A China-Laos freight train waits for departure at Tuanjiecun Railway Station in Chongqing on April 15. (Photo/Xinhua)

Chongqing - On June 23, a China-Laos freight train carrying pharmaceutical ingredients departed from Tuanjiecun Railway Station in Chongqing and arrived in Vientiane, Laos, marking the first cross-border rail shipment of high-value chemical active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) since the route began operations.

The shipment included containers of amoxicillin and ampicillin APIs, each valued at about 600,000 yuan (approximately 83,600 U.S. dollars), establishing a new rail transport channel for high-value pharmaceutical ingredients that have traditionally relied on sea and road transport.

Amoxicillin and ampicillin are widely used broad-spectrum antibiotic APIs that require strict temperature control, handling standards, and reliable delivery schedules to maintain product quality. Until now, no cross-border rail service had been used to transport such high-value pharmaceutical ingredients.

To support the shipment, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC) developed a dedicated logistics solution for pharmaceutical products and streamlined cross-border customs procedures. The China-Laos Railway offers more predictable transit times and faster clearance, helping maintain product quality and delivery reliability.

The New Land-Sea Corridor Operation Co., Ltd. said the shipment reflects growing confidence in the China-Laos Railway's cross-border logistics capabilities. As rail transport for high-value pharmaceutical products continues to mature, Chinese pharmaceutical companies are gaining more efficient access to Southeast Asian markets. The new route is expected to better connect China's pharmaceutical industry with demand across ASEAN markets while strengthening healthcare and trade cooperation between China and Laos.

(Lu Wangqing, as an intern, also contributed to the report)