China’s new railway minister Sheng Guangzu has pledged to continue the programme of expanding the country’s high-speed rail network despite the removal of his predecessor who is being investigated for “severe violation of discipline”.

Liu Hijun's removal was “an individual case”, according to Sheng, and it would not have a big impact on the railway system’s future development and morale, reported Beijing News.

Zhang Junbang, director of the Zhengzhou railway, told China Daily that the plan to build high-speed railways in his bureau’s territory this year was unchanged, and a high-speed line linking Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, and Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei province, will be completed by the end of this year.

The country has plans to expand its high-speed rail network to 13,000km by 2012, up from 8,358km at the end of 2010.