Colorful train trip spices up cross-border tourism between China, Vietnam

Since the operation of the Fangchenggang-Dongxing Railway in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region at the end of 2023, it has not only facilitated cross-border travel between tourists from China and Vietnam, but also provided them with a fresh experience of crossing the sea on a train.

On the passenger train going along the railway, tourists can not only enjoy the beautiful scenery, but also enjoy singing performances with ethnic minority characteristics.

I am very excited and feel magical, as I can actually see the sea on the train. I also participated in the activities on the train, which was fascinating. (In Dongxing) II want to eat at a local Vietnamese restaurant and take a look at the China-Vietnam border," said Shi Xuejia, a tourist.

The Fangchenggang-Dongxing Railway, crossing mountains and seas, is the first high-speed railway in China that goes directly to the China-Vietnam border. The Xiwan Cross-Sea Double-Line Bridge, which the railway passes through, is 7.5 kilometers long, surrounded by parks, urban beaches, and tourist attractions.

"The Fangdong Railway passes through many interesting places, such as Bailang Beach, Shiwandashan Butou Hot Spring, Leshan Old Fishing Village, Yeren Valley Waterfall, and the border, each with its own characteristics. There is also the only border mangrove forest in China near the coastline," said Huang Linghong, deputy train captain of the Nanning Passenger Transportation Section.

Dongxing Railway Station is the first high-speed railway station in Guangxi close to the sea. After exiting the station, tourists can take a train to Wanwei Golden Beach to watch the sea, or go to the Guoqi Street.

"This is the one-stringed musical instrument unique to our Jing ethnic group. There is a saying in our local area that one string can produce a hundred notes and a single string can compose a song, which really describes the exquisiteness of our unique instrument," said Tang Jiaxia, who performs at the Dongxing South Railway Station.

The Guoqi Street gives people a feeling of visiting a commodity fair of ASEAN countries. There are all kinds of fresh fruits from Southeast Asia, mahogany products, and all kinds of snacks.

Dongxing is separated from Vietnam by only a river. After the opening of the Fangchenggang-Dongxing Railway, more and more Vietnamese passengers choose to enter the country from Dongxing and then transfer to other Chinese cities.

"My Vietnamese friends and I came here to play and travel. We took the high-speed train to Fangchenggang and Nanning. It was so fast," said a tourist from Vietnam.

"Since the opening of the Fangchenggang-Dongxing Railway on Dec 27, 2023, it has been operating safely for more than seven months. We have sent a total of 314,500 passengers. In specific, we receive an average of more than five Vietnamese tourist groups per month, and have sent a total of more than 4,800 Vietnamese passengers," said Li Yunhong, deputy director of Nanning Railway Bureau Dongxing branch.

Colorful train trip spices up cross-border tourism between China, Vietnam

China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) will work with relevant departments and local authorities to take concrete steps to promote the implementation of the newly passed private sector promotion law, a landmark legislation concerning a vast economic force in the country, said an NDRC official.

China's top legislative body -the National People's Congress - passed the private sector promotion law on Wednesday, establishing a legal backing for the steady and healthy growth of the key sector, including more than 57 million private firms and over 100 million self-employed individuals.

This landmark law is China's first fundamental legislation dedicated to the private sector. It will bolster confidence among the vast community by improving the business environment, fostering innovation, and ensuring fair competition, according to NDRC, the country's top economic planner.

"The private sector promotion law has actively responded to the key concerns in the development of the private sector. Efforts are made to establish and improve relevant systems and enhance the enforceability of the systems, from ensuring fair competition, improving investment and financing environment, supporting technology innovation, focusing on regulated operation, optimizing services and guarantees, and improving rights and interest protection, to strengthening legal accountability, so as to ensure that all forms of ownership can equally utilize production factors by the law, participate in market competition fairly, receive equal legal protection, further unleash their complementary advantages, and pursue common development," said Liu Min, deputy director of Private Sector Development Bureau under NDRC.

Liu added NDRC will continue to work together with relevant departments and local authorities to improve supporting systems and mechanisms and take concrete steps to promote the implementation of the private sector promotion law.

"We will make continuous and increasing efforts to remove barriers to market access and to fair competition, to address the issue of overdue payments to private enterprises, to protect the lawful rights and interests of private businesses and entrepreneurs by the law, to implement various relief policies, to help private enterprises shoulder their responsibilities of the era, so as to help translate legal systems into concrete actions and tangible outcomes that promote the high-quality development of the private sector," said Liu.

Concrete steps to take for firmly implementing China's landmark private sector promotion law: official