Maglev link for eastern cities

A high-speed magnetic levitation train line connecting Shanghai and Hangzhou has been given the green light by the National Development and Reform Commission. Meanwhile, a 220mph link between Beijing and Shanghai is also to be constructed – with both projects costing a combined US$22 billion, state media reported. France, Germany and Japan have all tried to convince the government to use their technology, but China wants to use domestic technology adapted from overseas systems. Construction of the 200km-long maglev link should be completed by 2010, at an overall cost of US$4.3 billion. Transrapid, which groups ThyssenKrupp, Siemens and the German government, currently operates a similar line in Shanghai.