Laotian youngsters experience Chinese culture, friendship in documentary

Promotional material for The Memory of All the Blissful Moments Photo: Courtesy of China Media Group

In Beijing, Sousongpha, a 10-year-old girl from Laos, climbed the Great Wall for the first time, appreciating the grandeur and splendor she had never encountered at her age. Elsewhere in the capital, 12-year-old Geota stood on the stage in China for her very first time, breaking the language barrier as she showcased Lao culture. 

In Xiamen, 12-year-old Peilingda, who started learning Chinese at 3 years old and grew very fond of Chinese songs, felt her dream set sail as she saw the sea for the first time. In Xi'an, 12-year-old Pasougan had the chance to make a replica of a Terracotta Warrior, experiencing how history and modernity meet in China. 

Their experiences in China have been captured by the documentary The Memory of All the Blissful Moments. In the documentary produced by China Media Group and aired on China Central Television (CCTV) on Sunday, these Laotian youngsters traveled to various Chinese cities thanks to the China-Laos Railway and had close exchanges with Chinese primary school students in multiple cities over the summer. 

The Memory of All the Blissful Moments Photo: Courtesy of China Media Group

The true expression of feelings from the perspective of kids from the two countries makes us feel their joy. 

The China-Laos Railway not only connects Kunming in Southwest China's Yunnan Province with the Laotian capital, Vientiane, but also promotes friendship and carries dreams, a vivid portrayal of the shared future of China and Laos. As a docking project under the Belt and Road Initiative, the railway has helped Laos convert itself from a landlocked country to a land-linked hub.

With 16 days of face-to-face communication and side-by-side tours, the documentary allows us to witness so many "first times" among these Laotian youngsters in China. 

"I feel time is passing quickly, like a dream. If you want to ask me what color this dream is? My answer is orange. Because my favorite color is orange," Pasougan said in the documentary.

For youngsters in Laos, with the train binding the two countries, they are getting closer to the outside world, becoming confident in communicating with others and daring to pursue their dreams.