Railway connecting China and Laos - to open with a total length of 1000 km

 Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

中国とラオスを結ぶ鉄道、線路開通　全長１０００キロ

2021.10.20 Wed posted at 12:54 JST

 （ＣＮＮ） 中国と隣国ラオスを結ぶ新しい鉄道の線路が開通した。中国が巨大経済圏構想「一帯一路」の下で進める初の国際鉄道網プロジェクトとなる。

同鉄道はラオスの首都ビエンチャンと中国雲南省の省都・昆明を結ぶ。両国の間に４５駅が設置される予定で、うち約２０駅で旅客サービスを運行する。

中国中鉄は声明を発表し、この鉄道によってラオスは「陸に閉ざされた国から陸で結ばれた国」へと転換すると強調した。両国を結ぶ貨物列車と旅客列車は年内に運行を開始する。

現時点で鉄道の全長は１０００キロ以上。昆明から、ラオスと国境を接する景洪まで約３時間で到達できる。

国営メディアによると、中国とラオスを結ぶ鉄道は１２月に全面的な運行開始を予定している。

中国は過去１０年で鉄道建設に多額を投じ、高速鉄道網は２００８年以来、３万７９００キロ延長された。アフリカのケニアなど、他国の鉄道プロジェクトにも投資している。

Translation

 (CNN) A new railroad track connecting China and neighboring Laos was opened. This would be the first international railway network project that China was promoting under the "One Belt, One Road" giant economic zone concept.

The railway connected Vientiane, the capital of Laos, with Kunming, the provincial capital of Yunnan in China. Forty-five stations had be set up between the two countries, of which about 20 would operate passenger services.

China Railway Group issued a statement, emphasizing that the railroad would transform Laos from a land-closed country to a land-tied country. Freight trains and passenger trains connecting the two countries could start operating by the end of the year.

At present, the total length of the railway would more than 1000 km. It took about 3 hours traveling from Kunming to Jinghong which bordered Laos.

According to state media, the railway linking China and Laos was scheduled to go into full operation in December.

China invested heavily in railroad construction in the last decade, and its high-speed rail network had been extended by 37,900 kilometers since 2008. It was also investing in railway projects in other countries, such as Kenya in Africa.

              So, this new railway line will connect China and Laos. I would like to know how this rail line can benefit the economy of Laos.