Southwest China's Yunnan Province has speeded its pace to build four international railways linking Vietnam, Myanmar and Thailand, according to an official with the provincial government.

Vice governor of province Qin Guangrong said that the four outbound railways are significant to the transport and economic development of Yunnan province and the three ASEAN countries.

The rails linking Kunming, Yuxi and Ho Chi Minh city in Vietnam have been under smooth construction, and are scheduled for completion in 2009.

Qin said that his province will strive to start construction this year for the railway in Mengzi in Yunnan to the Sino-Vietnam border.

The preparatory work of the China-Myanmar railway expansion project has been in full swing.

The preliminary work of building Kunming-Bangkok railway has been launched, which will sharply improve the transport efficiency between the countries.

(Xinhua News Agency February 11, 2008)