On January 6, the first train departed from Huaihua city in Hunan province, the first station of the new China-Laos Railway, carrying 16 SANY excavators. A departure ceremony was held in the presence of Mr. Tang Xiuguo, CEO of SANY Group.
This is the first batch of excavators exported from China after the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, a free trade agreement among the Asia-Pacific nations, came into effect.
The first train consisted of 25 wagons, seven of which were loaded with SANY excavators. The train will travel 2,098 km westward to its destination of Vientiane in Laos over six days, passing through cities such as Guiyang, Liupanshui and Kunming. The railway shortens the transportation time between China and Laos by two-thirds, thus facilitating the export of SANY products.
SANY was not only the railway’s first passenger but also the main participant in the construction of this project. A large number of SANY machines were involved in the construction of the railroad and related infrastructure and facilities.
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership formally went into effect on January 1, 2022, marking the formation of a brand-new free trade zone. As the most populous free trade zone in the world, this new trade zone has enormous potential for economic and trade cooperation in which the zero-tariff policy will cover more than 90% of traded goods, bringing great benefits to Chinese enterprises as SANY seeks internationalization.
