China expands regional connectivity with new rail link to Vietnam border city

China on Thursday opened a new high-speed rail link connecting cities in the southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, with the new route completing a fast passenger corridor running from the regional capital Nanning all the way to the China-Vietnam border.

The new line, running between the cities of Chongzuo and Pingxiang, is expected to cut travel times, boost regional connectivity and support economic cooperation with China's partners in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The first train departed from Pingxiang East Station at 10:18 on Friday, stopping at several new stations before arriving at Nanning East Station 93 minutes later. The new route offers great convenience and slashes travel time for Guangxi locals.

"Everyone is very excited. Now we can get from Pingxiang to Nanning in about an hour and a half. Driving ourselves would take at least two and a half hours," said one passenger.

The project was one of the key development aims included in China's 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), which called for improved connectivity with neighboring countries.

Located in southwest Guangxi, the route links Nanning with the border port city of Pingxiang. Its first segment, stretching from Nanning to Chongzuo, opened in December 2022.

The newly launched 80-kilometer section begins at Chongzuo South and ends at Pingxiang East, with trains operating at speed of 250 kilometers per hour.

"At the start of operations, four round-trip high-speed trains will run daily. From Pingxiang East, passengers can reach major Guangxi cities including Nanning, Liuzhou, Guilin and Beihai. The fastest Nanning-Pingxiang trip now takes 75 minutes, trimming 178 minutes from the current regular service," said Su Shixiong, deputy station chief at Pingxiang East.

The full opening of the line will further improve Guangxi's railway network and better support the development of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, a comprehensive free trade agreement between China and the 10 ASEAN member states.

China expands regional connectivity with new rail link to Vietnam border city

The sales revenue of China's high-tech industry grew 16.1 percent in the first two months this year, according to tax data released by the State Taxation Administration.

Figures showed that China's innovation-oriented industries grew rapidly in the January-February period.

Specifically, the sales revenue of high-tech service industries grew 17.2 percent year on year, with the figures for scientific and technology intermediary services, and natural science research and experimental development expanding 25.6 percent and 17.4 percent, respectively.

Meanwhile, the sales revenue of high-tech manufacturing industries increased by 14.5 percent year on year. Boosted by sectors such as the low-altitude economy, commercial space industry, and consumer electronics, the sales revenue of space equipment manufacturing, and electronic and communication equipment manufacturing grew 28.5 percent and 18.4 percent year on year, respectively.

Invoicing data show that the sales revenue of China's scientific research and technical services sector grew 23.6 percent year on year in the January-February period, maintaining rapid growth momentum.

The sales revenue of intellectual property (patent)-intensive industries increased by 12.8 percent year on year.

Furthermore, both the corporate procurement of digital technologies and the sales revenue of core digital economy industries registered a surge of 10.8 percent year on year in the January-February period.

China's high-tech sales revenue up 16.1pct in Jan-Feb period