On 3 August 2015, the Chinese media delegation of the “Reporting Trip” left Mohan to interview at Boten and Ban Houayxay, the two border cities in Laos located en route of Route 3A (R3A) bordering with China and Thailand respectively. It took at approximately 4 hours and a half to drive from Boten to Ban Houayxay, whereby the delegation could experience the R3A section in Laos.
At Boten, the journalists, accompanied by Ms. Lada Phumas, Director of Information and Public Relations Division (IPRD) of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), and Mr. Sidthiphon Sorsengin, resident official of the Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Laos in the Luang Namtha Province, met and interviewed Mr. Vongkhan Phethavon, Vice Chairman of the Administrative Committee of Laos Boten Special Economic Development Zone (LBSEDZ), and Mr. Kang Peng, Deputy General Manager (Logistics) of the Development Group of LBSEDZ.
At the meeting, Mr. Vongkhan said that LBSEDZ, founded in November 2012, was an independently-managed development zone directly supervised by the Central Government of Laos, which had made active responses to the Chinese initiative on “One Belt One Road”. Thanks to the ASEAN Community building and the strengthening of ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership, the advantageous location of Boten on R3A had brought about positive changes and tangible benefits to its citizens in the area as well as its neighbouring inhabitants. The LBSEDZ had enjoyed the privileges and special treatments under the specific conditions of the SEZ which could offer great opportunities for the Chinese investors.
During the site-visit, Mr. Kang Peng briefed that the LBSEDZ, upon completion, would be a comprehensive compound comprising an international trade centre, a bonded industrial park for processing and logistics, a national park, an international tourist resort, an international golf course and a reconstructed ancient town, etc. All the facilities in the LBSEDZ aimed to attract international traders, investors and tourists. He expressed high hope that the Chinese side, in the course of upgrading ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA), would further lift the restrictions on certain imported products such as seafood from ASEAN and increase number of goods in the list that were entitled to preferential tariffs so that trade and investment could be further boosted on R3A through Boten.
At Ban Houayxay, the Chinese media interviewed Mr. Sibounheuang, Director in charge of the Border Check of Houayxay Entry Port. He informed the delegation about the background and development of Houayxay check point since the opening of the 4th Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge in December 2013. He provided useful information of the entry and exit statistics of vehicles, goods and passengers between China & Laos and Laos & Thailand through the check point, while citing some challenges relating to the logistics and software. In response to the enquiries from the delegation, Director Sibounheuang suggested the Chinese tourists to provide related authorized documents at the check point so as that they could enjoy the fast facilitation in the immigration procedure. Laos welcomed the individual tourist as well as those in groups from China to travel into and pass Laos to Thailand.
The delegation passed the immigration check point in Laos at Ban Houayxay and entered into Thailand at Chiang Khong check point via the 4th Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge crossing the Mekong River.
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