Boten: How China's investment transformed this Laotian town

As of today, an overwhelming 80% of residents in Laos' Boten town are Chinese nationals. Many of them are construction workers, but they also work in shops and restaurants. This was not always the case.

In 2002, a big casino was constructed in Boten, which started attracting many Chinese tourists. In 2011, the Laotian government shut down the casino on Beijing's request. The casino closure had a negative impact on Boten's economy.

But Boten's fortunes suddenly changed when Beijing announced the Laos-China highspeed railway project as part of its Belt and Road Initiative in October 2010. The construction began in 2016 and was completed five years later. The 1,035-kilometer cross-border railway, which includes 422 kilometers in Laos, connects China's southwestern Kunming city to the Lao capital Vientiane.

Since Chinese investment started pouring in, high-rise buildings, which are rare even in the capital Vientiane — have sprung up in the border town.

In Boten, it is now common to pay in Chinese yuan rather than the local currency, kip. Mandarin is the main language of communication between the town's Chinese and Laotian residents.

With Chinese investment coming in, the town started to prosper. The town's Laotian character, however, was compromised. Most businesses in Boten are now Chinese-run or owned. Restaurants featuring hotpot with red broth are more common here than eateries serving Lao staples like larb and sticky rice.

"This is Laos, but it doesn't feel like Laos. Maybe in the future it will become a part of China," said one Laotian worker. Shops in Boten are stocked with Chinese products – from national liquor Maotai to soft drinks with Chinese labels.