A diplomat and an expert from Laos praised China's contribution to talent cultivation for the China-Laos Railway in Kunming, Yunnan province, on Monday.

They made the remarks at the International Talent Services Promotion for South and Southeast Asia and the High-Quality Open Cooperation and Exchange on the "China-Laos Railway Talent Corridor".

Pongdong Paxaphacdy, consul general of Laos in Kunming, said the cooperation between Yunnan province and Laos has brought tangible benefits to the people of both countries, which was evident from the railway.

The railway has significantly improved living standards for local communities, facilitated trade cooperation, and made travel between the two countries more convenient, he added.

Chantima Phamisith, a Lao student at Yunnan Normal University, echoed the sentiments, stating that she took the high-speed train from Vientiane to Kunming, which was affordable and convenient.

She noted that the railway has brought the two countries closer.

Khamphilom Vannaphone, a Lao student at Kunming University, said that since the opening of the railway, there has been an influx of Chinese tourists, providing an opportunity for people in his hometown to open restaurants and engage in tourism-related work.

To promote the development and construction along the China-Laos Railway, local authorities in Kunming have taken the lead in coordinating with other cities or prefecture-level areas like Yuxi, Pu'er, and Xishuangbanna in Yunnan province to jointly establish the "China-Laos Railway Talent Corridor" since September 2023, focusing on the flow of talent resources and regional coordinated development.

Pongdong Paxaphacdy said the International Talent Services Promotion for South and Southeast Asia and the High-Quality Open Cooperation and Exchange on the "China-Laos Railway Talent Corridor" was not only a significant event for strengthening friendship but also a new starting point for deepening collaboration in talent development.

Bounyalit Khanthachack, president of Lao Railway Vocational and Technical College in Vientiane, said Kunming Railway Vocational and Technical College trained the first batch of 40 faculty members for them and assisted them in developing talent training standards and writing the textbooks for six disciplines.

He said this is a vivid example of talent exchange and development, laying a solid foundation for his college to provide local talent for the railway industry in Laos.