According to the 16th July announcement from China Railways, national fixed-asset investment in the railway sector reached a historical high of CNY 337.3 billion in the first half of 2024, up 10.6% year-on-year.
Since the beginning of this year, China National Railway Group has been implementing the spirit of the Central Economic Work Conference and the National Two Sessions, focusing on serving major national strategies and regional economic and social development, fully leveraging the role of the railway investment industry chain, broad radiation, and strong driving effect, efficiently promoting railway construction, accelerating the construction of a modern railway infrastructure system, and further enhancing the overall function and efficiency of China's railway network.
A number of new lines have smoothly opened for operation. Key projects have been progressed in an orderly manner, such as commissioning and testing, trial operations, engineering acceptance, safety assessments, and operation preparations, to ensure that the new lines are completed and open on time. A total of 979.6 kilometers of new lines were opened in the first half of the year, further improving the layout of the regional network. The Chizhou-Huangshan high-speed rail injected new energy into the development of tourism economy along the line; the Lanzhou-Zhangye high-speed rail, Zhongchuan Airport-Wuwei East section opened for operation, Wuwei City connected to the national high-speed rail network; and the General Temple to Naomao Lake Railway in Xinjiang Autonomous Region further promoted the capacity and efficiency of coal transportation.
Projects under construction are progressing in an organized and scientific manner. Construction organization is optimized, flood-period construction safety measures are implemented, on-site operation control is strengthened, ecological environment protection and project investment control are emphasized to ensure that the ongoing projects are progressing smoothly. The Chongqing-Kunming high-speed railway, Chongqing West-Yibin East section, Hangzhou-Wenzhou high-speed railway started commissioning and testing, Rizhao-Lankao high-speed railway Zhanzhi-South Lankao section began running test according to schedule, and a batch of critical projects are progressing steadily. The main bridge of the Yellow River in the Beijing-Xiongan-Shangqiu high-speed railway was smoothly closed, the first main tower of the Nanchang-Jiujiang high-speed railway was successfully capped, the running tide tunnel of the Beijing-Tangshan intercity railway was completed, the Zhanjiang Bay underwater tunnel of the Guangzhou-Zhanjiang high-speed railway was completed, the tunnel project of the Jining-Datong-Yuanping high-speed railway was completely tunneled through, the Harbin-Yichun high-speed railway entered the rail-laying construction stage, the Zhongjiangguan-Huangshiguan section of the Sichuan Chengdu-Xining railway was fully laid, and the main structure of the Shanghai Songjiang Station was completed.
Preliminary work on projects has made positive progress. Focusing on the railway engineering projects and related network expansion, network supply, and network optimization projects listed in the 14th Five-Year Plan, preliminary work such as survey and design, feasibility study, and preliminary design have been accelerated. Seven projects, such as the Yichang-Fuling high-speed rail, Tongren-Jishou railway, Jiaozuo-Pingdingshan railway, Shenzhen Xili Station and related projects, Lanzhou-Zhangye high-speed railway Wuwei-Zhangye section, and other feasibility studies have been completed for approval. A railway freight network construction plan has been developed to effectively reduce social logistics costs.
This article is selected from the "China Railways" WeChat official account, edited by Zhi Tong Finance: Ye Zhiyuan.