China lays tracks connecting Vietnam to border city

China began to lay tracks for the first railway linking the border city with Vietnam in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, according to China Railway Nanning Group on Wednesday.

The 47-kilometer railway, linking Fangchenggang and Dongxing in Guangxi, is located at the westernmost part of China's coastal railway network.

It is the first railway to Dongxing, the port city connecting China and Vietnam.

It is expected to complete track laying by the end of September.

The line will slash travel time between the two cities from one hour to 20 minutes. Upon completion, the city of Dongxing will be included in the country's railway network.

"The new railway will open up the high-speed railway link between the Beibu Gulf Economic Zone and even the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to ASEAN countries, which will play a positive role in promoting economic and trade exchanges between the two sides," said Liao Gang, an official from China Railway Nanning Group.