According to China Railway Corporation, in 2014, the scale of newly-built railway lines hit a record high. Nationwide, the total length of the rail network in operation exceeds 112,000 kilometers and that of of high speed rail exceeds 16,000 kilometers. Both rank first in the world. The length of railways in operation in central and western China has reached 70,000 kilometers, accounting for 62.3 percent of the national total.

In 2014, China Railway Corp invested a total of 808.8 billion yuan in fixed assets, which ranks second only to the year 2010. Sheng Guangzu, general manager of China Railway Corp, said: "The scale of railway construction will maintain a high level both in the short and in the longer term."

According to Sheng Guangzu, at the beginning of 2014, China Railway Corp set three goals: 800 billion yuan invested in fixed assets, 7,000 kilometers of new railway track, and 64 new projects. As it turns out, all the three goals have been surpassed. Last year, 8427 kilometers of new railway track came into service - a new historical high - and 66 new railway projects were launched.

It is worth mentioning that in 2014, China Railway Corp shifted its construction focus to central and western China. Investment there represents 78 percent of the national total. Among the new railway lines, 6747 kilometers are in central and western areas, accounting for 80 percent of all new lines. Along with the 18 new railway lines opened in central and western areas, including the Lanzhou-Urumchi high speed rail, Lhasa-Shigatse railway, and other railway projects, the total length of railways in operation in central and western China has now reached 70,000 kilometers, accounting for 62.3 percent of the national total.

According to the national railway's 12th Five-Year Development Plan, by 2015 the total length of railways in service would reach 120,000 kilometers, of which 50,000 kilometers would be in central and western areas, and the total length of high speed rail in operation would be 18,000 kilometers. By the end of 2014, the three above indicators had respectively reached 112,000 kilometers, 70,000 kilometers and 160,000 kilometers, which means that the construction goals in central and western areas have already been achieved. This year, a total of 8000 kilometers of new track should be completed, and 2000 kilometers of this will be high speed rail. 

The article is edited and translated from《高铁超1.6万公里，居世界第一》, source: People's Daily, author:Lu Yanan.