Shou Xiaoli:

There are two reporters with their hands raised. We'll take two final questions.

Jimu News: 

On May 1, the national railways recorded 20.69 million passenger trips, setting a new single-day record. What achievements has the railway sector made in boosting the country's strength in transport and in serving economic and social development? What are the key tasks going forward? Thank you.

Fei Dongbin:

Thank you for your interest in the railway sector. As a backbone of the comprehensive transportation system, railways serve as important national infrastructure, a major livelihood project, and a main artery of the national economy. In recent years, while strengthening its own development, the railway sector has made notable achievements in promoting the building of a nation with strong transportation and serving economic and social development. The key achievements are as follows:

The scale and quality of the railway network have been continuously improved. By the end of last year, the length of railways in operation in China reached 159,000 kilometers, including 45,000 kilometers of high-speed rail, forming a well-structured, extensive, well-arranged, safe and efficient railway network.

Railway transportation services have been constantly improved. The passenger and freight railway system embraces a more diverse range of goods, and transportation capacity continues to improve. Services such as online ticket and meal booking, high-speed rail transit and multi-modal transport have made travel and logistics more convenient and efficient.

The upgrading and replacement of equipment and technology have accelerated, and the innovative application of independent, intelligent and green technologies has been sped up. High-speed rail technology has set international benchmarks, and the Fuxing high-speed train has won the special prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award. The CR450 science and technology innovation project has made significant breakthroughs, and the new energy locomotives developed by CRRC have rolled off the assembly line for the first time.

We have achieved remarkable outcomes in enhancing Belt and Road Initiative cooperation. Bilateral and multilateral cooperation and exchanges in the railway sector have been deeply promoted. Projects such as the China-Laos Railway, Jakarta-Bandung High-speed Railway, and Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway have achieved significant benefits. China-Europe freight trains have truly helped form a "golden transport channel" for trade between Asia and Europe.

Next, we will closely follow the decisions and deployments of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, focus on key tasks, and continue to promote high-quality railway development, contributing to the great cause of building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation.

We will optimize the layout, strengthen connectivity, build up lines and reinforce links in the railway network. We will enhance the construction of general-speed and heavy-haul railways, accelerate the development of intercity and suburban railways, and promote the integrated development of comprehensive transportation infrastructure.

We will enhance the railway sector's sci-tech innovation system, advancing basic research and cutting-edge technology innovation. Our focus will be on making breakthroughs in core technologies for key areas, striving to achieve self-reliance and strength in science and technology in the railway sector.

We will deepen the restructuring of the transport network, facilitating a shift of bulk commodity transport from road to rail. We'll extend dedicated railway lines to ports, industrial parks, factories and mines. We will vigorously develop intermodal rail-water transportation, high-speed rail freight, and cold-chain logistics, thereby reducing the logistics costs of the whole society.

We will promote the research, development and application of new equipment, technologies and products, forge a modern railway industrial system, and enhance the green and low-carbon transformation through large-scale equipment renewals.

We will deepen bilateral, multilateral and regional cooperation and exchanges in the railway sector. We will promote railway connectivity with neighboring countries, accelerate the construction of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, improve the quality and efficiency of the China-Europe Railway Express, and better serve the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Thank you.