KUNMING (Xinhua) -- The total volume of imported and exported goods transported by the China -Laos railway has reached 1.02 million tons, with a total value of about 9.14 billion yuan (about 1.35 billion U.S. dollars), since the opening of the line eight months ago.

The Customs Administration of Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, said on Tuesday that it had handled 1,996 international freight trains along the railway during the period.

"After the opening of the China-Laos railway, the company's import and export diversification has increased," said Zhang Xianzhu, director of an international logistics company based in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province.

Zhang added that the company's business volume has increased, while customs clearance time has been greatly reduced.

Kunming Customs said it has made a series of efforts to ensure efficient operation of international freight trains on the China-Laos railway, including improving supervision procedures and improving port functions.

It is worth noting that the 1,035-kilometer China-Laos railway is a landmark project within the framework of the "Belt and Road" initiative, linking the Chinese city of Kunming with the Laotian capital, Vientiane.