High-speed Rail Changes China

Official statistics showed that by the end of 2018, the total length of the high-speed rail network in China reached 29,000 kilometers, twice as long as high-speed rail networks in all other countries combined. In 2019 alone, construction has started on 35 high-speed rail projects with a length of 15,000 kilometers with an investment of 1.4 trillion yuan (US$203b). High-speed rail has profoundly powered the economic growth of the country and now, the majority of bullet train lines have achieved profitability. In May 2019, China debuted its latest high-speed magnetic-levitation train prototype with a designed top speed of 600 kilometers per hour, marking a breakthrough in the country’s high-speed transit system. Thanks to its advanced technology and management, China’s bullet trains and high-speed rail have been exported to a growing number of countries, becoming the country’s new calling card.