The three road transport routes linking Kunming, Simao and Jinghong of China to Vientiane of Laos, respectively, saw their first group of passengers in four shuttle buses Wednesday morning.

The road between Kunming, capital city of Yunnan province, and Vientiane is 1,600 kilometers long. Some 900 kilometers of the road are located in Yunnan. China is upgrading the road within its territory and will complete construction work in 2006.

Chinese Vice Minister of Communications Hu Xijie said at the opening ceremony for the three routes that the new routes will further facilitate economic growth of the two countries and friendly exchanges between the two peoples.

Khamlouat Sidlakone, Lao vice minister of communications, transport, telecommunications and construction, expected both sides to see a bigger, safer flow of passengers and cargo as the new routes are opened.

China and Laos share a border line more than 700 kilometers long. Previously, road transport routes only extended between border town Jinghong in Yunnan and neighboring Lao provinces of Nam Tha and Oudomsay.

China and Laos signed an agreement on automobile transport in December, 1993. The first route of road transport was opened between the two countries in January, 1996.

(Xinhua News Agency May 2, 2002)