China on Friday completed the tunneling of the Caiyuanba Yangtze River Railway Tunnel, the country's first high-speed rail tunnel running beneath the Yangtze River.

The tunnel, stretching 11,942 meters, passes beneath urban roads, elevated bridges, existing rail lines and the river's main shipping channel. Its completion overcame significant geological and engineering challenges.

The milestone marks a major step in the construction of the high-speed railway linking Chongqing Municipality in southwest China and the coastal city of Xiamen in east China's Fujian Province.