Track construction work has begun in China on a new 46.9 km line between Fangchenggang and Dongxing on the Vietnamese border. The line will serve as a connection between China and Vietnam in the future. The work is to be completed by December 2023. According to local media reports, a 500 m section of the line has already been laid. The new line will initially operate at up to 200 km/h, with plans to increase this to 250 km/h in the future. The line will facilitate and speed up travel between the Beibu Gulf Economic Zone, the Greater Bay Area and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) markets. In November 2022, China and Vietnam announced a joint initiative to upgrade the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Haiphong line.
