https://www.scmp.com/rss/517891/feed The latest news, analysis and opinion on China Railway. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China has finished digging the underwater section of a high-speed rail tunnel stretching more than 14km (9 miles) under a busy segment of the Yangtze River, as the country increasingly turns to vast subterranean passages to expand its railway network. The tunnel beneath China’s longest waterway, which will link Shanghai’s Chongming Island with Taicang city in neighbouring Jiangsu province, is on track to be completed by the end of the year, state broadcaster CCTV reported. The project will allow... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348533/how-china-building-faster-high-speed-railways-using-vast-underwater-tunnels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348533/how-china-building-faster-high-speed-railways-using-vast-underwater-tunnels?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 02:00:08 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Chinese railway giants look set to scout Eurasia in the years ahead to build high-speed train lines as the domestic market matures and some countries are more prepared than others for capital-intensive yet transformative ventures, analysts said. Inspired by China-invested projects such as the 142km (88-mile) Jakarta-Bandung high-speed line in Indonesia and the partly finished 350km (217-mile) Budapest-Belgrade railway, Chinese construction and engineering firms are expected to expand their... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3344149/rail-ahead-high-speed-lines-saturate-china-how-far-can-their-global-reach-extend?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3344149/rail-ahead-high-speed-lines-saturate-china-how-far-can-their-global-reach-extend?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 08:00:12 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng The world’s “most difficult” railway project is taking shape in rugged southwestern China. The line connecting Dali and border town Ruili in Yunnan province is the first to cut through the Hengduan Mountains, traversing some of the world’s most complex geological and topographical terrains. Running along the country’s southwestern frontier for about 330km (205 miles), the railway is expected to boost China’s links with Southeast Asia. The line is being built in two sections: Dali to Baoshan, and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3343951/china-track-finish-worlds-most-difficult-railway-project-2030?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3343951/china-track-finish-worlds-most-difficult-railway-project-2030?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 01:03:05 +0000 Reuters Reuters Ras Al Khaimah, one of seven city-states in the United Arab Emirates, is stepping ‌up efforts to lure Chinese and Hong Kong investors into its ‍real estate, green and digital sectors as the UAE and China seek to deepen cooperation. The fourth largest of the seven Emirates, Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) aims to attract over 3.5 million tourists each year ⁠by 2030, up from 1.3 million in 2024. US and Hong Kong-listed integrated casino and hotel operator, Wynn Resorts, is set to open a casino there, the... https://www.scmp.com/business/investor-relations/article/3341557/ras-al-khaimah-eyes-chinese-and-hong-kong-investors-uae-china-ties-deepen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/investor-relations/article/3341557/ras-al-khaimah-eyes-chinese-and-hong-kong-investors-uae-china-ties-deepen?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 10:06:38 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China is tightening approvals for intercity railways and urban metro projects – long-standing pillars of fixed-asset investment – as policymakers pay closer attention to debt risks while shifting the growth model towards consumption. The move comes as President Xi Jinping has specifically flagged operational strains at some high-speed rail stations and subway lines – a sign that the old growth driver may be further curtailed in the coming years. According to an online statement on Sunday by the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341412/china-tightens-rail-approvals-xi-warns-overbuilding-waste-and-operational-trouble?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341412/china-tightens-rail-approvals-xi-warns-overbuilding-waste-and-operational-trouble?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 10:00:10 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Beijing is looking to expand China’s world-leading network of high-speed trains by 19 per cent within five years in an ongoing bid to boost connectivity across the country. The national railway operator unveiled the blueprint on Sunday to expand the country’s operational rail network to around 180,000km (112,000 miles) by 2030 – with high-speed routes totalling 60,000km and accounting for one-third of the full network – as part of the country’s infrastructure push under the nation’s 2026–2030... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3338778/china-plans-19-high-speed-rail-expansion-2030-amid-global-dominance-sector?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3338778/china-plans-19-high-speed-rail-expansion-2030-amid-global-dominance-sector?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 09:32:16 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen Shenzhen’s main railway station handled a record 116.6 million passengers in the first 11 months of 2025, as China’s major cities continue to see a boom in rail ridership and travel between Hong Kong and mainland China picks up steam. The total passenger flow at Shenzhen North Railway Station between January and November was up 8.8 per cent compared with the same period last year, according to data from China State Railway Group cited by local media. Shenzhen North is one of the two largest... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3336497/shenzhen-sets-travel-record-rail-station-handles-116-million-trips-11-months?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3336497/shenzhen-sets-travel-record-rail-station-handles-116-million-trips-11-months?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 11:30:09 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang With the world’s biggest high-speed rail network already established, China now plans a more balanced, integrated and intelligent transport system over the next five years, prioritising efficiency and smart technology over sheer scale. Beijing will move away from large-scale expansion to optimising new projects and upgrading existing assets, Minister of Transport Liu Wei said at a recent symposium on the 15th five-year plan attended by local transport officials, according to an official... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3334370/china-targets-smarter-more-efficient-transport-infrastructure-next-5-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3334370/china-targets-smarter-more-efficient-transport-infrastructure-next-5-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Nov 2025 03:00:10 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China’s biggest airlines have started offering free Wi-fi to passengers on a growing number of domestic flights, as they vie to win back business travellers who now often prefer to shuttle between cities on high-speed trains. China Eastern Airlines on October 11 launched a free “basic” Wi-fi service on all its widebody aircraft operating on domestic routes, said a company representative who spoke anonymously per company rules. The planes cover a total of 37 routes serving major Chinese cities... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3329419/chinese-airline-offers-free-wi-fi-lure-back-travellers-high-speed-trains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3329419/chinese-airline-offers-free-wi-fi-lure-back-travellers-high-speed-trains?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Oct 2025 02:00:09 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng China’s transport system braced for a massive travel surge on Wednesday as millions of people prepared to return to work at the end of the annual “super golden week” holiday. Transport authorities added hundreds of extra trains and additional temporary electric vehicle charging stations to manage the rush on the final day of the week-long break, which included National Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival. The Ministry of Transport said the total number of journeys during the eight-day break was... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3328213/chinas-golden-week-travel-hit-record-24-billion-trips-rail-ev-traffic-surges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3328213/chinas-golden-week-travel-hit-record-24-billion-trips-rail-ev-traffic-surges?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Oct 2025 07:46:27 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma China’s tourism sector is off to a strong start as the extra-long “super golden week” holiday begins, with railway travel breaking records and tickets for many popular attractions selling out – a welcome sign for Beijing as it continues its efforts to spur domestic spending. On the first day of the eight-day holiday, created by an overlap of the week-long National Day celebration and the Mid-Autumn Festival, China’s railways carried 23.13 million passengers – a record single-day figure,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3327772/chinas-super-golden-week-sees-record-breaking-travel-first-day?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3327772/chinas-super-golden-week-sees-record-breaking-travel-first-day?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Oct 2025 11:00:08 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell Two hundred years ago on September 27, the age of the passenger train was born. Hundreds of passengers journeyed 26 miles from the coal mining town of Shildon in northeastern England through Darlington to the port of Stockton. George Stephenson’s steam-powered Locomotion No 1 carried them at 24km per hour, but its average speed on that historic journey was a little over half. Today, the world is criss-crossed by hundreds of thousands of kilometres of railways, carrying around six billion tonnes... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3327717/chinas-high-speed-railway-revolution-should-inspire-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3327717/chinas-high-speed-railway-revolution-should-inspire-world?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Oct 2025 08:30:11 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings A Chinese state-run company will help build a section of Chilean capital Santiago’s commuter rail system, as a host of contractors from China bid to construct a tunnel along the same railway system, reflecting Beijing’s burgeoning economic ties in Latin America. A consortium led by China Railway Construction (CRCC) has reached a US$470 million agreement with Chile’s State Railway to build a 26km (16.2-mile) electric railway in the South American country’s congested capital, Chinese media outlets... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3325988/china-state-firm-help-build-26km-chilean-electric-railway-peers-eye-tunnel-project?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3325988/china-state-firm-help-build-26km-chilean-electric-railway-peers-eye-tunnel-project?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Sep 2025 13:30:08 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin The world’s longest cable-stayed bridge opened to traffic in Jiangsu province, eastern China on Tuesday, connecting the cities of Changzhou and Taizhou and slashing the travel time from over an hour to just 20 minutes. The Changtai Yangtze River Bridge stretches 10.3km (6.4 miles) with a main span of 1,208 metres (3,960 feet). It is the river’s first crossing to carry an expressway, regular road and intercity railway, all on the same structure. Officials said the bridge – which took six years to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3325066/china-launches-record-smashing-cable-stayed-mega-bridge-over-yangtze-river?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3325066/china-launches-record-smashing-cable-stayed-mega-bridge-over-yangtze-river?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Sep 2025 02:00:12 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi A slew of foreign leaders took China’s signature high-speed railway from the northern port city of Tianjin to Beijing on Monday and Tuesday, having departed from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit to attend a Victory Day parade. Seven state leaders arrived on Monday night: President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko, Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Maldives Mohamed... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3324061/foreign-leaders-ride-rapid-rails-chinas-technological-prowess-after-sco-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3324061/foreign-leaders-ride-rapid-rails-chinas-technological-prowess-after-sco-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Sep 2025 09:31:46 +0000 Reuters Reuters North Korean leader Kim Jong-un crossed the border into China on his signature green train early on Tuesday to attend China’s celebration of the formal surrender of Japan in World War II, relying on a slow but specialised form of transport that the reclusive country’s leaders have used for decades. Compared with North Korea’s ageing fleet of passenger aircraft, the bulletproof trains offer a safer and more comfortable space for a large entourage, security guards, food and amenities, and a place... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3323981/north-korean-leader-kim-jong-uns-special-green-train-whats-rail-facts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3323981/north-korean-leader-kim-jong-uns-special-green-train-whats-rail-facts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Sep 2025 01:58:09 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang From giant dams to sprawling railways, Beijing has pledged to step up investments along the so-called roof of the world, led by state-owned enterprises, as China marks the 60th anniversary of the Tibet autonomous region’s establishment. The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (Sasac), China’s top state asset regulator, is calling for more targeted measures to boost industries, with more capital flowing into grass-roots projects and a greater promotion of cultural and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3323352/china-elevates-infrastructure-push-tibet-aiming-raise-investments-worlds-roof?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3323352/china-elevates-infrastructure-push-tibet-aiming-raise-investments-worlds-roof?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Aug 2025 10:00:18 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong Work is expected to get under way this year on one of the world’s most ambitious rail projects with the launch of a state-owned company to oversee construction and operations of a line that will link Hotan in Xinjiang and Lhasa in Tibet. The Shanghai Securities News reported on Friday that Xinjiang-Tibet Railway Company had been formally registered with 95 billion yuan (US$13.2 billion) in capital and wholly owned by China State Railway Group. According to the registration, the company’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3321311/china-counts-down-start-work-xinjiang-tibet-railway?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3321311/china-counts-down-start-work-xinjiang-tibet-railway?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Aug 2025 11:00:07 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A group of middle-aged Chinese women have taken square dancing onto a completely new track by doing it on trains. On July 27, a passenger on a train to Changchun, in northeastern China’s Jilin province, complained that a group of so-called aunties were dancing in the sleeping carriage next to his, disturbing his rest. He also posted a viral video of the women dancing to loud music and sometimes singing along. The clip has attracted many critical comments. One person described them as annoying... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3320932/chinese-women-dance-train-aisles-shocking-passengers-and-leading-disturbance-warning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3320932/chinese-women-dance-train-aisles-shocking-passengers-and-leading-disturbance-warning?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Aug 2025 10:00:10 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang After a construction boom spanning nearly two decades, China’s high-speed rail (HSR) network has made record-breaking strides. But to ensure long-term sustainability, analysts said the government needs to address challenges around commercial profitability and mounting debt. The warnings came ahead of the next five-year plan, covering the years 2026-2030, in which policymakers will decide whether to take on more debt to expand the 48,000-kilometre network – already the world’s largest, surpassing... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320817/chinas-high-speed-rail-nears-50000km-milestone-debt-and-profit-concerns-mount?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320817/chinas-high-speed-rail-nears-50000km-milestone-debt-and-profit-concerns-mount?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Aug 2025 09:00:03 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik China has pulled the wraps off its next-generation high-speed rail technology as the United States revokes federal funding for California’s high-speed rail project. China’s latest bullet train, the CR450, is undergoing final performance tests to prepare it for commercial operation trials at 400km/h (250mph), the official Science and Technology Daily reported on Monday. The team surpassed the previous upper speed of 350km/h, at which high aerodynamic resistance and energy consumption levels had... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3319128/china-unveils-next-gen-high-speed-rail-tech-us-puts-brakes-bullet-train-funding?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3319128/china-unveils-next-gen-high-speed-rail-tech-us-puts-brakes-bullet-train-funding?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jul 2025 11:00:14 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu After record levels of expansion over the past few years, China’s high-speed rail network – already the world’s largest – is set for further upgrades, as Beijing pledges to improve services and lower logistics costs over the coming half a decade. China added 10,000km of operational high-speed rail tracks between 2021 and 2024, putting the nation on track to reach its goal of 50,000km by the end of the year, Minister of Transport Liu Wei said at a press conference in Beijing on Monday. “The... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3319006/china-vows-high-speed-rail-upgrade-after-years-record-breaking-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3319006/china-vows-high-speed-rail-upgrade-after-years-record-breaking-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Jul 2025 10:30:09 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Rail-transport companies from China and the US remain committed to strengthening cooperation – including on projects in third-country markets – even as a trade rivalry between the two largest economies chugs along. With the US being a long-time leader in freight rail and urban transit, and China having emerged as a global powerhouse in high-speed rail, the two sides could deepen cooperation in the rail-transport sector, said Everett Wakai, minister counsellor for commercial affairs at the US... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3318786/why-us-china-railway-industries-want-collaboration-fast-tracked?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3318786/why-us-china-railway-industries-want-collaboration-fast-tracked?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Jul 2025 13:00:17 +0000 Xiaofei Xu,He Huifeng Xiaofei Xu,He Huifeng A week after China said its supercharged rail system has reached speeds of 600km/h (373mph), US President Donald Trump seemingly pulled the plug on American rail progress. In a controversial move being challenged by the state of California, Trump cancelled US$4 billion in federal funding for its high-speed railway project. Regardless of the outcome of any legal challenge, Trump’s announcement highlights the contrasting development paths of the economic superpowers in their rail aspirations, or... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3318627/chinas-speedy-maglev-train-breaks-records-us-ambitions-go-rails?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3318627/chinas-speedy-maglev-train-breaks-records-us-ambitions-go-rails?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Jul 2025 15:00:08 +0000 Nora Mankel Nora Mankel A Chinese-built maglev train that will be the nation’s fastest-ever ground transport vehicle has made its public debut in Beijing – an ambitious project that is expected to drastically reduce travel times and cement China’s reputation as a world leader in high-speed rail networks. The train – which can reach speeds of 600km/h (373mph) – was unveiled this week at the 17th Modern Railways exhibition, offering a futuristic glimpse of China’s rail transport aspirations. Developed by the China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3317905/buckle-china-unveils-maglev-marvel-redefining-future-high-speed-rail?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3317905/buckle-china-unveils-maglev-marvel-redefining-future-high-speed-rail?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Jul 2025 10:30:57 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo We have all sworn to uphold “one country, two systems”. But when it comes to building new railways, “one country, one system” may save us a lot of money. Hopefully, London and Washington won’t cite the Joint Declaration to criticise Hong Kong for breaching our treaty obligations. The construction costs of the mass transit links in the Northern Metropolis can be reduced by up to 30 per cent if Hong Kong adopts mainland Chinese standards for railway lines. I say, what’s the argument? Go for... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3317752/building-railways-one-country-one-system-may-save-hong-kong-lot-money?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3317752/building-railways-one-country-one-system-may-save-hong-kong-lot-money?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Jul 2025 12:43:31 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Brazil and China agreed on Monday to study the feasibility of a transcontinental railway that could reshape South America’s trade routes by connecting Brazil’s Atlantic Ocean coast to Peru’s Pacific Ocean port of Chancay. The memorandum of understanding was signed between Infra S.A., the Brazilian state-owned company linked to the Ministry of Transport, and the China Railway Economic and Planning Research Institute, part of China State Railway Group. The plan outlines a railway of about 4,500... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3317462/brazil-and-china-study-south-american-transcontinental-railway-project?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3317462/brazil-and-china-study-south-american-transcontinental-railway-project?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jul 2025 22:05:59 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi China will further enhance connectivity with other countries by expanding its high-speed railway network, a senior politician pledged on Tuesday. The country intends to promote both the “hard connectivity” of infrastructure and the “soft connectivity” of standards and rules to position high-speed rail as a cornerstone for advancing the nation’s Belt and Road Initiative, Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing said at the opening ceremony of the 12th World Congress on High-Speed Rail in Beijing. “China is... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3317391/china-speed-bullet-train-connectivity-neighbours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3317391/china-speed-bullet-train-connectivity-neighbours?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jul 2025 11:57:01 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang An emergency ban on some power banks imposed by China’s aviation regulator over the weekend caught travellers off guard, many of whom arrived at airports only to be told that such portable devices could not be taken onto their flights. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) began enforcing the strict ban on lithium-based power banks over safety risks on Saturday, two days after issuing the notice. The ban applies to devices without proper safety and quality certifications or those... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3316648/china-air-travellers-caught-guard-after-regulator-grounds-mobile-power-banks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3316648/china-air-travellers-caught-guard-after-regulator-grounds-mobile-power-banks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jul 2025 09:08:19 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela In the span of a single generation, China has redefined the limits of civil engineering, transforming itself from a nation reliant on foreign bridge-building expertise to the undisputed architect of the world’s most audacious crossings. Across mist-shrouded gorges, typhoon-whipped straits and sprawling urban megaregions, Chinese engineers are erecting structures that defy geography while smashing world records. A study published in China’s Journal of Transport Science and Engineering reveals the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3311550/chinas-mega-bridges-build-smarter-build-higher-build-where-others-wont-dare?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3311550/chinas-mega-bridges-build-smarter-build-higher-build-where-others-wont-dare?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 May 2025 04:00:09 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen More passengers shuttling between China’s two biggest cities are choosing to hop on a bullet train rather than a flight, as airlines struggle to match the convenience offered by the country’s ultra-modern high-speed rail network. The shift to rail has become so pronounced on the busy Beijing-Shanghai route that China’s air travel industry has warned its market is being “eroded”, with airlines scrambling to lure back customers with cheaper tickets and free limousine services. Passengers made more... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3311483/chinas-airlines-raise-alarm-travellers-ditch-planes-bullet-trains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3311483/chinas-airlines-raise-alarm-travellers-ditch-planes-bullet-trains?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 May 2025 04:00:08 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li A new 767-kilometre-long canal linking the inland rare earth hub of Jiangxi province with the eastern coastal powerhouse of Zhejiang has officially been included in the government’s agenda, according to a recently released policy document, as the Chinese government steps up efforts to expand its inland waterway network. China already boasts a sprawling web of high-speed rail and highways that reach deep into nearly every corner of the country, but officials have increasingly turned to rivers and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3311573/china-greenlights-mega-project-canal-linking-resource-rich-jiangxi-wealthy-zhejiang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3311573/china-greenlights-mega-project-canal-linking-resource-rich-jiangxi-wealthy-zhejiang?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 May 2025 02:00:13 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A construction magnate and more than a dozen other people surrendered to police on Friday on criminal negligence charges for the collapse of a Bangkok high-rise during a March 28 earthquake. Premchai Karnasuta, the president of Italian-Thai Development Co, the main Thai contractor for the building project, as well as designers and engineers were among 17 charged with the felony of professional negligence causing death, Bangkok deputy police chief Noppasin Poonsawat said. The accused have... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3310596/thai-tycoon-wanted-over-deadly-bangkok-tower-collapse-quake-surrenders-police?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3310596/thai-tycoon-wanted-over-deadly-bangkok-tower-collapse-quake-surrenders-police?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 May 2025 05:17:39 +0000 Thomas Bird Thomas Bird When American travel writer Paul Theroux rolled around China researching seminal travelogue Riding the Iron Rooster (1988), the country was still a technological backwater. “The Chinese are the last people in the world still manufacturing spittoons, chamber-pots, treadle sewing-machines, bed-warmers, claw-hammers, ‘quill’ pens (steel nibs, dunk-and-write), wooden yokes for oxen, iron ploughs, sit-up-and-beg bicycles,” he observed, “and steam engines.” Theroux, of course, couldn’t have predicted... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3309561/4-rail-journeys-modern-day-china-far-cry-riding-iron-rooster?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3309561/4-rail-journeys-modern-day-china-far-cry-riding-iron-rooster?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 May 2025 05:00:10 +0000 Mongolia’s parliament has ratified a deal with China to jointly construct a new cross-border rail connection between the two countries, as it looks to forge closer ties with its southern neighbour amid US President Donald Trump’s tariff war. Construction of the 19.5-kilometre (12.1-mile) railway – which will allow Mongolia to ramp up its coal exports to China – had been held up for over a decade, but the project has gained fresh momentum in recent months. Gantumur Luvsannyam, Mongolia’s first... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3305529/chinas-rail-ambitions-receive-another-boost-mongolia-approves-new-line?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3305529/chinas-rail-ambitions-receive-another-boost-mongolia-approves-new-line?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Apr 2025 22:30:08 +0000 As China’s political elite gather for the country’s annual legislative sessions in March, we examine the broader forces likely to influence policies for the coming year – and how decision-makers will respond to the unpredictable second term of US President Donald Trump. In the sixth part of a series, Frank Chen reports on China’s first privately owned high-speed railways and how they reflect the wider challenges facing the private sector. When the first bullet train roared along a new high-speed... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3301338/two-sessions-2025-how-can-china-get-its-private-sector-back-track?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3301338/two-sessions-2025-how-can-china-get-its-private-sector-back-track?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Mar 2025 06:02:46 +0000 A Turkish investment official said China is interested in helping to make about US$60 billion in upgrades to his country’s railway network, which European freight shippers may see as a way to bypass Russia as the war in Ukraine continues. On the list of improvements is electrification, new domestic routes, a bridge in the continental connector city of Istanbul and a high-speed line from Istanbul to the national capital of Ankara, said A. Burak Daglioglu, president of the governmental promotion... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3294704/turkish-railway-chinese-upgrades-could-bypass-russia-route-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3294704/turkish-railway-chinese-upgrades-could-bypass-russia-route-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Jan 2025 09:00:23 +0000 China’s rail operator has unveiled a prototype of the country’s next-generation commercial bullet train, a vehicle that its developer says is on track to be the world’s fastest and will give Chinese high-speed technology an even bigger global edge. State-owned China State Railway Group said on Sunday that the CR450 could reach speeds of up to 450km/h (280mph), with a commercial operating speed of 400km/h. In a post on social media, the group said the unveiling of the prototype signalled a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3292665/china-unveils-future-high-speed-rail-next-gen-prototype?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3292665/china-unveils-future-high-speed-rail-next-gen-prototype?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:00:15 +0000 China is encouraging private sector participation in its railways as part of efforts to enhance the integration and openness of the transport industry amid a logistical revamp aimed at improving supply chain efficiency. According to a guideline released by the State Council, China’s cabinet, on Monday, the world’s second-largest economy plans to reform natural monopolies in the transport sector – caused by high infrastructure costs and barriers to entry – by diversifying the range of service... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3292140/state-council-guideline-encourages-private-investment-chinas-railways?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3292140/state-council-guideline-encourages-private-investment-chinas-railways?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Dec 2024 08:30:13 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong China is finally moving forward with plans to build a new railway to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, with analysts saying the project will play an important role in deepening Chinese ties across Central Asia and beyond. The 523km (325-mile) line – which will connect Kashgar on China’s northwestern frontier with several cities in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan – had been in limbo for decades, but the project is now officially underway and the first phase could be completed by the end of the decade. China... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3289676/china-green-lights-game-changing-new-railway-through-central-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3289676/china-green-lights-game-changing-new-railway-through-central-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Dec 2024 12:00:09 +0000 China has the world’s largest high-speed railway. Known as an “infrastructure monster”, it only took about 20 years for the country to develop the 45,000km (28,000-mile) network. The country also exports railway technology as a key part of the Belt and Road Initiative, the central government’s plan to link economies into a China-centred trading network. The scope of the infrastructure project was hailed as an example of the sort of development that was only possible thanks to China’s central... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3282099/infrastructure-monster-how-china-built-worlds-longest-high-speed-railway?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3282099/infrastructure-monster-how-china-built-worlds-longest-high-speed-railway?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Oct 2024 02:23:54 +0000 China boasts the world’s largest high-speed railway network - 45,000km by the end of last year - and some of the fastest passenger trains. First launched in 2008, the network is considered essential to the world’s second-largest economy and its 1.4 billion population. And with the return of high-volume transport to post-Covid levels, China has resumed its plans to link the country via high-speed railway. How did China’s railway network perform over the summer? The 62-day summer transport season... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3277512/it-full-steam-ahead-chinas-high-speed-rail-network-after-summer-travel-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3277512/it-full-steam-ahead-chinas-high-speed-rail-network-after-summer-travel-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Sep 2024 09:00:08 +0000 China’s state-owned railway operator – which runs the world’s largest high-speed railway network – has chugged ahead of a slow-growing national economy, posting profits and an increase in passengers over the first half of 2024. China State Railway Group swung back to a net profit of 1.7 billion yuan (US$239.6 million) from a loss of 11.1 billion yuan for the first half of 2023, although first-half sales revenue dropped to 579.4 billion yuan from 580.7 billion yuan over the same period, according... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3276871/chinas-railway-operator-brings-gravy-train-posting-profits-and-lowering-debt-ratios?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3276871/chinas-railway-operator-brings-gravy-train-posting-profits-and-lowering-debt-ratios?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Sep 2024 01:00:13 +0000 China’s top spy and anti-espionage agency says it has cracked the case of a Chinese company helping an overseas client gather data about Chinese railways and jailed those who leaked the data. It is the first known case since September 2021, when Beijing’s Data Security Law became effective, of collected data being identified as intelligence. The Ministry of State Security (MSS) made the statement in a post on its social media on Monday, reminding Chinese companies and individuals to “keep a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3276864/beijings-security-ministry-says-chinese-jailed-delivering-railway-data-foreigners?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3276864/beijings-security-ministry-says-chinese-jailed-delivering-railway-data-foreigners?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Sep 2024 10:00:27 +0000 A trip from Hong Kong to Chiang Mai using Chinese-built railways and a road shows what a boon China’s Belt and Road Initiative has been, and what’s missing in less developed Southeast Asia. Day 1: Hong Kong – Kunming (February 5, 2024) It is Monday morning, five days before the start of the Lunar New Year holiday, and my wife and I have just left our home in Hong Kong, destined for Chiang Mai, in northern Thailand. We take the MTR together, but while Mimi heads straight for Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3266643/chinas-belt-and-road-initiative-plus-rest-so-so-hong-kong-chiang-mai-journey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3266643/chinas-belt-and-road-initiative-plus-rest-so-so-hong-kong-chiang-mai-journey?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Jun 2024 23:45:09 +0000 High-speed overnight sleeper trains are to run regular services between Hong Kong and Beijing as well as Shanghai and back from June 15, with ticket sales to begin at noon on Wednesday. China Railway said on Tuesday the new services would cut travel time by half and increase the number of seats to 600, replacing the suspended through train running between Hung Hom in Hong Kong and the two mainland Chinese cities. It will take around 12½ hours to get to Beijing West railway station and about 11... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3265392/land-or-air-post-weighs-options-china-railway-launches-new-sleeper-service-hong-kong-beijing-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3265392/land-or-air-post-weighs-options-china-railway-launches-new-sleeper-service-hong-kong-beijing-and?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Jun 2024 02:00:18 +0000 China will step up construction of strategic railroad links in the autonomous regions of Xinjiang and Tibet in the coming years to strengthen its hold over its westernmost regions, according to a senior Chinese rail planner. “The rail network layout still needs to be improved. There are still many places in the western regions left undeveloped, and the major strategic channels for entering and exiting Tibet and Xinjiang need to be strengthened,” said Liu Wenxian, a senior official with China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3265149/china-boost-rail-links-xinjiang-and-tibet-eye-supply-chains-and-energy-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3265149/china-boost-rail-links-xinjiang-and-tibet-eye-supply-chains-and-energy-security?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Jun 2024 09:00:11 +0000 Finnish developers are pushing ahead with plans to bore a tunnel between capital city Helsinki and Estonia’s Tallinn, and they still want Chinese companies to build it. The 100km (62-mile) project would link the two countries separated by the Gulf of Finland, slashing the journey time from two hours by ferry to just 20 minutes by high-speed rail. It has been years in the works, beset by delays and controversy over the reported involvement of Chinese money and know-how. But even with the mood... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3255653/finnish-developers-push-chinese-built-tunnel-estonia-despite-souring-mood-towards-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3255653/finnish-developers-push-chinese-built-tunnel-estonia-despite-souring-mood-towards-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Mar 2024 05:00:08 +0000 China is using artificial intelligence in the operation of its 45,000km (28,000-mile) high-speed rail network, with the technology achieving several milestones, according to engineers involved in the project. An AI system in Beijing is processing vast amounts of real-time data from across the country and can alert maintenance teams of abnormal situations within 40 minutes, with an accuracy as high as 95 per cent, they said in a peer-reviewed paper. “This helps on-site teams conduct reinspections... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3255039/china-puts-trust-ai-maintain-largest-high-speed-rail-network-earth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3255039/china-puts-trust-ai-maintain-largest-high-speed-rail-network-earth?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Mar 2024 10:00:20 +0000 The agency in charge of attracting foreign investment expects more infrastructure companies to come to Hong Kong to explore new projects this year, after it lured eight such firms, both Chinese state-owned and from overseas, to set up or expand their business in the city in 2023. InvestHK head of business and professional services Herman Tse Yu-man gave an upbeat assessment on Tuesday, saying even more foreign investments were expected in the coming year, as Western companies were looking at new... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3254291/hong-kongs-investhk-lures-2-new-infrastructure-firms-city-6-others-expand-presence-2023?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3254291/hong-kongs-investhk-lures-2-new-infrastructure-firms-city-6-others-expand-presence-2023?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Mar 2024 14:09:50 +0000