By the end of 2001, operating railways in China had reached 70,100 km, including 22,600 km of multiple-tracked railways and 17,000 km of electrified railways. Along with the completion or operation of a group of railways of great significance to the development of the national economy, such as the Beijing-Kowloon, Nanning-Kunming, Turpan-Kashi, Handan-Jinan and Baoji-Chengdu (multiple-tracked) railways, railways in southwestern China have been better linked with the other parts of the country, the trunk railways have been further perfected, and transportation ability has been improved.
