BEIJING, SEPTEMBER 2025 — China’s railway sector continues to play a central role in driving national infrastructure growth, with fixed-asset investment expanding steadily through 2025. According to the latest data from China State Railway Group, the country invested 504.1 billion yuan (approximately US$70.9 billion) in its railway network from January to August, marking a 5.6% year-on-year increase. This figure maintains the same pace of growth recorded in the first seven months of the year, underscoring the consistency of China’s infrastructure push and reflecting Beijing’s strategy to leverage transport development as a key engine for economic stability and recovery amid global uncertainties.

In the first half of 2025, China brought 301 kilometers of new railway lines into operation, including several high-speed sections that enhance connectivity between major economic clusters. Construction also advanced on priority projects such as the Chongqing–Xiamen and Shenyang–Jiamusi high-speed railways, both seen as vital corridors for boosting regional trade and mobility. At the same time, preliminary work began on the Yining–Aksu and Wenzhou–Fuzhou high-speed rail lines, with the latter forming a crucial part of the larger Wenzhou–Xiamen coastal corridor, designed to strengthen links between some of China’s most dynamic coastal provinces.

Continued investment in the rail sector is expected to deliver wide-ranging benefits. Beyond creating jobs and driving demand across construction and manufacturing industries, the expansion of the network is also aimed at improving mobility, logistics efficiency, and regional integration. Analysts note that such projects will contribute to expanding domestic demand, which has become a major focus for Beijing as it works to balance external pressures with internal growth drivers.

Officials from the Ministry of Transport emphasized that major transport targets outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan remain on track. This includes goals for expanding high-speed railway mileage and strengthening urban rail transit coverage, ensuring that by 2025, the country’s railway network continues to underpin both economic resilience and long-term development. With several new lines scheduled for completion and others entering the construction phase, railway investment is set to remain a cornerstone of China’s infrastructure-led growth strategy throughout the remainder of the year and beyond.

Source: Global Times