China breaks ground on high-speed rail that will cross permafrost

Construction of the Harbin-Yichun high-speed rail began in the city of Yichun, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, on Thursday. (Xinhua/Wang Junbao)

HARBIN, May 13 (Xinhua) -- China's northernmost province of Heilongjiang on Thursday broke ground on a high-speed railway that will cross permafrost regions in the city of Yichun.

The Harbin-Yichun high-speed rail will total approximately 300 km with a designed speed of 250 km per hour.

"The railway will not only cross permafrost regions, but will also pass through primeval forests and water conservation areas. The environmental protection requirements are extremely high, and a number of technical problems need to be solved," said Ma Guochen, project director with China Railway 22nd Bureau Group.