China and Mongolia have commenced construction on their second cross-border railway, the China Energy Investment Group announced on Wednesday.
The first railway line between the two countries, connecting Erenhot and Zamyn-Uud, was completed in 1956.
The new line will link the Ganqimaodu Port in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region with Gashuun Sukhait in Mongolia, spanning a total length of 9.91 kilometers.
"This railway is designated for transporting imported coking coal from Mongolia into China and distributing it to various regions across the country via Ganqimaodu Port, with an annual transportation capacity of 30 million tons. Upon completion, the port's annual customs clearance capacity is expected to double, effectively boosting the development of cross-border logistics, industrial parks, and border services between China and Mongolia," said Wang Shangjun, a staff member at the China Energy Investment Group.
The railway sections in China and Mongolia are being constructed separately by each side, with the cross-border segment connected by a 6.08-kilometer bridge. The entire railway is scheduled for completion and expected to open to traffic in 2027.
2nd cross-border railway between China, Mongolia starts construction
President of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Lee Jae Myung has expressed his hope that his upcoming visit to China will help eliminate past misunderstandings and issues, underscoring the importance of ties between the two countries.
At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Lee will pay a state visit to China from Jan 4 to 7. It will be Lee's first visit to China since he took office.
In an interview with China Media Group (CMG) in Seoul on Wednesday, Lee acknowledged the existing misunderstandings and issues between the two countries, noting that addressing these issues is a key goal of his visit.
"The current international landscape is turbulent, with escalating issues among various countries. In this context, the relationship between the Republic of Korea and China holds significant importance for us. the ROK and China are deeply interconnected in many areas, including history, economy, geopolitics, politics and security. Northeast Asia's peace, stability, mutual respect, and common prosperity are crucial for both countries," said Lee.
"Admittedly, there have been some misunderstandings and issues between the ROK and China, which have hindered the development of bilateral relations to some extent. Therefore, the purpose of my upcoming visit to China is to minimize or eliminate these past issues, foster a leap in our bilateral relations to a new level, and solidify the ROK and China as partners that mutually support each other's development," he said.
ROK President hopes to reduce misunderstandings with China during upcoming visit
