China's operating high-speed railway hits 47,000 km

BEIJING, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- The total length of China's operating high-speed rail tracks has reached about 47,000 km, according to the National Railway Administration on Thursday.

The total operating mileage of China's railway network amounted to 162,000 km, according to data revealed at an administration work conference.

Fei Dongbin, head of the administration, said the fixed-asset investment in the country's railway sector is expected to exceed 800 billion yuan (about 111.3 billion U.S. dollars) in 2024.

A total of 3,000 km of new tracks went into operation this year, including about 2,300 km of high-speed railways, Fei said.

"The high-quality development of the railway sector has supported China's economic recovery momentum," said Fei, citing steady growth in railway passenger trips and freight volume.

China's railway is forecast to transport 4.3 billion passengers in 2024, up 11.7 percent year on year, while railway cargo delivery volume is expected to rise about 3 percent year on year to reach 5.18 billion tonnes, according to the administration.

The robust mobility clearly indicates the positive momentum in China's broader economic upswing thanks to a string of pro-growth policies.

The surge in railway passenger transport is also closely linked to the thriving tourism sector in China. Government policies, including measures to stimulate consumption and enhance China's visa-free transit policy, have spurred increasing interest from domestic and international travelers. ■