Reshaping to an efficient transport network

[ahojunk]

China counting on high speed rail to drive domestic tourism to about 10% of GDP
February 18, 2017

China Daily describes the case for how high speed rail is boosting economic growth in China.

Faster trains with efficient services can expand and improve the Chinese tourism industry, which saw a year-on-year growth of 15.9 percent, totaling 423.3 billion yuan ($61.78 billion) during the recently ended Spring Festival holiday week. Plus, the high-speed railway has opened up hitherto remote places to tourists, expanding business opportunities.

In 2016, the domestic tourism sector's revenue reached 3.9 trillion yuan, equivalent to more than 5 percent of the country's GDP. And in South China's Guangdong province, the tourism revenue was equivalent to nearly 15 percent of the provincial GDP.

China's economic development has always had a geographical dimension. Since the 1980s, its economic growth was led by large-scale development and opening-up of certain cities - the special economic zones in Shenzhen in the 1980s, Pudong (Shanghai) in the 1990s, and Chongqing, which was brought under direct central government administration, in the 2000s.

China's high-speed railway network will continue to expand in 2017, helping distant cities to form economic ties with their more advanced counterparts, and proximate cities to form their own economic clusters.

China’s tourism industry will emerge as an economic powerhouse contributing 10.5 per cent to the GDP by 2020, according to a report released by China national tourism administration in mid-2016. Tourists spending will rise to a colossal US$1.22 trillion from about $500 billion in just five years, it said.

While that is a huge figure, it is not unfeasible given the domestic tourism industry has grown at an average 22.4 per cent per year since 1985 when it was a mere $1.3bn, the administration said in its China Tourism Development Report, which was released at the four-day First World Conference on Tourism for Development, which will end in Beijing tomorrow.

Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) reported that China’s business travel market has overtaken the United States as the world’s biggest. Chinese spending in this segment came to $291.2bn, just topping US spending of $290.2bn in 2015.

"China surpassing the United States in business travel spending marks a major inflection point and truly demonstrates the global nature of today’s economy," said Michael McCormick, the GBTA executive director.

The US is likely to fall further behind this year as Chinese business travel spend is expected to grow 10.1 per cent to $320.7bn compared with 1.9 per cent growth in the US, which will notch up $295.7bn, the GBTA said.

It predicted a 9.8 per cent growth in Chinese business travel in 2017. China business travel is dominated by domestic travel, which accounts for 95 per cent of total business travel spending.

Tourism and related sectors last year employed 79.1 million people, accounting for 10.2 per cent of the country’s total working population.

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[ahojunk]

China to build 30,000 new kilometers of railway before 2020
By Sun Wenyu (People's Daily Online) 17:43, February 27, 2017

The total mileage of China's domestic railway system is expected to grow by 30,000 kilometers before 2020, according to the country's Minister of Transport, Li Xiaopeng, at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office on Feb. 27. One-third of the increased mileage will consist of high-speed rail, Li added.

Li noted that the total mileage of roads will be expanded by 320,000 kilometers during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020). The country will also build more than 300 quay berths above the level of 10,000 DWT, in addition to 50 civil airports.

According to the comprehensive plan for the development of transportation, total investment in transportation during that 13th Five-Year Plan period will be as much as 15 trillion RMB ($2.18 trillion); up to three-quarters of that amount will go toward railways and roads. Railway investment in 2017 alone is expected to reach 800 billion RMB. By 2020, China will have built a comprehensive modern transportation system that is safe, convenient, efficient and green.

 

[TaiShang]

China plans 2.6 trillion yuan of transport investment in 2017
Xinhua, February 27, 2017

China will spend at least 2.6 trillion yuan (376.81 billion U.S. dollars) on transport infrastructure projects this year, data from the transport ministry showed Monday.

That will include 800 billion yuan on railways, 1.65 trillion yuan on roads and 150 billion yuan on waterway transport, Minister of Transport Li Xiaopeng said at a press conference.

Li said that during the 13th Five-year Plan period (2016-2020), 15 trillion yuan will be channeled to transport infrastructure projects, including 3.5 trillion yuan on railways, 7.8 trillion yuan on roads and 500 billion yuan on waterway transport.

Following the completion of these projects, China will have extended its railway network by 30,000 kilometers, more than one third of which will be high-speed railways, added 320,000 km of roads and built more than 50 new civil airports, Li said.

By 2020, China will have a modern transportation system that is safe, convenient, efficient and green, he said.

The country also targets the use of 200,000 new energy buses by 2020, up from more than 160,000 at the end of 2016.

 

[ahojunk]

New plan to boost high-speed rail, air transport by 2020
2017-03-01 12:10 | Ecns.cn | Editor: Mo Hong'e

(ECNS) -- China's high-speed rail network will cover more than 113 large cities, and new civil airports will be built in about 50 cities, according to the country's 13th Five-year Plan (2016-20) for transport development set forth by the State Council.

China will also build 150 comprehensive passenger transport hubs to facilitate integrated and seamless travel within and between different transportation modes.

By 2020, high-speed rail will be available in more than 80 percent of Chinese cities with permanent urban populations of more than 1 million, while railways, express highways and civil airports will cover all cities with permanent urban populations of more than 200,000.

Under the plan, more than 50 new civil airports will be built, boosting the total number to 260 from 207 in 2015.

In addition, China will accelerate the construction of 36 expressways. By 2020, the country's operating highways will reach 4.58 million kilometers, a huge increase that will include 22,000 kilometers of new expressways.

At the end of 2015, high-speed railways in operation topped 19,000 kilometers. Together with other railways they formed an express passenger transport network extending more than 40,000 kilometers, which covered virtually all capital cities and cities with more than 500,000 residents.

 

[TaiShang]

China moves to boost transport infrastructure
Xinhua, March 2, 2017

The Chinese government has announced ambitious plans to improve the country's transport infrastructure in the next few years.

The State Council on Tuesday issued a document to expand the transport network during the 13th Five-year Plan period (2016-2020).

By 2020, the country will have 150,000 kilometers of railway lines, 5 million km of roads, 260 airports and 2,527 berths for vessels over 10,000 tonnes.

High-speed railways will increase to 30,000 km, connecting more than 80 percent of cities with a population of more than 1 million.

The government aims to build a modern transport system that is safe, convenient, efficient and green by 2020, according to the document.

China has already weaved enormous networks of railroads, expressways and ship routes, which have smoothed its rapid economic expansion during the past decades.

"China tops the world in the length of high-speed railways, expressways and urban rail transit networks, and the number of berths for vessels over 10,000 tonnes," Li Pumin, secretary general of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), told a press conference Wednesday.

"Seven of the world's 10 largest ports in terms of container throughput are located in China," Li added.

The country's transport investment totaled 13.4 trillion yuan (1.95 trillion U.S. dollars) between 2011 and 2015, about 1.6 times that spent from 2006 to 2010.

However, China transport infrastructure still cannot satisfy the increasing demand of the nation's economic and social development.

"Infrastructure lags behind in less-prosperous central and western regions, connectivity with bordering countries needs further improvement, transport safety is still in grim situation, and investment and financing mechanisms require continued reforms," Li said.

To fix the weak links, a total of 15 trillion yuan will be channeled into transport infrastructure improvement projects by 2020, including 3.5 trillion yuan for railways, 7.8 trillion yuan for roads and 500 billion yuan for water transport.

The government promised strengthened policy support in land, investment and subsidies for such projects.

"We have scrapped more than 90 percent of administrative approval procedures...and channeled more energy into reforms on financing mechanisms, including eight demonstration projects allowed to use private investment," said Zheng Jian, deputy head of the NDRC's basic industries department.

"More efforts will be made to improve planning and regulation to ensure the implementation of the plan," Zheng said.

The government also expects improved transport systems to help reduce poverty, saying revolutionary bases, impoverished and border areas, and regions inhabited by ethnic groups will see more favorable policies.

 

[AndrewJin]

China moves to boost transport infrastructure
Xinhua, March 2, 2017

The Chinese government has announced ambitious plans to improve the country's transport infrastructure in the next few years.

The State Council on Tuesday issued a document to expand the transport network during the 13th Five-year Plan period (2016-2020).

By 2020, the country will have 150,000 kilometers of railway lines, 5 million km of roads, 260 airports and 2,527 berths for vessels over 10,000 tonnes.

High-speed railways will increase to 30,000 km, connecting more than 80 percent of cities with a population of more than 1 million.

The government aims to build a modern transport system that is safe, convenient, efficient and green by 2020, according to the document.

China has already weaved enormous networks of railroads, expressways and ship routes, which have smoothed its rapid economic expansion during the past decades.

"China tops the world in the length of high-speed railways, expressways and urban rail transit networks, and the number of berths for vessels over 10,000 tonnes," Li Pumin, secretary general of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), told a press conference Wednesday.

"Seven of the world's 10 largest ports in terms of container throughput are located in China," Li added.

The country's transport investment totaled 13.4 trillion yuan (1.95 trillion U.S. dollars) between 2011 and 2015, about 1.6 times that spent from 2006 to 2010.

However, China transport infrastructure still cannot satisfy the increasing demand of the nation's economic and social development.

"Infrastructure lags behind in less-prosperous central and western regions, connectivity with bordering countries needs further improvement, transport safety is still in grim situation, and investment and financing mechanisms require continued reforms," Li said.

To fix the weak links, a total of 15 trillion yuan will be channeled into transport infrastructure improvement projects by 2020, including 3.5 trillion yuan for railways, 7.8 trillion yuan for roads and 500 billion yuan for water transport.

The government promised strengthened policy support in land, investment and subsidies for such projects.

"We have scrapped more than 90 percent of administrative approval procedures...and channeled more energy into reforms on financing mechanisms, including eight demonstration projects allowed to use private investment," said Zheng Jian, deputy head of the NDRC's basic industries department.

"More efforts will be made to improve planning and regulation to ensure the implementation of the plan," Zheng said.

The government also expects improved transport systems to help reduce poverty, saying revolutionary bases, impoverished and border areas, and regions inhabited by ethnic groups will see more favorable policies.