China's railway investment up 5.2 pct in Q1

China's railway construction progressed steadily in the first quarter of 2025, with fixed-asset investment expanding 5.2 percent year on year, according to the country's railway operator on Friday.

During the January-March period, fixed-asset investment in the country's railway sector reached 131.2 billion yuan (about 18.2 billion U.S. dollars), according to data from China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.

Railway investment has served as a strong driver of overall economic growth, boosting domestic demand and supporting coordinated regional development, the group said.

The group said it will capitalize on the peak construction season and accelerate the implementation of key railway projects, contributing to the country's sustained economic recovery and growth momentum.

Key projects have been successfully launched, including the full operation of the Zhengzhou-Kaifeng Intercity Railway in central China's Henan Province, and the opening of Zhongchuan Airport East Station on the Lanzhou-Zhangye High-Speed Railway in northwest China's Gansu Province.

Upgrades have been completed at Shanghai South Station, as well as at Wuchuan Station on the Shenzhen-Zhanjiang Railway and Chao'an Station on the Meizhou-Shantou High-Speed Railway, all located in south China's Guangdong Province.

Several major projects are set to break ground later this year, including the expansion of the Zhengzhou-Lanzhou section of the Longhai Line -- which connects Henan and Gansu -- the construction of Hami East Station in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and the Ejina Banner-Hami section of the Linhe-Hami Railway -- linking Inner Mongolia with Xinjiang.

The legitimate rights of the Palestinian people must be respected and protected, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a press briefing in Beijing on Friday.

Mao made the remarks in response to a media query about the reports that the Israeli parliament recently adopted a new law introducing death penalty for Palestinians, and countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have expressed strong condemnation, saying such practice is "entrenching a system of apartheid."

"All legislation must conform to legal principles such as the principle of legality, fairness and justice, and must not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, nationality or political view. The legitimate rights of the Palestinian people must be respected and protected. Relevant party’s actions that escalate tensions and exacerbate confrontation must stop," said Mao.