China will further enhance connectivity with other countries by expanding its high-speed railway network, a senior politician has pledged.
The country intends to promote both the "hard connectivity" of infrastructure and the "soft connectivity" of standards and rules to position high-speed rail as a cornerstone for advancing the nation's Belt and Road Initiative, Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing said at the opening ceremony of the 12th World Congress on High-Speed Rail in Beijing on Tuesday, according to Bangkok Post.
"China is committed to implementing both major projects and smaller, people-centred initiatives that deliver tangible benefits," Zhang said at the event, which has become a global showcase for high-speed developments and technology.
"In carrying out high-speed rail projects abroad, we will enhance support for infrastructure and skills training to better benefit people in all countries."
Beijing will continue to advance major landmark rail projects - such as the Hungary-Serbia railway, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, and the China-Thailand railway - while participating in the formulation of international railway standards, Zhang added.
Marking China's first high-speed rail entry into Europe, the Hungary-Serbia route is designed to connect the two countries' respective capitals, Budapest and Belgrade, and part of the line in Serbia has been operational since 2022. The full route is expected to be completed by 2026, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said earlier this year.
The project, particularly the Hungarian section, has also faced scrutiny from the European Union, which is increasingly wary of China's growing influence in the region.
The Thai government approved the second phase of the China-Thailand high-speed railway project earlier this year, and it is expected to begin operations in 2030. This would be nearly a decade later than originally planned, as construction has faced delays and disagreements over financing and design, plus disruptions from the coronavirus pandemic.
Having been in limbo for decades, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, which looks to connect China's northwestern frontier with several cities in the two Central Asian countries, began full construction earlier this year. With a total investment of US$4.7 billion, the first phase is expected to be completed by the end of the decade.
"Against the backdrop of today's crisis-ridden and challenging environment, marked by geopolitical divisions and global instability, opening up new transportation routes is of critical importance," said Bakyt Torobayev, deputy prime minister of Kyrgyzstan, at the same event.
"The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is such a solution."
The 304-kilometre railway line will establish the shortest rail corridor between the East and West, providing direct access for goods to European and Middle Eastern markets and forming a vital transport artery, Torobayev said.
"The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway will reshape the trade landscape."
China will strengthen the alignment of high-speed-rail development plans with various countries, and it is willing to share its experience in high-speed rail planning, construction, equipment manufacturing and operation management with other countries, Zhang said.
As of the end of 2024, China's high-speed rail network spanned 48,000 kilometres, accounting for more than 70% of the world's total high-speed rail mileage, according to official data.
China has collaborated with more than 40 countries and regions across Asia, Europe, North America and Africa in railway planning, design, construction, and operation, according to Wang Lixin, vice-president of the state-owned China Railway.
Completed flagship overseas projects include the China-Laos railway and a route in Indonesia that connects Jakarta and Bandung.
