China Steering Towards a Nationwide Transportation Revolution
China’s transportation system is undergoing a historic transformation under the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025). Minister of Transport Liu Wei recently confirmed that six of the plan’s core goals were achieved ahead of schedule in 2024, with the remaining eleven targets on track to be completed by the end of this year. The achievements range from expanding highways and high-speed railways to introducing green mobility solutions and deploying intelligent transport technologies.
By late 2024, China’s railway network had stretched to 162,000 kilometres, a 16,000-kilometre increase from the previous plan period. Of this, 10,000 kilometres are dedicated to high-speed rail. Navigable waterways extended to 17,600 kilometres, while 263 certified civil aviation airports now operate across the nation, an increase of 22 in just four years. Fixed asset investment in transportation topped 15.2 trillion yuan (US$2.12 trillion), up by 23.3 percent compared to the previous period.
Liu Wei stressed: “The transportation network has become more robust, with a focus on modernization and high-quality development, while accelerating the building of a comprehensive national system.”
Engineering Feats that Redefine Limits
Some of the world’s most ambitious infrastructure projects were completed during this period. The Shenzhen–Zhongshan Corridor, a mega-link in the Greater Bay Area, broke multiple world records with its steel-shelled concrete immersed tube tunnel. Its opening has cut travel time between Shenzhen and Zhongshan to just 30 minutes. Within its first year, more than 31.5 million vehicles used the corridor, proving its importance to regional integration.
Meanwhile, in Xinjiang, the Tianshan Victory Tunnel, now the world’s longest highway tunnel, reduced a three-hour mountain crossing to just 20 minutes. These projects demonstrate China’s capability to solve some of the toughest engineering challenges with homegrown technology, including full-section hard rock TBMs and ultra-large vertical boring machines.
Song Shenyou, chief engineer of the Shenzhen–Zhongshan Passage, noted: “We adhere to independent innovation in key technologies and firmly grasp the leadership of innovation in our own hands. Only independent innovation can lead the world.”
Racing Ahead
China has firmly established itself as the world leader in high-speed rail. By the end of 2024, the high-speed railway network reached 48,000 kilometres, covering 97 percent of cities with populations over half a million. The country has now completed over 80 percent of the “eight vertical and eight horizontal” national grid.
Among the highlights is the CR450 bullet train, capable of speeds up to 400 km/h in commercial service. In June 2023, it set a world record by reaching 453 km/h on the Fuzhou–Xiamen High-Speed Railway. This technological leap required breakthroughs in permanent magnet traction, aerodynamics, and advanced braking systems.
Zhao Hongwei, lead technical expert on the Fuxing EMU, remarked: “This means that China’s railways have entered the ‘no man’s land’ of high-speed rail scientific and technological innovation.”
A Connectivity Framework
China’s infrastructure vision is not limited to domestic boundaries. Major international projects have been delivered, such as the China–Laos Railway, the Heihe–Blagoveshchensk cross-border bridge, and Peru’s Chancay Port. Work has already begun on the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan Railway, expanding the Belt and Road Initiative’s reach.
The China–Europe Railway Express has become a powerhouse of trade, with over 110,000 freight trains running between Asia and Europe. Nearly 10,000 intermodal rail-sea trains now move goods annually through the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, cementing China’s role as a central player in global logistics.
Technology at the Core
Smart transport has been pushed to the forefront. Over 4,000 kilometres of highways have been fitted with intelligent systems, and 9,950 kilometres of electronic waterway charts have been released. Ports like Shanghai and terminals in Xiaoyangshan now rank among the most automated in the world.
China is embracing new technologies such as autonomous driving, drone-based logistics, and AI-driven smart roads. At the 27th China Expressway Informatization Conference, experts stressed that the sector’s focus is shifting from isolated technological breakthroughs to building integrated ecosystems.
Wang Shaofei, President of the Digital Transportation and Smart City Institute, explained: “The construction of smart highways will no longer be limited to single-scenario breakthroughs. It’s about deep integration of data, industry and digital governance, creating a shift from ‘functional carrier’ to ‘value ecology’.”
Building Green, Travelling Clean
Sustainability is another cornerstone of this transformation. China launched its first dual-fuel vessel powered by green methanol, produced from urban food waste and agricultural by-products. The Jiwei section of the Jiqing Expressway became the country’s first net-zero highway, with photovoltaic panels and smart grids reducing carbon emissions by 61,000 tonnes annually.
New energy vehicles (NEVs) continue to dominate global sales, with 12.8 million units produced and sold in 2024 alone. Charging coverage has expanded to 98 percent of highway service areas, supported by innovations such as liquid-cooled overcharging and solar-integrated charging.
Xi Jinping highlighted: “It is necessary to accelerate the formation of green and low-carbon transportation modes, strengthen the construction of green infrastructure, and make transportation more environmentally friendly and low-carbon.”
Regional Development and Daily Efficiency
China’s mega-city clusters are reaping the benefits. Integrated transportation networks now connect the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Greater Bay Area with world-class ports, airports, and rail systems. Each day, the system supports staggering volumes: 180 million passenger journeys, 160 million tonnes of freight, and 478 million courier parcels.
Local businesses have also flourished. Ms Zheng, a restaurant owner in Qianjiang, Chongqing, shared: “After the opening of the high-speed rail, I can’t be busy from morning to night!” The newly opened Chongqing–Xiamen high-speed line has turned her town into a bustling stop for travellers.
The 15th Five-Year Plan
As China prepares for its 15th Five-Year Plan, the country is set to build on these achievements. The Ministry of Transport has promised continued focus on safety, intelligent upgrades, and green transformation. Integration of AI, renewable energy, and low-altitude economic development will play pivotal roles.
Minister Liu Wei summarised: “We will accelerate integration, safety improvement, intelligent upgrading, and green transformation, providing a strong guarantee for building a transportation power and achieving national rejuvenation with Chinese-style modernization.”
Driving Global Inspiration
China’s transportation revolution demonstrates what’s possible when vision meets technology, investment, and persistence. From world-record tunnels to the fastest trains and green highways, the country has rewritten the map of modern mobility.
Its success provides not just a blueprint for its own future, but also a source of inspiration for nations striving to balance growth, sustainability, and connectivity.
