Investment in China’s railways in the first 10 months of 2011 fell 25 per cent year-on-year to Rmb429bn, said the Ministry of Railways. Infrastructure investment totalled Rmb367bn, a fall of 28 per cent.

The ministry is facing increasing pressure to pay off creditors. At the end of September, its debts amounted to Rmb2,230bn.

Freight transportation volume between January and October rose 8.1 per cent to 3.27bn tonnes.