On April 14, Journey Across Jungles: The China-Laos Railway premiered at the Kunming South Railway Station in the capital city of China’s Yunnan Province, marking the simultaneous launching of the series across China and Laos. The three-episode documentary, produced for a global audience, is the result of a joint effort by China State Railway Group and the Publicity Department of the Yunnan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC). It was co-produced by People's Railway Press Co., Ltd., China Intercontinental Communication Center, National Geographic, and Yunnan Media Group.  

A poster of the documentary Journey Across Jungles: The China-Laos Railway.   

Featuring an international production team from China, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Singapore, the documentary series was filmed across three expeditions to both China and Laos. It follows a narrative of British photographer Thomas Heaton’s cross-border journey, using intimate, slice-of-life stories of people living along the railway to reflect larger themes. Through these human-scale narratives, the film vividly showcases the remarkable achievements of the China-Laos Railway’s construction and operation. 

Since its release in December of 2025, the English-language version has been broadcast in over 100 countries and regions across Asia, Europe, and the Americas, achieving top ratings in countries like India, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Next, localized versions will be produced and aired in Belt and Road partner countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Vietnam, allowing audiences worldwide to experience the unique charm of the China-Laos Railway. 

The launching ceremony coincided with the Dai Water-Splashing Festival. On the same day, the first round of the “Ride the Train and Sing Antiphonal Songs” competition, organized by the Publicity Department of the CPC Yunnan Provincial Committee, the Yunnan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, and China Railway Kunming Group, was also held at the Kunming South Railway Station. Ethnic minority singers from Pu’er and Yuxi (two cities in southwest and central Yunnan respectively), dressed in traditional costumes, faced off in song, offering passengers a cultural feast that combined rail travel with local heritage.

The premiere ceremony for the documentary Journey Across Jungles: The China-Laos Railway is held at the Kunming South Railway Station on April 14, 2026. 

Crew members of the China-Laos Railway international passenger train perform a dance at the Kunming South Railway Station on April 14, 2026.

The “Ride the Train and Sing Antiphonal Songs” competition is held on the China-Laos Railway international passenger train on April 14, 2026. (Photos by Yang Zixuan, Chen Chang)