The tenders call for the supply of 228 350km/h and 123 250km/h sets and only domestic manufacturers will be allowed to participate.

The tenders are the first to be issued by CRIC for high-speed trains since China's two largest rolling stock manufacturers, CNR and CSR, merged to create CRRC.

Last October CRIC awarded CSR and CNR contracts to supply a total of 175 high-speed trains.

China's high-speed network now exceeds 16,000km, up from 11,000km at the end of 2013, with a further 10,000 km of new lines under construction. According to CRC ridership on CRH high-speed services reached 120 million in the first half of 2015, a 9.1% year-on-year increase.