Editor's Note: China shares a land border of about 22,000 kilometers with 14 countries. The once less-developed border regions have witnessed rapid growth in the past decade. In this series, China Daily looks at how these regions tap their geographical and other advantages to improve local livelihoods.

Infrastructure projects help Yunnan, Guangxi drive development

Yunnan

Laotian Thepmoukda used to travel between Vientiane, the capital of Laos, and Boten, a city that borders China, for business by car. "The trip took several hours. The road was slippery, especially during the monsoon, and some sections were even not built with asphalt, but with mud," the 27-year-old woman said, adding that she usually prayed onboard with the Zen gesture for herself and other passengers. "Some sections wind through the mountains. I was afraid when I traveled by car, especially on foggy and rainy days."

But since the opening of the cross-border railway linking China and Laos in December, Thepmoukda feels better about the journey. The first ride Thepmoukda took on the train was when she traveled back from Boten to Vientiane. She said it reminded her of her university days, when she used to travel around China during school breaks while studying in Shanghai.

Click here to read full story:

After six months, China-Laos Railway showing great promise

After decades of financial difficulty, 67-year-old Zhao Sanmuga is happy to see that his efforts have helped villagers climb out of poverty and live happier lives they never dreamed possible.

Click here to read full story:

Cangyuan villagers carve out road to prosperity

Facts

Population: 47.20 million

Area: 394,100 square kilometers

GDP in 2021: 2.71 trillion yuan

Total value of imports and exports in 2021: 314.38 billion yuan