Tech turbocharges Mohan's cross-border boom

The China-Laos Railway isn’t just a train line—it’s a game-changer for trade, linking China’s Yunnan Province to Laos and, eventually, to Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore via the Pan-Asian Railway.

Though landlocked, Yunnan uses roads and rails to access seaports abroad, and the Mohan Highway Port (on the China-Laos border) is a critical hub making this possible.

But with growing passenger and cargo traffic, Mohan faced big challenges: Manual processes slowed things down. Seasonal cargo jams caused major delays at Customs, increasing operating costs for businesses whose goods were being transported over the border.

What’s more, Mohan lacked the technology to give port managers a clear view of daily operations.

To fix this, Yunnan Province launched a three-year smart upgrade at Mohan, partnering with Huawei to create a model "smart land port."

Huawei’s solution combines AI, the IoT, and big data solutions to create a comprehensive management system known as the Four Ones.

How it works: the "Four Ones" system

One Map for Smarter Management

• An AR-powered command platform gives managers a live, bird’s-eye view of the port.
• AI cameras track vehicles and flag problems (like traffic jams) automatically.
• Users can scan a QR code to check a truck’s clearance status instantly—no paperwork needed.

All-in-one smart inspections

• Robotic scanners check truck undersides.
• Shared border/customs lanes mean drivers stop just once.
• Future plans: Let approved trucks skip inspections entirely, speeding up transit.

One sterilization procedure, simplified

• Robot disinfectors automate cargo cleaning, reducing delays.

One remote command center

• Huawei’s AI and AR tools monitor trucks in real time, alerting staff if vehicles stray off-route or idle too long.
• Soon, 5G-powered inspections will reduce manual checks and lower costs.

Faster clearance, bigger growth

These upgrades are already paying off: Freight inspection times have dropped from 8–10 minutes to just 4 minutes. Daily customs capacity has jumped from 360 to more than 500 trucks. And in 2022, Mohan moved 3 million metric tons of cargo, even during peak seasons.

Now, Kunming is investing further to transform Mohan into an international port city. Partnering with Huawei, the port plans to hit 7 million metric tons of annual cargo by year-end 2025. More broadly, it aims to become a model for smart land ports across Yunnan.

By blending modern infrastructure with AI-driven efficiency, Mohan isn’t just easing congestion. It’s paving the way for a digitally empowered Yunnan.