In the Laotian border town of Boten, the arrival of a sleek, modern train on a route that connects with southern China is a sign of growing trade and tourism links between one of Southeast Asia’s poorest countries and its giant neighbor. But it also signifies a marked rise in Chinese influence in Laos, and the drawing of the country closer into Beijing’s orbit.
The 1,035-kilometer line connecting Kunming in southwest China’s Yunnan Province with the Laotian capital Vientiane opened in late 2021, although trains only started crossing the border after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in April 2023.
For Laos, the line is its first long-distance railway. Stops along the way include World Heritage sites such as Laos’…
