Students of the China-Laos Friendship Nongping Primary School visit the China-Laos Railway Exhibition Hall in Vientiane, Laos, June 1, 2019. The teachers and students of the China-Laos Friendship Nongping Primary School in Lao capital Vientiane observed the International Children's Day on Saturday by going on a tour to the construction site of the China-Laos railway. (Xinhua/Zhang Jianhua)

by Zhang Jianhua, Wang Shan

VIENTIANE, June 1 (Xinhua) -- The teachers and students of the China-Laos Friendship Nongping Primary School in Lao capital Vientiane observed the International Children's Day on Saturday by going on a tour to the construction site of the China-Laos railway.

The teachers and students visited the China-Laos Railway Exhibition Hall, the construction site of the Nam Khone super major bridge, the longest bridge along the railway, and the Vientiane bridge beam fabrication yard of China Railway No. 2 Engineering Group (CREC-2), the company in charge of the railway construction.

At the Command Center of the beam fabrication yard, the teachers and students watched video introduction of the railway as well as a documentary about a Lao railway worker who once was a flood victim of last July's Attapeu dam collapse.

The China-Laos railway has a length of over 414 km, linking Mohan-Boten border gate in northern Laos and capital Vientiane. Operating speed on the route is designed at 160 km per hour.

In the production area of the beam fabrication yard, the teachers and students got to know the various processes of the bridge beam. The students showed great interest in the processes of steel bars' reinforcing, tensioning and maintenance.

Twelve-year-old Khamchan Kanyavong said it was the first time she saw how a railway was built. "I was very happy to learn the railway construction for the first time. I also learned some knowledge about railway construction," she said, adding the day has been meaningful.

In the safety education VR experience hall of CREC-2, the students put on VR equipment and were amazed by the experience, while their curious friends kept asking questions such as "What do you see?" "Can you see clearly?"

Teachers of the primary school told Xinhua that the activities have enabled the children to expand their knowledge.

The China-Laos Friendship Nongping Primary School is a demonstration project of China-Laos friendship. The school is funded by the China Foundation for Peace and Development in 2012. Since then the foundation has been sending volunteer teachers and offering teaching materials to the school.