China-Laos land port records more diversified international passengers

An aerial drone photo taken on May 1, 2024 shows a bullet train running on the China-Laos railway in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province. (Photo by Li Yunsheng/Xinhua)

KUNMING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Mohan Port on China's border with Laos has cleared inbound and outbound passengers from over 100 countries and regions so far this year, confirming that the port is attracting more diversified international travelers, local authorities said.

As of Wednesday, the port's border inspection station had handled over 1.66 million inbound and outbound passengers from 101 countries and regions in 2024. This marks the first time that the port has welcomed such a diverse international influx within a single year.

The port has also seen a sharp increase in the daily average number of inbound and outbound travelers it has handled, rising from just over 4,000 individuals last year to more than 7,300 so far this year -- with the highest single-day count close to 10,000.

Its border inspection station has facilitated over 676,000 foreign travelers this year, accounting for about 41 percent of total passengers, and marking a huge increase of 153.7 percent year on year. Among these, travelers from Laos, Thailand and Malaysia fill the top three spots in terms of numbers.

Mohan Port is the largest land port on the border between China and Laos. It has evolved into a crucial hub for the Belt and Road Initiative and a significant gateway to countries located on the Indochina Peninsula.