China spearheads all UIC standards for high-speed rail systems

BEIJING, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- China has spearheaded the development of all 13 system-level international standards for high-speed rail set by the International Union of Railways (UIC), as announced at a top industry award ceremony on Friday.

The announcement came during a ceremony for the 17th Zhan Tianyou Railway Science and Technology Award, during which it was highlighted that China leads the world in technology for railways at high altitudes and in extremely low temperatures, and for high-speed and heavy-haul railways.

These 13 standards cover all aspects of high-speed rail, from design and construction to operation and infrastructure, said Li Yongheng, an official with China State Railway Group Co., Ltd., the country's railway operator, adding that the achievement underscores China's growing global influence in the railway sector.

China has led or participated in over 300 international standard-setting projects. These include collaborations with the UIC, which is the worldwide professional association representing the railway sector and promoting rail transport, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

The ISO is an independent, non-governmental international organization with a membership of national standards bodies, while the IEC is the world's leading organization for the preparation and publication of international standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.

The 17th Zhan Tianyou awards, a prestigious honor in China's railway industry and rail-transit field, recognized breakthrough technologies addressing key challenges in rail engineering, equipment manufacturing and maintenance.

Notable achievements include the Fuxing series high-speed trains, advanced train-control systems, and innovative surveying technologies, which are expected to reinforce China's position as a global leader in railway technology.

So far, the total operation mileage of China's railway network exceeds 160,000 km, including 46,000 km of high-speed railway line.