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China-Laos Railway stages shows to welcome upcoming Spring Festival

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      China

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      China-Laos Railway stages shows to welcome upcoming Spring Festival

      2025-01-15 17:04 Last Updated At:18:57

      A unique cross-border Spring Festival show unfolded on the China-Laos Railway on Tuesday, the first day of this year's Spring Festival travel rush.

      With carriages turned into stages, people from cities along the route presented unique performances to welcome the upcoming Spring Festival, the most important festival on the calendar, which falls on Jan 29 this year.

      This special Spring Festival show lasted for more than four hours, with over 50 programs such as songs and dances from China and Laos, close-up magic, and musical instrument performances.

      "I take the China-Laos Railway today to get home. Watching this Spring Festival show filled me with surprise and joy," said a Lao tourist.

      "I recorded many videos along the way. I will edit them together into a wonderful footage and share it in Thailand," said a Thai tourist.

      Starting operation in late 2021, the cross-border railway connects Kunming, provincial capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, with Vientiane, the capital of Laos.

      So far, the China-Laos Railway has operated more than 1,500 international passenger train trips, providing cross-border travel services for about 400,000 passenger trips involving more than 100 countries and regions.

      Pongdong Paxaphacdy, consul general of Lao People's Democratic Republic in Kunming, said the train will further enhance connection between the two countries.

      "The train can promote people-to-people exchanges among neighboring countries, especially between China and Laos. Second, it can boost our bilateral trade. Third, it can showcase China's strength, displaying China's railway technology to the whole world," he said.

      The rail link has also greeted even more international passengers, as China introduces a range of visa-free policies.

      "Germany was one of the first countries to actually get the visa-free access to China, and I was very happy about it. Now, to be able to just leave the airport and stay in China for a week is perfect for us. It's so quick, it's so convenient," said Jonas Gorlo, a traveler from Germany.

      Passengers say the special celebration marks the beginning of a new year filled with hope, as the railway continues to foster ties between people and cultures across borders.

      China-Laos Railway stages shows to welcome upcoming Spring Festival

      China-Laos Railway stages shows to welcome upcoming Spring Festival

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      Trump's tougher foreign policy threatens South Korea's economy: experts

      2025-01-26 01:48 Last Updated At:02:17

      South Korean experts have warned that the United States' new tougher foreign policy under President Donald Trump poses a threat to the East Asian country's economy which has already suffered a slowdown in growth amid an ongoing political crisis.

      Trump is expected to take a hard line on trade and diplomacy with South Korea. He wants the Asian partner to pay more for the stationing of over 28,000 U.S. troops in the country, while their trilateral security relationship with Japan is also likely to take a back seat under the newly inaugurated president.

      Trump's tariff-driven approach could also see South Korea diversify its markets away from the U.S. With an export-driven economy, according to experts.

      "Trump seems to be backing off on some of his remarks, but I think it is fairly definite that he will impose tariffs on a wide range of products as he has emphasized again and again that he has faith in the power of tariffs which virtually no economist shares," said Yang Jun-sok, a professor of economics at Catholic University of Korea.

      There is also concern that Trump's policies will be inflationary, making it hard for countries like South Korea to cut key lending rates, along with an expectation that Trump's second term will cause a global slowdown and add to the pain of South Korea's already sluggish economy.

      Another big concern for South Korea is security, some experts hold that Trump made no progress with de-nuclearization on the peninsula during his first term. Until last month, the U.S. had been expected to green-light South Korea's request to lift restrictions on reprocessing nuclear materials.

      "I don't think there's a reasonable chance for the Trump administration to actually allow South Korea to develop its own nuclear weapons because of the martial law declaration and the political chaos that ensued after the declaration," said Bong Young-shik, a research fellow at Yonsei University.

      The expert also noted that the political paralysis in South Korea caused by martial law since early December and the arrest of President Yoon Suk-yeol pose problems for Trump.

      "The main challenge must be the absence of reliable and responsible leadership," Bong added.

      New U.S. policy finds Seoul struggling with political turmoil, and follows extended national medical strikes. That's also the biggest concern in South Korea. Experts have warned that the political uncertainty is adding to market jitters.

      "The political turmoil comes on top of that risk and it's making the capital markets, the financial markets very nervous, it's also beginning to make the export market a bit nervous as well," said Yang.

      Trump's tougher foreign policy threatens South Korea's economy: experts

      Trump's tougher foreign policy threatens South Korea's economy: experts

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