China’s High-Speed Rail Miracle
Source: Newsweek, Micah McCartney
Photo: China built out its high-speed rail network in a remarkable two decades. Today, these railways total 25,000 miles, long enough to encircle the Earth. (Newsweek)
China has established the world’s most extensive high-speed railway network in just two decades.
Since the first line launched in 2008, the network has grown to roughly 25,000 miles, more than double the combined length of the rest of the world’s high-speed railways and long enough to circle the Earth.
A passenger train is considered high-speed if it travels at least 124 mph on upgraded tracks or 155 mph on new tracks. More than 20 countries currently have high-speed rail networks, mainly European and East Asian states but also Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Uzbekistan.
The planning began in the 1990s when China was experiencing high economic growth but also infrastructure challenges. The enterprise gained momentum during China’s “speed up” campaign in the late 1990s and 2000s, aimed at increasing the speed of commercial trains.
The first high-speed rail line, launched in 2008, linked Beijing with Tianjin, just 75 miles away. During the 2008 global financial crisis, China ramped up investments in infrastructure, including high-speed rail, to stimulate the economy and create jobs.
Initially, China relied on technology transfer agreements with foreign companies such as Alstom, Siemens and Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Over time, China developed significant domestic expertise and innovation, becoming a leader in high-speed rail technology.
This approach involved integrating and eventually improving on foreign technology with domestic innovations.