Han Qiao

China is continuing to expand its high-speed rail network as fast as it can to meet people’s growing transport needs and support the country’s industrial development and economic restructuring, as Han Qiao and Fan Xi with China Features explain.

Despite a two-year setback due to corruption scandals and the fatal Wenzhou accident, China is on course to complete its 18,000km national high-speed rail network by 2015 as planned. Han Qiao from China Features in Beijing investigates the current state of play for the world's largest high-speed network.

TEST running is now in full swing on the 681km high-speed line connecting the Chinese capital Beijing with Zhengzhou.

TRIAL operation began on October 8 on the 921km high-speed line linking Harbin in northeastern China with Changchun, Shenyang and Dalian on the Bohai Straits. Commercial operation is expected to start at the end of the year.

It is one year since the fatal Wenzhou high-speed crash seriously dented China's enthusiasm for high-speed. Construction has resumed, but at a slower pace and in a more cautious way than before, and with concerns over spiralling debt China is now turning to the private sector to invest in rail, reports Han Qiao from China Features.