《Silk Road Exploration into Laos》
A. Report

• 《HKCD》2025-7-11 Silk Road Tour in Laos - "Landlocked to Land-linked"
• 《facebook》 2025-7-8  《Ministry of Education & Sports》
• 《facebook》 2025-7-7  《Confucius Institute》
• 《Wen Wei Po》 2025-7-5  BRP Kicks off the Silk Road trip to Laos
• 《HKCD》2025-7-1 BRP held a swearing-in ceremony
• 《Wen Wei Po》 2025-6-29 BRP held a swearing-in ceremony for "Silk Road Exploration into in Laos"

B. Itinerary

Day 1:   4 July （泰國段）

• Lalamove （貨拉拉）           
• HK Economic & Trade Office  （香港經濟貿易辦事處）
• Krung Thep Aphiwat  Central Terminal Station  （阿皮瓦 中央車站）

Day 2:   5 July  （老撾段）

• Lao Art Museum （老撾藝術博物館  ）    

Day 3: 6 July 

• UNDP Laos （聯合國開發計劃署 ）                                                       .
• Dong Sang Hin Primary School （小學-童夢童行）
• Vientiane Saysettha Development Zone （萬象賽色塔綜合開發區）+ Lao-China Railway Co. Ltd. （老中鐵路有限公司）
• Vientiane Secondary School （萬象中學）

Day 4:  7 July

• Ministry of Education & Sports （教育和體育部）
• Confucius Institute at U of Laos （國立大學 - 孔子學院 ）    
• Ministry of Info. Culture &Tourism（新聞文化旅游部）   
• Bank of China (with Dinner)  （中國銀行）

Day 5: 8 July 

• COPE Laos  （老撾殘疾人康復援助機構） 
• Mahosot Hospital  （瑪霍索綜合醫院大樓）
• EY （安永老撾）

Day 6: 9 July （中國段）

• Train: D88 （瀾滄號動車）  萬象-西雙版納
  
   

C. News content
Wen Wei Po, June 29, 2025

"Belt and Road Pioneer" held a swearing-in ceremony for "Silk Road Exploration into in Laos"

Professor Herman HU and Mr. CHAN Yung sent a message to young people to explore opportunities in ASEAN

Hong Kong, June 29, 2025 – Hong Kong non-profit organization "Belt and Road Pioneer" (BRP), with the support of the Hong Kong Professional and Senior Executives Association and the New Federation of New Territories Association, held a swearing-in ceremony for the "Silk Road Exploration into Laos" at the Leighton Club, launching an upcoming youth study tour. The ceremony was officiated by Professor Herman HU, Honorary Chairman of BRP, and Mr. CHAN Yung, HKSAR deputy to the National People's Congress (Convenor).

First Three-Level Ambassador Award Ceremony Highlights Eight Years of Southeast Asia Engagement

The ceremony opened with a meaningful "Belt and Road Pioneer Ambassador" awarding ceremony. Professor Herman HU and Mr. CHAN Yung recognized outstanding young participants from previous "My Interfaces with the Belt and Road Initiative" Integrated Ability Competitions across three levels: Annual Ambassadors, Permanent Ambassadors, and Honorary Ambassadors. The five recipients of the highest Honorary BRP Ambassador title – – Christie LAI, Charlie LIN, Ice OR, LAM Ka Ho and Kelly LAM – have been spotlighted in media reports for their academic achievements and social contributions, demonstrating the program's impact in cultivating global talent 

Since 2017, the BRP has organized Hong Kong youth visits to Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Cambodia. This year’s tour, led by scholars including Dr. Wilson CHAN and Professor Terence CHONG, will debut a "Three-Country Crossing + Land Connectivity" model for a six-day in-depth exploration.

Itinerary Focuses on China-Laos Railway, Witnessing Laos’ Transformation from "Landlocked" to "Land-Linked"

The ceremony detailed key itinerary highlights: The delegation will first fly to Bangkok, Thailand, to visit the Bangkok Central Station – the southern hub of the China-Laos-Thailand Railway; the next day, they will travel to Vientiane, Laos, for comprehensive tours of cultural education, economic policies, and Chinese-funded enterprises’ contributions to regional development. The highlight will be taking the D88 train on the China-Laos Railway from Vientiane to Yunnan, China, to witness how this corridor has activated regional potential by transforming Laos from a landlocked to a land-linked nation. The tour will conclude in Yunnan, completing a land-based loop from ASEAN to China and showcasing the Belt and Road’s connectivity achievements in full view.

Guests Highlight Laos as a Model for Civilizational Exchange and Regional Cooperation

"In addition to physically transforming Laos from landlocked to land-linked, the China-Laos Railway has promoted people-to-people bonds and economic integration, setting a model for Belt and Road cooperation," emphasized Professor Herman HU in his speech. Mr. CHAN Yung added from a cultural perspective: "From Angkor Wat in Cambodia to Luang Prabang in Laos, the dialogue between Southeast Asian and Chinese civilizations spans millennia. The itinerary’s design to enter China via Xishuangbanna highlights that the Belt and Road is about interweaving civilizational roots, not one-way output."

Mr. Sunny CHAU, General Manager of the Hong Kong SAR Government’s Belt and Road Office, also came as a friend to support and encourage young people to seize the development opportunities of the "Belt and Road" through field visits. Ms. Phousamleth PHANKHAVONG, Deputy Consul of Laos in Hong Kong, shared key data: "Laos’ GDP reached $23 billion in 2024, with trade along the China-Laos Railway surging by over 40%. Our characteristic agriculture holds huge potential, and we invite youth to explore it during the tour."  

Youth representatives at the event engaged in lively discussions with mentors on topics like "localization challenges for Chinese enterprises in ASEAN" and "the development of Chinese education in Laos," expressing high expectations for the cross-border itinerary.

Event Integrates Practice and Knowledge to Broaden Youth’s Cross-Cultural Vision

The ceremony included material distribution, itinerary briefings, special lectures on legal, economic, and cultural topics, and Q&A sessions. A travel agency representative explained the strategic rationale behind the Thailand-Laos-Yunnan route, while scholars analyzed the itinerary from financial, educational, and livelihood perspectives. Ms. Sara WONG, Consultant to the Lao Consulate General in Hong Kong, revealed plans to develop more "multi-country linkage" tours to enable Hong Kong youth to experience the Belt and Road’s impact on regional integration firsthand.