New high-speed rail bridges central, western China for coordinated development

During China's 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), the country has planned to work faster to boost its strength in transportation and improve the modern integrated transportation system.

By overcoming formidable natural barriers in one of China's most geologically complex regions and linking the previously isolated mountain regions to the national high-speed rail network, the Xi'an-Shiyan line is poised to transform mobility, industry and tourism across a vast area of central and western China.

The construction began in 2021 with a total investment of 47.68 billion yuan (about $7 billion). It cuts through the Qinling Mountains, a natural boundary between China's north and south, and the Hanjiang River, a major tributary of the Yangtze River.

For decades, rugged terrain in the Qinling Mountains limited transportation and economic exchanges in many areas.