China has made steady progress on major construction projects included in the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), providing strong support for high-quality economic and social development.
Rail-laying work for the Hebei section of Beijing Subway Line 22 officially began in north China’s Hebei Province on Wednesday.
It is the first rail transit line connecting Beijing and Hebei, spanning approximately 81 kilometers and featuring 22 stations. It links key areas, including Beijing Central Business District (Beijing CBD), the Beijing sub-center, Pinggu New Town and Hebei's Yanjiao High-tech Industrial Development Zone.
Once the line is in operation, the shortest travel time from Yanjiao to the Beijing CBD will be about 32 minutes, further accelerating cross-regional commuting for residents of both Beijing and Hebei.
In east China’s Anhui Province, track laying has officially begun along the entire route of the Chaohu–Ma’anshan Intercity Railway, with completion expected next year. This new rapid corridor will further promote the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region.
In Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province, the Ge'er Tunnel of the Xining-Chengdu railway was successfully completed on Friday. With an average elevation of 3,300 meters, it is the highest tunnel constructed for the Xining-Chengdu railway.
The line connects the three provinces of Qinghai, Gansu, and Sichuan. Once fully operational, travel time from Xining to Chengdu will be reduced from approximately 10 hours to around 4.5 hours.
At the same time, as a significant water conservancy project under China's 14th Five-Year Plan, the construction of the Menghe Shuanghou Reservoir in Linyi City of east China's Shandong Province is in full swing.
Once completed next year, it is expected to significantly improve flood control, water supply, and irrigation in the Yihe River basin, further supporting agricultural productivity and food security.
In Zhanjiang City, south China's Guangdong Province, a water storage tank at the largest pump station under the Guangdong water resources allocation project in the Beibu Gulf region is about to be capped.
This project, expected to start operations in 2031, spans over 490 kilometers and will link 12 reservoirs along the route, benefiting more than 18 million people.
In Nanchong City in southwest China’s Sichuan Province, construction of the first phase of the Tingzikou irrigation-area project is underway and is expected to be completed and operational by 2027.
China makes steady progress on major construction projects included in 14th Five-Year Plan
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday that mediation efforts of the Pakistani side regarding the Middle East tensions are in the common interests of all parties.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in his talks with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar in Beijing.
During their talks, the two sides exchanged views on current international issues and regional conflicts.
Wang welcomed the visit of the Pakistani side to Beijing for discussion on easing tensions in the Middle East, just after its holding of a quadrilateral foreign ministers' meeting in Islamabad.
He said China supports and looks forward to Pakistan playing a unique and important role in easing the situation and resuming peace talks. This process is no easy task, and Pakistan's mediation efforts are in line with the common interests of all parties, Wang added.
He noted China is willing to make joint efforts with Pakistan to end the hostilities as soon as possible, create opportunities for peace and open the window for peace talks.
On bilateral ties, Wang said this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan, calling on both sides to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and constantly advance the building of a China-Pakistan community with a shared future.
For his part, Dar said the Pakistan-China friendship is precious and deeply rooted in people's hearts, adding that Pakistan is willing to work with China to promote the continuous development of the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.
Dar thanked China for supporting Pakistan's mediation of the situation in Iran, adding that the current conflict has disrupted international energy supplies and caused heavy damage to developing countries.
Noting that solutions can only be found through negotiation, Dar said Pakistan is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China to push all parties to start peace talks as soon as possible and restore regional peace.
The two sides also put forward a five-point initiative for restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and the Middle East region:
I. Immediate cessation of hostilities: China and Pakistan call for immediate cessation of hostilities and utmost efforts to prevent the conflict from spreading. Humanitarian assistance must be allowed to all war-affected areas.
II. Start of peace talks as soon as possible. Sovereignty, territorial integrity, national independence and security of Iran and the Gulf states should be safeguarded. Dialogue and diplomacy is the only viable option to resolve conflicts. China and Pakistan support the relevant parties in initiating talks, with all parties committing to peaceful resolution of disputes, and refraining from the use or the threat of use of force during peace talks.
III. Security of nonmilitary targets. The principle of protecting civilians in military conflict should be observed. China and Pakistan call on parties to the conflict to immediately stop attacks on civilians and nonmilitary targets, and fully adhere to International Humanitarian Law, and stop attacking important infrastructure, including energy, desalination and power facilities, and peaceful nuclear infrastructure, such as nuclear power plants.
IV. Security of shipping lanes. The Strait of Hormuz, together with its adjacent waters, is an important global shipping route for goods and energy. China and Pakistan call on the parties to protect the security of ships and crew members stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, allow the early and safe passage of civilian and commercial ships, and restore normal passage through the Strait as soon as possible.
V. Primacy of the United Nations Charter. China and Pakistan call for efforts to practice true multilateralism, to jointly strengthen the primacy of the United Nations, and to support the conclusion of an agreement for establishing a comprehensive peace framework and realizing lasting peace based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law.
Pakistan's mediation efforts in common interests of all parties: Chinese FM
Pakistan's mediation efforts in common interests of all parties: Chinese FM
