The expectant Kunming-Bangkok Highway is an important and basic project in the construction of China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA), and is also an international corridor connecting Yunnan, China with Southeast Asia. The road starts from Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan Province, passes other cities and counties of Yunnan including Yuxi, Yuanjiang, Mohei, Xiaomengyang, Jinghong, Mengla, then enters Laos through Mohan Port, and ends in Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand, the total length of the road is 1800km. At present, the two sections in Yunnan and Thailand have been completely finished; as for the section in Laos which is undertaken by three countries, the part undertaken by Chinese side has been completed, the part built by Laos will be completed in the first half of the year, and the part undertaken by Thailand will be finished in the second half of the year.

With the completion of the Kunming-Bangkok highway, some questions emerged, such as how to make an earlier plan for the logistic development along the road; how to work out a pragmatic and effective consultation mechanism for the facilitation of custom clearance among China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. Recently, China, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand organized a logistic study delegation by the invitation of Lao Ministry of Transportation, the delegation experienced a 5-day study focusing on the logistic facilities and road construction condition along Kunming-Bangkok highway. The delegation is composed by consular officials from the six Consulate Generals in Kunming (Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Cambodia), officials from related ministries and departments of China, and people from government institutes and enterprises. In the tour, the delegation departed from Kunming, passing Jinghong, Daluo (China), Keng Tung, Takhile (Myanmar), Mae Sai, Chiang Rai, Chiang Khong (Thailand), Houayxay, Bokeo (Laos), and back to China from Hohan Port. The delegation investigated and discussed questions and plans about the construction of infrastructure, ports, and logistic facilities.

There are many ethnic groups along Kunming-Bangkok road, which create a special mixture of different cultures and civilizations; besides, there are nice landscapes and rich tourism resources and natural resources, which make the region become an important link for the surrounding countries in strengthening cooperation, realizing mutual benefit and mutual development. After the visit to five important ports, nine geographically important cities and towns, and the investigation to related condition including infrastructure, storage, post, transportation, and hotels, the delegation reached a common conclusion, that is, the completion of the road will boost the cooperation among surrounding countries, especially cooperation in tourism, trade and investment, at the same time, it will also promote economic prosperity in the region and improve people’s living standard.

Consular officials from the six Consulate Generals in Kunming and Chinese delegates said that the study tour, which is under the background of cooperation and development, is very significant. In the process of the construction of CAFTA, road construction is an important fundamental condition in building the international corridor. At present, how to promote the smooth circulation of people, goods, and funds is still a matter waiting for solution, the neighbouring countries should work hand in hand in order to improve service standard, accelerate steps to draft policies for facilitating custom clearance and its implementation, let the economic corridor play a more and more important role in prospering and promoting economies in ASEAN countries.