Beijing rolls out rail transit development plan in 2025

China

Beijing rolls out rail transit development plan in 2025

2025-02-08 03:00 Last Updated At：04:17

Beijing on Friday unveiled its rail transit development plan for 2025 which includes the opening of two new sections and the construction of two new metro lines.

According to the Beijing Major Projects Construction Headquarters Office, a new 7.2-kilometer section of Line 17, connecting its northern and southern segments, will open in 2025, enabling north-south transit through the city.

Additionally, a 2.1-kilometer southward extension of Line 6, an east-west line traversing the city, will also be inaugurated in 2025.

Meanwhile, construction will begin in 2025 on two new lines. The first is Phase 2 of Line 19 which will span 24.2 kilometers with eight stations along the route. The second is the northern section of Phase 1 of Line R4 which will stretch 21.3 kilometers long and include five stations.

"Once Phase 2 of Line 19 is completed, it will create a rapid transit corridor connecting the northwest region of the city with the central area, and will stimulate development in both the northern part of the central urban area and the surrounding satellite towns in the plains. Additionally, the completion and opening of the northern section of Line R4 Phase 1 will further strengthen transportation links between the central urban area and the satellite towns, and enhance the quality of land-based transportation services to the Capital Airport," said Yang Liming, director of the No. 1 department of rail transit under the Beijing Major Projects Construction Headquarters Office.

By 2024, Beijing's total urban rail transit length had reached 879 kilometers, ranking first among Chinese metropolitans.

With the plan in 2025, 54.8 kilometers will be added to Beijing's transit system.

U.S. gov't begins refunding tariffs to businesses

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Monday launched the first phase of a new claims system that will allow importers to seek repayment of tariffs collected under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

Companies and their customs brokers can submit refund requests through CBP's Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) portal using a newly developed tool known as the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries, or CAPE, starting Monday.

Once a claim is validated, CBP will recalculate the duties without the IEEPA tariffs and reliquidate the entries, triggering repayment. The refunds will be paid directly to the businesses that originally paid the tariffs, local media reported Monday.

Valid refunds will generally be issued within 60 to 90 days after a claim is accepted, CBP said, though more complex cases could take longer.

CBP is rolling out the refund process in phases. Court filings show that more than 330,000 importers paid duties on over 53 million shipments, totaling roughly 166 billion U.S. dollars.

The Supreme Court ruled in February that U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs under IEEPA are unconstitutional. It is Congress, not the president, that holds authority over such taxes.

Following the ruling, a judge at the U.S. Court of International Trade directed CBP to remove the tariffs from affected entries and refund any excess duties collected, along with interest.