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

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

Bullet train

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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)

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