Shanghai-Suzhou-Huzhou high-speed rail line starts operation

China's Shanghai-Suzhou-Huzhou high-speed railway officially entered service on Thursday,linking the financial hub of Shanghai with the historic cities of Suzhou and Huzhou in a major boost to regional connectivity.

The high-speed railway has a designed speed of 350 km per hour and spans 164 km, connecting Shanghai Hongqiao Station with Suzhou City in Jiangsu Province and Huzhou City in Zhejiang Province. The railway has eight stations, providing convenient access to major cities and towns along the route.

This is the first high-speed railway connecting the three major economic hubs of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai in the Yangtze River Delta, according to Chen Guoquan, the railway project designer from China Railway Construction Corporation.

Residents are excited about the operation as the new high-speed railway is expected to significantly reduce travel times and improve connectivity between the three cities.

"We're in Huzhou city. It's so convenient for us to travel by high-speed train to Shanghai. It's good for people like us, so I'm very delighted," said a passenger.

"We have several places to visit. All the four people are excited. They all arrived early," said another passenger.

Before this new train service, the journey between Huzhou and Shanghai took about two hours. Now, it only takes around 50 minutes.

With the new railway, the operating length of the railway network in the Yangtze River Delta region has surpassed 15,000 km, over half of which is high-speed rail.

Along the railway, high-end industries are expected to cluster, further accelerating the high-quality development of the economic belt, according to Zhang Zhipeng, associate professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Shanghai-Suzhou-Huzhou high-speed rail line starts operation

The White House Office of Management and Budget released its 2027 budget proposal on Friday, which would raise U.S. defense spending to 1.5 trillion U.S. dollars while reducing funding for domestic programs.

The budget plan "builds on the president's vision by continuing to constrain non-defense spending and reform the federal government," according to a document published on the White House website.

At a White House event on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump highlighted the defense spending as a priority, noting that domestic responsibilities such as health care should be shifted to the states.

"We're fighting wars. We can't take care of day care. You got to let a state take care of day care, and they should pay for it, too," Trump said.

Aside from cuts to health programs, the White House budget proposal also includes cuts to refugee resettlement aid, renewable energy projects, university grants and housing programs, among others.

The president's annual budget is often seen as a reflection of the administration's priorities, though Congress ultimately holds the authority over federal spending.

The release of the White House 2027 budget proposal came as Congress remains deadlocked over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, with Democrats pushing for immigration enforcement reforms that Republicans refuse to accept. This led to a partial government shutdown that has stretched on for nearly seven weeks.

White House seeks 1.5 trillion USD in defense spending in 2027 budget proposal