Containers on the first banana train heading to China via the China-Laos Railway are seen at the Vientiane South Station in Vientiane, Laos, on Dec. 6, 2022. (Photo by Kaikeo Saiyasane/Xinhua)

KUNMING, May 17 (Xinhua) -- The China-Laos Railway has transported over 20 million tonnes of cargo since it was put into operation 17 months ago, according to the transport authorities.

The railway has seen its freight portfolio expand from over 10 categories in the initial stage to more than 2,000. Mechanical equipment, household appliances, vegetables and flowers are among the main goods delivered from China to Laos, while metallic ore and cassava are among the main products transported from Laos to China, according to the China Railway Kunming Group Co., Ltd.

Of the cargo transported, the volume of cross-border transportation topped 4 million tonnes, worth about 17.7 billion yuan (about 2.54 billion U.S. dollars), the company said.

From January to April this year, the railway transported nearly 6.7 million tonnes of cargo, up 156 percent year on year.

The China-Laos Railway, a landmark project showcasing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, began operation in December 2021. The 1,035-km railway connects China's Kunming with Vientiane in Laos.