Luang Prabang, Laos - July 28, 2019 (CCTV - No access Chinese mailand)
1. Last section of railway bridge put in place
2. Various of ceremony marking completion of main project
3. Aerial shots of railway bridge
4. Railway bridge, boat
5. Various of workers putting reinforced concrete beam in place
6. Fast motion of workers pouring concrete

The last concrete beam of the super-long bridge over the Mekong River was put in place on Sunday, seven months ahead of schedule.

The completion of the main section of the Luang Prabang Mekong River bridge, one of the two cross-Mekong railway bridges, indicates that a major progress in the railway project.

The 1,458.9-meter bridge lies in the north of the ancient town of Luang Prabang, a world heritage site in Laos, some 220 kilometers north of the capital Vientiane. It has five main piers, 34 spans in Mekong River.

According to the Laos-China Railway (LCRC), which is in charge of the construction and the operation of the project, the Luang Prabang cross-Mekong River bridge is a challenging task, involving the most complicated building techniques.

Chinese engineering teams have overcome the difficulties brought by the turbulent Mekong River, rapidly rising water level in the rainy season and non-overburden riverbed. The teams have also overcome the technical difficulties in building trestle bridge for pier construction.

As the first route connecting China's railway system using Chinese technology and equipment, the China-Laos Railway is a major project in infrastructure inter-connectivity between China and neighboring countries, and a major project in implementing the Belt and Road Initiative.

The ground-breaking ceremony was held in December 2015 and work officially started a year later. The railway is scheduled for completion by December 2021.

The 414-kilometer China-Laos railway links the Mohan-Boten border gate in northern Laos and Vientiane. Operating speed on the route is designed to be 160 km per hour.