Chinese-built metro in Tehran

Tehran, Sept. 22, (People's Daily Online) ---- Two thousand years ago, China's silk, lacquer works, chinaware, and techniques of papermaking, printing, gunpowder were spread to Iran through the Silk Road. Today, the metro systems built by Chinese manufacturers hold on the stick. Throughout the history, the Silk Road has always acted as a link between China and Iran despite historical changes.

Tehran, capital of Iran, is the third-largest city in the Middle East, covering an area of 600 square kilometers. In 1985, the city faced huge pressure from the growing urban population and civil vehicles. In the same year, the Iranian Parliament approved the construction of Tehran Metro which was formally begun a year later. In March 1995, China's CITIC Group signed the contract with Tehran Urban and Suburban Railway to construct the line one and line two of Tehran Metro. In 2001, the first metro constructed by Chinese companies was completed.

Today, five lines are operational in Teheran. The total length of them is about 150 kilometers. And the number of platforms underground is nearly 110. Its current productive capacity of 300 railway carriage per year cannot meet the soaring demand of public transport. So the great majority of Iran's subway carriages are made in Changchun, China. (People.cn/Li Zhengjie)