Construction work began on 26 September on an extension of the Qinghai-Tibet railway, AFP reported. The new line, stretching 253km from the Tibetan capital of Lhasa to its second biggest city, Xigaze, should be completed in about four years at a cost of Rmb13.3bn.

The track, nearly half of which will pass through tunnels or on bridges, is seen by the central government as an important step to developing one of China’s poorest regions.