China
2023.01.31 12:59 GMT+8

China to build 2,500 km high-speed railways in 2023 to advance network

Updated 2023.01.31 12:59 GMT+8
CGTN

A Fuxing high-speed train speeds on the Dazhou section of the Xiangyang-Chongqing Railway in southwest China's Sichuan Province, February 25, 2022. /CFP

China plans to build more than 3,000 kilometers of railways in 2023, including 2,500 kilometers of high-speed lines, to upgrade the transport system into an advanced network, China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (China Railway) announced on Sunday.

In 2023, China Railway will enhance the links among different levels of railways and fill gaps along railway routes in order to accelerate the construction of rail infrastructure to boost the economy and benefit the society. 

Construction of multiple key projects including the Sichuan-Tibet Railway in the country's southwest region will be accelerated, said the company in an online announcement. 

A Fuxing high-speed train bypasses the Yongdingmen Gate in Beijing, China, January 7, 2023. /CFP

Achievements in 2022

In 2022, China Railway achieved its goals by completing 710.9 billion yuan ($104.8 billion) of fixed-asset investment, and it also built 4,100 kilometers of new railways including 2,082 km of high-speed lines, according to the announcement.  

China's annual investment in fixed assets reached 57.21 trillion yuan in 2022, up 5.1 percent year on year, while investment in infrastructure construction grew 9.4 percent year on year, with a 3.7 percent rise in roads and a 1.8 percent increase in railways, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.

A Fuxing high-speed train runs on the Nankang section of the Jiangxi-Shenzhen high-speed railway in Ganzhou City of east China's Jiangxi Province, January 10, 2023. /CFP

At the end of 2022, the length of China's operational railways exceeded 155,000 kilometers, including 42,000 kilometers of high-speed railways, said the company announcement. 

Last year, 102 railway-related projects were under construction, with 26 projects being commenced and 29 projects entering commercial operation, according to the company. 

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