, "Through this project, I have learned a lot of advanced technology and management experience, which has greatly helped my car.