Documentary "Journey on the China-Laos Railway" premieres

On the morning of April 14, hosted by the Publicity Department of the Party Leadership Group of CR, the Publicity Department of the CPC Yunnan Provincial Committee, and organized by CR-Kunming, the launch ceremony for the China-Laos simultaneous premiere of the documentary Journey on the China-Laos Railway and the China-Laos Railway Media Tour was held at Kunmingnan Railway Station.

The documentary Journey on the China-Laos Railway consists of three episodes and is positioned for global distribution. It is co-produced by People's Railway Press Co., Ltd., China Intercontinental Communication Center, National Geographic, and Yunnan Media Group. It has been selected into the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee's "Documenting China" communication project and the National Radio and Television Administration's "Documenting the New Era" outstanding documentary project. The series will be broadcast from April 14 to 16 at 19:30 during prime time on the CCTV Documentary Channel (CCTV-9), simultaneously aired on Lao National Television, and subsequently released on iQIYI, Youku, Tencent Video, Bilibili and some provincial satellite TV channels across China. Since December last year, the documentary has been broadcast in more than 100 countries and regions across Asia, Europe and the Americas, ranking among the top in viewership in countries including India, Germany and the United Kingdom. It will next be localized and broadcast in countries along the Belt and Road, including Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar and Vietnam, enabling global audiences to experience the unique charm of the China-Laos Railway.

This year marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Laos and the "China-Laos Friendship Year," as well as the fifth year of operation of the China-Laos Railway. To tell the story of how the China-Laos Railway promotes economic and social development, strengthens cultural exchanges, and enhances people-to-people connectivity, under the guidance of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, CR took the lead in organizing a creative production team composed of professionals from China, the United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore and other countries. The team conducted three field shoots across China and Laos. Using the cross-border journey of British photographer Thomas Heaton as the narrative thread, the documentary adopts a micro-perspective to reflect broader themes, vividly presenting a series of down-to-earth stories along the China-Laos Railway and showcasing its remarkable achievements in construction and operation.

On April 14, the "Steel Silk Road of Scenic Beauty: Enduring China-Laos Friendship Along the Silk Road" Media Tour was launched simultaneously. A joint press delegation composed of major media outlets from both countries—including People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency, China Media Group, Yunnan Daily, Yunnan Media Group, Lao National Television and the Lao News Agency—will conduct in-depth visits along the China-Laos Railway. The delegation aims to tell the remarkable stories of the China-Laos Railway with dedication and sincerity, and highlight the profound friendship between the peoples of China and Laos.