Chongqing section of Chongqing-Xiamen high-speed railway begins joint testing

The Chongqing section of the Chongqing-Xiamen high-speed railway started joint testing on Sunday, marking a key step toward its full operation.

A test train departed from Chongqing East Station at 08:45 for Qianjiang Station in Chongqing, signaling the start of the testing phase.

Stretching about 249 km from Chongqing East to Qianjiang District, the section has a designed speed of 350 km per hour and features seven stations.

"The Chongqing East-Qianjiang section of the Chongqing-Xiamen high-speed railway features 53 tunnels along its main line, with bridges and tunnels accounting for 92 percent of the route. The project has completed static acceptance, and all equipment facilities are now in operation," said Pan Xuefeng, a project official.

As a major infrastructure project, the Chongqing-Xiamen High-Speed Railway is expected to enhance connectivity between the southwestern municipality of Chongqing and the southeastern coastal city of Xiamen.

Once operational, it will cut travel time between downtown Chongqing and Qianjiang from four hours to under one, facilitating faster and more efficient transportation while boosting regional economic development.

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, a major air hub in south China's Guangdong Province, has handled over 17.8 million cross-border passenger trips this year, a year-on-year surge of about 19 percent this year as of Friday, according to local border authorities.

The airport's cargo throughput has topped 1.43 million tonnes, up 8.4 percent.

Both international passenger and cargo volumes have already exceeded their last year's full-year totals, hitting a five-year high.