New high-speed railway launched to boost integration of China's Yangtze River Delta

HANGZHOU, July 30 (Xinhua) -- A new high-speed railway went into trial operation on Tuesday linking two economic heavyweights of Hangzhou and Wenzhou cities in east China's Yangtze River Delta region.

Extending 260 km, the railway with a designed speed of 350 km per hour has nine stations, offering a rapid transit solution along the route threading the economic hubs of Hangzhou, Yiwu and Wenzhou in the delta area known as one of the country's most economically vibrant regions.

Wang Chang, the person in charge of the railway project with the railway subsidiary of the Zhejiang Development and Planning Institute, said the railway project is a national pilot of mixed ownership reform for introducing social capital to the railway construction.

The inter-city railway is hooked with the high-speed railway network in the delta region. Rich tourism resources including Hangzhou, a city dubbed "Heaven on Earth" for its architectural delights, as well as Xianhua Mountain and Nanxi River are connected to the line.

The line is of great significance for facilitating the public travel and promoting higher-quality integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, said Wang.