China to Complete 20,000 km Electric Railway in Coming Five YearsDuring the "10th Five Year Plan" period, China will construct and rebuild 8000 km of electric railway and by 2005, the total mileage of such railway is expected to reach 20,000 km., an advanced record in the world.According to Hou Wei, president of China Railway Electrification Group, China has so far constructed 13,000 km of electric railway, accounting for 24 percent of the country's total railway mileage. Being one of the few countries in the world to have possessed over 10,000 km of electric railway it has taken up one third of China's total railway transportation volume. According to the plan formulated by the Ministry of Railway, said Hou, during the "10th Five Year Plan" period, the ministry will focus its task on technological renovation and electric railway construction. Except the several lines already under construction during the "9th Five Year Plan" period, China will reconstruct Baoji-Lanzhou, Guangzhou-Shenzhen, Shanghai-Hangzhou and other railroads and build some new lines including Neijiang-Kunming, Chongqing-Huaihua with a total mileage of 8000 km. It is estimated that by 2005, the total mileage of electric railway is going to cover 20,000 km, and by 2010 to reach 26,000 km. By PD Online Staff Li Yan |
| People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/ |