The Lao government has approved the construction of the fourth section of the Laos-China expressway connecting Oudomxay Province to Boten at the Chinese border in Luang Namtha Province.
Newly appointed Chinese Ambassador to Laos, Fang Hong, recently met with Laos’ Minister of Public Works and Transport, Ngampasong Muongmany, to discuss various infrastructure projects. During their talks, they agreed to urge the developers of this expressway section to speed up construction to maximize the benefits.
This section is part of an ongoing project to improve transportation links between Laos and China, which is divided into four phases. The newly approved fourth section will cover a distance of 63 kilometers from Oudomxay to Boten, according to local media.
Phase 1, which stretches 109 kilometers from Vientiane Capital to Vang Vieng district, was completed in 2021. This section has quickly gained popularity among travelers, as it has cut travel time from more than three hours to just one hour.
Meanwhile, the construction of Phase 2, connecting Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang, and Phase 3, linking Luang Prabang to Oudomxay Province, is currently under review for contract renewal.
The Vientiane-Boten expressway project is funded jointly by the Lao government and China’s Yunnan Construction and Investment Holding (YCIH) Group, with YCIH holding a 95 percent stake and the Lao government contributing 5 percent. This is the first highway project of its kind in Laos.
Once completed, the expressway will be operated under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model for 50 years.
