China to add 3,300 km rail lines in 2022

BEIJING - China plans to launch new rail lines totaling 3,300 kilometers this year along with a slew of measures to improve its comprehensive transport network, the Ministry of Transport said Monday.

More than 8,000 kilometers of expressways will be expanded or renovated, said Li Xiaopeng, minister of transport, adding that over 700 kilometers of high-grade waterways will be added or improved.

The country will also add eight certified civil-transport airports and continue to develop the green channel for agricultural products to ensure efficient transport of farm and sideline products, noted Li.

Fruitful achievements had been made in the previous year to enhance China's transportation infrastructure, said the minister. He added that by the end of 2021, the total operating length of China's high-speed railway network had exceeded 40,000 kilometers. Expressways and high-grade waterways increased to more than 168,000 kilometers and over 16,000 kilometers, respectively.

China unveiled a plan in January outlining primary targets for transportation network development in the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) to achieve integrated development in 2025.