China to Build Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway This Year
2006-05-09 21:54:30
CRIENGLISH.com
China plans to build a high-speed railway between the capital Beijing and its economic hub Shanghai. The line is expected to largely reduce the travel time between the two cities and ease the pressure of current rail lines. Yao Yongmei reports.
Reporter: According to the chief engineer of China's Ministry of Railways, He Huawu, the new high speed railway will be 1,300 kilometers long, with a planned speed of up to 350 kilometers per hour. It is expected to be complete in five years and put into operation by 2010.
"When the railway is complete, the travel time between Beijing and Shanghai will be reduced from the current 14 hours to only 5 hours. It will handle about 80 million passengers one way each year."
The current railway line between Beijing and Shanghai is also the busiest line in the country. A new high-speed line has long been expected to alleviate pressure along the route.
As planned, this new railway will be primarily used for passenger transportation. It will be able to deliver one train every three minutes during rush hours. Meanwhile, the current line will be mainly used for freight.
An economic researcher from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Zhao Hong, says the high speed railway will help promote the development of China's eastern regions.
"The railway not only connects the two cities, but also many cities along the line, like Jinan and Nanjing. So it will expand its economic influence to a larger region."
He further explains the railway will link the Bohai coastal area and the Yangtze Delta area, the two most dynamic regions in China.
Then Which country's technology will China use to construct the railway? He Huawu, chief engineer of China's Railway Ministry says 70% percent of the techniques are home-grown.
"We must learn from experiences and adopt advanced technology from others, and combine them with our own innovations. In This way, we can create a set of technologies to match conditions in China and build a first-class high-speed railway."
Professor Ji Jialun from Beijing Jiaotong University praises the decision to establish a high-speed railway mostly with China's own intellectual property rights.
"The decision will have significant influence on China's modernization process, because a high speed railway is an important symbol to indicate China has entered a modernized era in transportation."
Although the exact date for construction hasn't been yet decided, all preparatory work is currently underway.
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Producer: Li Yongjing