By Xu Tanlin, translated by Xia Hailin
On Feb. 24, a video message from Electricite du Laos (EDL) went viral in WeChat Moments shared by staff of China Southern Power Grid Yunnan International Co., Ltd. (YNIC). In the video, EDL employees from different departments expressed their support and blessings for the Chinese people by chanting “Stay strong China” and “Stay strong Wuhan.”
The video message was initiated by Chansy Vongdara, an EDL employee who had studied in China.
“I would never forget the Chinese hospitality and assistance for me during my study there.” said Vongdara, “I have gained deeper understanding of China with my experience of working with Chinese colleagues in recent years. I hope this video will boost their confidence in winning the fight against COVID-19.”
YNIC feels both warmth and pressure from the message because the External Power Supply Project of the Lao Section of the China-Laos Railway is expected to be put into commercial operation by the end of 2021. To implement the decisions and plans made by the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, YNIC has followed the directions of its mother company, China Southern Power Grid Co., Ltd. (CSG), to resume the construction of the project in an orderly manner.
As the first power grid BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) project in Laos, this project is a key project to ensure the timely business operation of the China-Laos Railway for infrastructure connectivity between the two countries. According to the original plan, YNIC should have sent its construction team to Laos at the end of January. Due to the outbreak of the epidemic, the preparations for the project slowed down. However, to ensure the advancement of the project, YNIC did not relax in its efforts. Since the beginning of the outbreak, it has kept in touch with the Lao Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and Electricite du Laos for their understanding and support with information on the latest situation of epidemic containment and plans for the resumption of the project.
Construction of the project is being resumed in an orderly manner with the arrival of the first group of qualified personnel and relevant materials and equipment.
Meanwhile, YNIC is the Chinese company authorized by the State Council to be responsible for the China-Laos, China-Myanmar power grid connectivity projects in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) power cooperation. Work on those projects have also resumed.
Copyedited by Wang Yufan
Layout Wang Hai
China Report ASEAN 