China is to extend its railways in western regions to more than 50,000km by 2020, according to Yan Hexiang, deputy director of the Ministry of Railways’ development planning department. Mr Yan said more investment would be channelled into railway construction in the west over coming years to serve local economic and social development.

The ministry will accelerate current building projects and push for the early construction of lines such as those connecting Chengdu and Guiyang, Chongqing and Guiyang, and Kunming and Nanning.

China launched its Go West strategy in January 2000 to help underdeveloped western regions catch up with the more prosperous east. Between then and the end of 2008, the operating length of railways in western regions increased from 20,000km to nearly 30,000km, accounting for 36 per cent of the country’s entire network.