（InKunming Ines）Through the China-Laos Railway, bath bombs with essential oil entered ASEAN countries, which were the first batch of products of cooperation between Shandong Shanzuo Holding Group Co., Ltd. from Jinan Area of China (Shandong) Pilot FTZ and Xicao Group from Kunming Area of China (Yunnan) Pilot FTZ. Cargo from Qingbeijiang Area of China (Sichuang) Pilot FTZ had been delivered to Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and other countries after arriving in Vientiane on the China-Laos Railway.

Among the important events of China’s economic opening-up in 2021, the operation of the China-Laos Railway was definitely a highlight. As a “window” of opening up for Kunming and Yunnan, Kunming Area of China (Yunnan) Pilot Free Trade Zone expands its connectivity with the China-Laos Railway. Dong Jia, Vice Director of System Innovation Department of Kunming Area of China (Yunnan) Pilot Free Trade Zone, said based in Wangjiaying central station of China United International Rail Containers Co., Limited, Kunming Area jointly cooperates with Qingbaijiang Area, Jinan Area, and Qinzhou Port Area, coordinating other platforms including national areas, comprehensive bonded zones and cross (border) cooperation zones.

According to data, at present the phased goals of increasing the volume, optimizing the stock and improving the quality of the China-Laos Railway had been initially achieved, paving the way for building a “golden” route connecting Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia. With the first international freight train started operation on the China-Laos Railway, goods from Sichuan, Chongqing, Shanghai, Guangdong and other provinces and cities to South Asian and Southeast Asian countries have been assembled in Kunming. Other services including international cold chain trains, the Lancang-Mekong Express and market purchase trade have been launched successively. As of March 4, the China-Laos Railway has handled about 1.7 million passenger trips and 1444 international freight trains and transported over 39 thousand metric tons of cargo, worth about 1.13 billion yuan.

According to the Management Committee of Kunming Area of China (Yunnan) Pilot Free Trade Zone, Kunming Area has signed inter-provincial cooperative agreements with Jinan Area, Qingbaijiang Area and Qinzhou Port Area. A regional container distribution center will be established with the integrated linkage of railway logistics to assemble goods from Yunnan, Sichuan, Shandong, Guangxi and other provinces, connecting with the China Railway Express and the China-Laos Railway.

Dong Jia also said, as the China-Laos Railway adjacent to Japan and South Korea, linking ASEAN countries, Kunming Area will step up the construction of economic corridor, forming a link radiating East and Southeast Asia, Japan, South Korea and Northeast Asia. Efforts will be made to improve the timeliness of customs clearance of goods, carry out convenient declaration modes such as “advance declaration”, “two-step declaration” and “air inspection land release”, promoting customs exchanges and cooperation along the China-Laos railway, and improving the level of facilitation of cross-border transportation of international trains. Kunming Area will jointly launch the “China-Laos Railway International Transport Capacity Cooperation Alliance” in conjunction with various free trade zones to promote the innovative path of cross-border barter in customs clearance supervision, foreign exchange settlement, information logistics and other fields.

中国（山东）自贸试验区济南片区企业山左集团与中国（云南）自贸试验区昆明片区企业西草集团合作的首批精油沐浴球产品，通过中老铁路进入东盟国家；中国（四川）自贸试验区青白江片区的货物通过中老铁路直达万象，然后分拨至泰国、缅甸以及柬埔寨等国家……

2021年，中国经济对外开放的重要事件中，中老铁路的开通运营绝对是浓墨重彩的一笔。借力硬件上的联通，作为昆明、云南对外开放的“窗口”，中国（云南）自贸试验区昆明片区立足“沿边”开放的定位，发力“软联通”。中国（云南）自贸试验区昆明片区制度创新部副部长董佳介绍，依托中铁联集王家营中心站，昆明片区携手青白江片区、济南片区、钦州港片区等兄弟片区，联动省内国家级新区、综合保税区、跨（边）境合作区等开放平台，致力于建立东西各有分工、南北取长补短、内外协同一致、相互紧密配合的联动格局。

从数据来看，董佳表示，目前初步实现了中老铁路扩增量、优存量、提质量的阶段性目标，各片区接力促进南向开放，为打造贯通东南亚与东北亚的黄金线路奠定基础。自中老铁路首趟国际货运列车开行以来，四川、重庆、江苏、广东、上海、山东、广西等省市发往南亚东南亚国家的货物在昆明集结，陆续开行国际冷链、“澜湄快线”、市场采购贸易等专列。截至3月4日，中老铁路发送旅客突破170万人次；中铁联集昆明中心站共计开行中老铁路国际货运列车1444车，发运货物总重量达3.9万吨，货值约11.3亿元人民币。

路畅了，如何推动人和，放大开放联动效应？

据自贸试验区昆明片区（昆明经开区）管委会方面的消息，当前，昆明片区已与济南片区、青白江片区、钦州港片区签署跨省自贸联动协同合作协议，建立铁路物流一体化联动，集拼云南、四川、山东、广西等省货物，连接中欧班列和中老班列，同步打造区域性集装箱空箱调配对流中心。昆明片区还牵头成立中老泰国际多式联运物流联盟，服务解决各片区实际需求和问题。

董佳介绍，围绕中老铁路开发利用，接下来，昆明片区将着手加强通道经济建设，依托中老铁路和济南片区毗邻日韩、昆明片区连接东盟国家优势，协同推进面向日韩和南亚东南亚国际RCEP相关贸易规则研究，形成辐射东亚、东南亚，连接日韩东北亚的纽带。努力提高货物通关时效，探索开展“提前申报”“两步申报”“空检陆放”等便捷申报模式，促进中老铁路沿线海关交流合作，提升国际班列跨境运输便利化水平。持续深化跨境物流合作，联合各地自贸片区，共同发起“中老铁路国际运力协作联盟”，例如与济南片区探索建立铁路运单融资平台，共同推进跨境易货在通关监管、外汇结算、信息物流等领域的创新路径。（中文稿件来源：昆明信息港 昆明日报记者吴洁）