China has launched its first high-speed rail line near the Taiwan Strait. The state broadcaster CCTV reported on Thursday (Sep 28) that the train will run across several bays and will travel along the coast of the southeastern province of Fujian, which is closer to the Taiwan Strait.&nbsp;

Xinhua reported that a bullet train departed from Fuzhou, which is the capital of east China's Fujian province, to open the 277-kilometre Fuzhou-Xiamen-Zhangzhou railway line on Thursday morning.&nbsp;

CCTV reported that the bullet train can reach 350 km/h.&nbsp;

Citing China State Railway Group Co Ltd, which is the country's railway operator, state media said that it is China's first cross-sea, rapid line with bullet trains that will travel over bridges across three coastal bays.&nbsp;

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Xiamen is an economic hub and a popular tourist destination. Now, the travel time between Fuzhou and Xiamen will be under an hour.&nbsp;

The project, designed by China Railway Siyuan Survey and Design Group Co Ltd, is an addition to the nation's growing high-speed rail network.&nbsp;

China aims to enhance its railway infrastructure as Beijing had 42,000 km of operational high-speed railway by 2022 and the length of high-speed rail regularly operating at 350 km per hour neared 3,200 km as of June 2022.&nbsp;

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Watch:&nbsp;Nepal tilts towards China

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The railway network near Taiwan Strait can also be seen as a part of its ultimate plan of reunification of the island nation with the mainland.&nbsp;

Beijing views the democratically elected and self-ruled island nation as part of its territory and even claims that it will use force to unite the two territories if needed. Several claim that a war is evident as China has boosted its military presence near Taiwan in the past few years. &nbsp;

Recently, China also unveiled a plan to turn Fujian province into a model zone for "integration" with the island nation as Beijing hopes that the link will enhance investment opportunities and make travel easier.&nbsp;

A Chinese government official said an integrated multidimensional transportation network has been built in Fujian that "will make it technically possible to construct a high-speed transport passage linking the province with Taiwan," according to state media.

(With inputs from agencies)

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China has launched its first high-speed rail line near the Taiwan Strait. The state broadcaster CCTV reported on Thursday (Sep 28) that the train will run across several bays and will travel along the coast of the southeastern province of Fujian, which is closer to the Taiwan Strait.

China has launched its first high-speed rail line near the Taiwan Strait. The state broadcaster CCTV reported on Thursday (Sep 28) that the train will run across several bays and will travel along the coast of the southeastern province of Fujian, which is closer to the Taiwan Strait. Xinhua reported that a bullet train departed from Fuzhou, which is the capital of east China's Fujian province, to open the 277-kilometre Fuzhou-Xiamen-Zhangzhou railway line on Thursday morning. CCTV reported that the bullet train can reach 350 km/h. Citing China State Railway Group Co Ltd, which is the country's railway operator, state media said that it is China's first cross-sea, rapid line with bullet trains that will travel over bridges across three coastal bays. Also read: Xi Jinping says 'complete reunification' of China 'cannot be stopped by any force' Xiamen is an economic hub and a popular tourist destination. Now, the travel time between Fuzhou and Xiamen will be under an hour. The project, designed by China Railway Siyuan Survey and Design Group Co Ltd, is an addition to the nation's growing high-speed rail network. China aims to enhance its railway infrastructure as Beijing had 42,000 km of operational high-speed railway by 2022 and the length of high-speed rail regularly operating at 350 km per hour neared 3,200 km as of June 2022. Also read: Hackers claiming to have Indian allegiance target Canadian military website Watch: Nepal tilts towards China × The railway network near Taiwan Strait can also be seen as a part of its ultimate plan of reunification of the island nation with the mainland. Beijing views the democratically elected and self-ruled island nation as part of its territory and even claims that it will use force to unite the two territories if needed. Several claim that a war is evident as China has boosted its military presence near Taiwan in the past few years. Recently, China also unveiled a plan to turn Fujian province into a model zone for "integration" with the island nation as Beijing hopes that the link will enhance investment opportunities and make travel easier. A Chinese government official said an integrated multidimensional transportation network has been built in Fujian that "will make it technically possible to construct a high-speed transport passage linking the province with Taiwan," according to state media. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

In a first, China launches cross-sea bullet train line near Taiwan Strait

Malaysia is cancelling a project to build a high-speed rail link between its capital, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore, and will talk with its southern neighbour about any compensation Malaysia has to pay, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Monday.

Mahathir, the 92-year-old who triumphed in a general election this month, has made it a priority to cut the national debt and pledged to review big projects agreed by his predecessor that he says are expensive and have no financial benefit.

"It is a final decision, but it will take time because we have an agreement with Singapore," Mahathir told a news conference referring to his scrapping of the project, valued by analysts at about $17 billion.

The project is out for tender and was scheduled to be completed by 2026.

Mahathir said Malaysia may have to pay about 500 million ringgit ($125.63 million) to Singapore to get out of the deal.

Singapore's government did not immediately have any comment on Mahathir's vow to scrap the project.

Companies from China, Japan, South Korea and Europe were eyeing a contract to build, operate and finance the trains and the rail assets, sources close to the bidding process had told Reuters.

Even picking a winner was expected to test ties between Malaysia and Singapore, which have been frosty since the end of the colonial era in the 1960s, against the backdrop of broader tension over China's growing influence in the region.

About 90 percent of the rail network was set to be in Malaysia, including a terminal in Bandar Malaysia, a big property development owned by scandal-hit state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

A $1.7 billion deal to sell a majority stake in Bandar Malaysia to a Malaysian-Chinese consortium fell through in May 2017. A year on, the project has failed to attract any buyers.

Mahathir has reopened an investigation into 1MDB following his election victory. It is being investigated in other countries, including the United States.

Properties linked to former prime minister Najib Razak have been searched as part of the investigation, and Najib has given statements to an anti-graft agency.

Najib has long denied any wrongdoing.

Mahathir said his government was also in the process of renegotiating with Chinese partners over the terms of a $14 billion rail deal aimed at connecting the South China Sea at the Thai border in the east with the strategic shipping routes of the Straits of Malacca in the west.

He estimates that Malaysia could cut almost a fifth of its $250 billion national debt and liabilities by scrapping such big projects.

Mahathir, the 92-year-old who triumphed in a general election this month, has made it a priority to cut the national debt and pledged to review big projects agreed by his predecessor that he says are expensive and have no financial benefit

Malaysia is cancelling a project to build a high-speed rail link between its capital, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore, and will talk with its southern neighbour about any compensation Malaysia has to pay, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Monday. Mahathir, the 92-year-old who triumphed in a general election this month, has made it a priority to cut the national debt and pledged to review big projects agreed by his predecessor that he says are expensive and have no financial benefit. "It is a final decision, but it will take time because we have an agreement with Singapore," Mahathir told a news conference referring to his scrapping of the project, valued by analysts at about $17 billion. The project is out for tender and was scheduled to be completed by 2026. Mahathir said Malaysia may have to pay about 500 million ringgit ($125.63 million) to Singapore to get out of the deal. Singapore's government did not immediately have any comment on Mahathir's vow to scrap the project. Companies from China, Japan, South Korea and Europe were eyeing a contract to build, operate and finance the trains and the rail assets, sources close to the bidding process had told Reuters. Even picking a winner was expected to test ties between Malaysia and Singapore, which have been frosty since the end of the colonial era in the 1960s, against the backdrop of broader tension over China's growing influence in the region. About 90 percent of the rail network was set to be in Malaysia, including a terminal in Bandar Malaysia, a big property development owned by scandal-hit state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). A $1.7 billion deal to sell a majority stake in Bandar Malaysia to a Malaysian-Chinese consortium fell through in May 2017. A year on, the project has failed to attract any buyers. Mahathir has reopened an investigation into 1MDB following his election victory. It is being investigated in other countries, including the United States. Properties linked to former prime minister Najib Razak have been searched as part of the investigation, and Najib has given statements to an anti-graft agency. Najib has long denied any wrongdoing. Mahathir said his government was also in the process of renegotiating with Chinese partners over the terms of a $14 billion rail deal aimed at connecting the South China Sea at the Thai border in the east with the strategic shipping routes of the Straits of Malacca in the west. He estimates that Malaysia could cut almost a fifth of its $250 billion national debt and liabilities by scrapping such big projects.

Malaysia axes project to build high-speed rail link with Singapore

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In a first, China launches cross-sea bullet train line near Taiwan Strait

Malaysia axes project to build high-speed rail link with Singapore