High-speed rail plans unveiled

The Ministry of Railways announced plans to build more than 3,000 km of new high-speed track, carrying trains capable of speeds of up to 300km/h. Work on building the new lines is scheduled to begin in 2005. The fastest speeds will be on two new lines between Wuhan and Guangzhou, and between Zhengzhou and Xi'an. The maximum speed on some sections of the track will be 350km/h, Chinese Vice-Minister of Railways Lu Dongfu said. Other new high speed lines will be built between Beijing and Tianjin; and between Hefei and Nanjing.