China starts exporting petroleum to Laos

Photo taken on Oct. 31, 2018 shows the hand over of 64 ton diesel from PetroChina to a Lao company at Laos-China border, in Boten, Laos, Oct. 31, 2018. With over 64 ton diesel, handed over from PetroChina to a Lao company at Laos-China border, the first export of Chinese refined oil to Lao market was made on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Liu Ailun)

BOTEN, Laos, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- With over 64 ton diesel, handed over from PetroChina to a Lao company at Laos-China border, the first export of Chinese refined oil to Lao market was made on Wednesday.

PetroChina International (Yunnan) Co. Ltd, a subsidiary of PetroChina group, has been studying and preparing for two years to reach the Lao fuel market since 2016.

With the aims to expand its petroleum products sales in southeastern Asia and to seek new routes to market, the PetroChina company with its Lao partner undertook thorough researches in demands, market access, custom clearance and transportation, etc.

Finally, the first tanks of Chinese refined oil products, loaded in Kunming of China's Yunnan province and travelling for over 700 km, arrived at the importer's depot in Boten, the Laos-China border town, over 370 km north of Lao capital Vientiane.

Chindasack Nhotmanhkhong, director of the Nationwide Trading Petroleum Public Company of Laos (NTP), the importer, told Xinhua on Wednesday that the deal done is meaningful, since it will enrich Laos with one more petroleum importing source and route.

Laos mostly imported petroleum products from or via Thailand and Vietnam before.

"I am also feeling proud of being engaged in the specific work of national development strategy to convert Laos from a landlocked to a land-linked country, and of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative," said Chindasack.