BigOne made a great post of some strategic events unfolding in...

BigOne made a great post of some strategic events unfolding in Laos on 11 Feb 2011. This is all positive and supportive of ORD's ambitions. Does it have the support of the Chinese Government??

I have relatives that live in Laos and they say Chinese have been slowly taking over many of the larger businesses in Vietianne. Apparently the speak very poor Lao.

Is the Chinese Government fostering growth in Laos ??

You judge for yourselves - Quote from previous BigOne HC post

"11 Feb 2011 - Today, the article below was released from a member of LaoFAB, which is managed by the Coalition for Lao Information, Communication and Knowledge viz:

Will people in Vang Vien be able to afford tickets to Vientiane? High-speed rail in China is not cheap. The masses still travel by standard trains, although they are fast by most standards. Has it been confirmed a line will be built from Vientiane to the Thai ports?

There is also the question of transporting the alumina from the bauxite triangle down in Champassak. Mines are also being dug in the Cambodian and Vietnamese corners of the triangle. The most economical way to export is by rail. As most of the miners in the Laotian corner of the triangle are linked to Chinese firms and China's demand for aluminum is strong and shows no signs of dimming the prospect of rail to serve the bauxite triangle and other mines in southern Laos plus bulk agricultural commodities, like sugar, comes into focus.

The prospect arises that China may seek to extend the line south from Vientiane through Laos to the bauxite triangle and on across Cambodia to the deepwater port at Sihanoukville. Given that China enjoys excellent relations with Cambodia and Laos, which seem to be more reliable partners than Thailand, can we yet discount that the railway will one day connect Laos with China and to the sea at Sihanoukville?

A few weeks before the Chinese press reported work was commencing on the Laos railway last October there were also reports of work getting underway on an even faster railway from Kunming to Yangon. It is also worth bearing in mind that China proposes to build a railway to Pakistan's deepwater port of Gwadar, which was financed by China, and is also extending the Lhasa railway to Everest with a goal of connecting to India.

Railways in Laos are part of a grand strategy for opening inland China to the southern seas with all the prospects that entails for economy, business, trade and power.END"