China's railway investment facilitates growth

China's railway sector registered robust investment and infrastructure expansion in 2025, with fixed-asset investment reaching 901.5 billion yuan ($126.8 billion), a year-on-year increase of 6 percent, according to the national railway operator China State Railway Group.

Last year also saw the commissioning of 3,109 kilometers of new railway lines across the country, including 2,862 km of high-speed rail, underscoring the strong driving role of railway investment in bolstering infrastructure development and economic growth.

The steady investment momentum builds on the solid foundation laid in the first four years of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25). From 2021 to 2024, China's railway fixed-asset investment stood at 748.9 billion yuan, 710.9 billion yuan, 764.5 billion yuan and 850.6 billion yuan, respectively, reflecting the country's consistent focus on advancing railway network construction to improve transportation connectivity.

The ongoing construction of key railway and transportation interconnection projects across China vividly demonstrates the progress of the sector's infrastructure drive.

In Jiangsu province, China Railway 24th Bureau Group Corp, a State-owned construction enterprise has recently completed the installation over active railway lines of box girders for the Haimen–Taicang Yangtze River Tunnel in Nantong.

The SOE has placed 502 girders to complete a crucial link connecting the tunnel to the urban area. Once fully operational, the tunnel will integrate highways with rail networks, slashing cross-Yangtze River travel time to just 10 minutes.

This landmark tunnel project is a typical example of China's integrated transportation infrastructure development, which combines railway and highway networks to break geographical barriers and enhance regional connectivity, said an investment consultant with China Galaxy Securities Co Ltd.

Such projects not only form an important part of the country's expanding railway system but also drive coordinated development of urban and rural areas, as well as inter-regional economic cooperation, Long said.

The continuous growth in railway investment and the commissioning of new lines are set to further optimize China's comprehensive transportation network, improve the efficiency of cargo and passenger flow, and provide a stronger transportation guarantee for high-quality economic and social development, he said.