（InKunming Lexi）On April 29th, 2019, Chinese President Xi Jinping, also General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, wrote in a reply letter to all teachers and students of the China-Laos Friendship Nongbing Village Primary School in Laos, "Welcome you to take the China-Laos Railway to come to Beijing as soon as possible."

Laotian primary school students took a train via the China-Laos Railway to Kunming.

Laotian primary school students held hands with Kunming primary school students.

On April 13th, 2023, Kunming South Railway Station and Vientiane Railway Station on the China-Laos Railway operated cross-border passenger trains in both directions, achieving travel within the same day between Kunming and Vientiane. The dream of Laotian primary school teachers and students taking the China-Laos Railway to Beijing will become a reality.

From May 23rd to 26th, 100 Laotian primary school students arrived in Kunming, China by taking the China-Laos Railway from Vientiane, Laos, and then transferring to a high-speed train to Beijing. The Railway, customs, and border inspection departments optimized the entry and exit clearance process, opened a green channel, and provided excellent services to warmly welcome the Laotian primary school students.

"We have prepared delicious meals and fruits for them according to the eating habits of Laotian primary school students. We interacted with the Laotian students on the train and celebrated together. We also gave them the China-Laos Railway-themed cultural and creative products as gifts, making their trip warm and enjoyable," said Jiang Yahong, the train conductor of Kunming passenger transport section of the China Railway Kunming Bureau Group Co., Ltd.

It is learned that the 100 Laotian primary school students were mainly invited by the China Charity Federation to participate in the 6th "Belt and Road, People-to-people Connectivity" student fellowship event. They had face-to-face communication, friendship-building activities, and joint study with Chinese primary school students from Xishuangbanna, Kunming, and Beijing, to establish cross-border friendships, and celebrate International Children’s Day together. Through learning from each other and growing together, the traditional friendship between China and Laos has been cultivated, the people-to-people connectivity has been promoted and the construction of the China-Laos community with a shared future has continuously been deepened.

The Laotian primary school students expressed that they were very happy to take the train to China and hoped to make more friends in China. At the same time, they also wanted to see Tiananmen Square in Beijing and climb the ancient Great Wall. "I am very happy to come to China and learn about Chinese culture. I am looking forward to seeing the flag-raising ceremony in Beijing," said Alusa (transliteration), a Laotian primary school student.

On May 23rd, the 100 Laotian primary school students entered China by taking a cross-border train on the China-Laos Railway, and arrived in Kunming on May 25th from Xishuangbanna by taking a train on the China-Laos Railway.

In Kunming, they made flower cakes, painted long scroll paintings with local primary school students, and formed deep friendships with each other.

On the morning of May 26th, they took a high-speed train to Beijing to participate in related activities. The China Charity Federation introduced that they have successfully held two "Belt and Road, People-to-people Connectivity" student friendship events with the theme of "Belt and Road, Hand in Hand, We are Forever Friends" in 2018 and 2019 respectively, inviting and organizing students from 9 countries along the Belt and Road to China to deepen cultural exchanges and promote people-to-people connectivity by joining hands with Chinese students. China and Laos share the same mountains and rivers, and have been friendly neighbors that help each other for a long time. On December 3rd, 2021, the China-Laos Railway began operations, reducing the distance between Kunming and Vientiane, and connecting Laos to China by railway. Over the past year, the China-Laos Railway had effectively promoted economic and social development along the railway, becoming a path of development, a path of happiness, and a path of friendship for the Chinese and Laotian people.

2019年4月29日，中共中央总书记、国家主席习近平在给老挝中老友好农冰村小学全体师生回信中说：“欢迎你们早日乘上中老铁路列车来到北京。”

2023年4月13日，中老铁路昆明南站、万象站双向对开国际旅客列车，昆明至万象实现当日通达，老挝小学师生乘上中老铁路列车到北京的梦想将变为现实。

5月23日至26日，来自老挝的100名小学生从老挝万象乘坐中老铁路列车到达中国昆明，之后再换乘高铁到北京。铁路、海关、边检等部门优化进站通关流程，开辟绿色通道，全力做好服务，热烈欢迎老挝小学生的到来。

“我们结合老挝小学生的饮食习惯，为他们准备了可口的饭菜和水果。在列车上与老挝小学生互动联欢，赠送他们中老铁路文创产品，让他们温馨愉快出行。”国铁昆明局昆明客运段列车长姜亚红说。

据了解，100名老挝小学生此行主要是受中华慈善总会邀请，参加第六届“一带一路·民心相通”学生手拉手活动。他们在云南西双版纳、昆明和北京等地与中国小学生进行面对面交流、手拉手联谊、肩并肩研学，建立跨国友谊，共度“六一”国际儿童节，在彼此交往中相互学习、共同成长，厚植传统友谊，促进民心相通，不断深化中老命运共同体建设。

老挝小学生纷纷表示，很高兴坐火车到中国，希望在中国结交更多的朋友，同时也想看看北京的天安门，登上古老的万里长城……

老挝小学生阿路萨说：“我很高兴来到中国，了解中国的文化。我对到北京看升旗仪式很期待。”

这100名老挝小学生于5月23日乘坐中老铁路列车入境，5月25日从西双版纳乘中老铁路列车到达昆明。

在昆明市，他们与昆明的小学生共同做鲜花饼、共绘长卷布画，彼此结下了深厚友谊。

5月26日上午，他们乘坐高铁到北京，参加在北京的相关活动。

中华慈善总会相关负责人介绍，中华慈善总会以“一带一路·手拉手 我们永远做朋友”为主题，于2018年、2019年成功举办了两届“一带一路·民心相通”学生手拉手活动，先后组织沿线9个国家的学生来到中国，与中国学生手拉手，进一步深化人文交流，增进民心相通。

中国与老挝山同脉、水同源，自古以来都是睦邻友好、守望相助的伙伴。2021年12月3日，中老铁路开通运营，昆明至万象山不再高，路不再长，老挝变“陆锁国为陆联国”。一年多来，中老铁路有效促进了沿线经济社会发展，成了中老人民的发展路、幸福路、友谊路。（中文稿件来源：昆明日报 记者王琳 通讯员张伟明 黄再云）