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High-speed rail showcasing China’s rapid modernization

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By Liu Zhiqiang, Li Xinping, People’s Daily

China’s railway sector has achieved leapfrog development over the past decades, as evidenced by a range of impressive statistics.

In an hour, the Fuxing bullet train travels 350 kilometers, making it the fastest train service in the world. Besides, China is developing a new high-speed train model CR450, which will be able to operate at speeds of 400 kilometers per hour, showing strong innovation dynamism.

In a single day, China’s railway network transports over 10 million passengers, making it the busiest rail system globally. These bustling services demonstrate China’s vitality, with the railway network reaching 99 percent of cities across the country, each with a population of over 200,000, and the high-speed rail network covering 96 percent of cities, each with a population surpassing 500,000.

In a year, China’s modern railway network expands by about 3,600 kilometers, marking the most significant growth worldwide. China has built the most modern railway system and the most extensive high-speed rail network in the world. The operating mileage of China’s railway network is expected to surpass 160,000 kilometers, and the total length of China’s operating high-speed rail tracks is set to approach 46,000 kilometers, the highest in the world.

In front of the archive of the China Academy of Railway Sciences Corporation Limited (CARS), there is a 100-meter-long railway track made up of different types of sleepers.

“Each kind of sleepers used in China’s railway, starting from wood and cement to integral track beds, marks significant milestones in the country’s railway modernization,” said Li Xuefeng, general manager of CARS.

“The goal of building 160,000 kilometers of railway, a vision proposed over a century ago, is now becoming a reality in the new era,” said Fu Meisheng, deputy head of the China Railway Museum.

The newly launched high-speed railways in China are equipped with state-of-the-art heavy-duty tracks to accommodate the speed of over 350 kilometers per hour, with each track spanning 100 meters.

“If you want the trains to be fast and steady, it is necessary to use 100-meter heavy-duty tracks and reduce the number of welding lines on the tracks,” said Zeng Xianhai, head of Communication & Signaling and Power Supply of China Railway.

To extend 25-meter steel rails to 100-meter heavy-duty tracks, Chinese enterprises, universities and research institutes have collaborated extensively, achieving more than 100 technology patents in China and around the world.

For instance, to overcome the challenge, the CARS performed extensive tests to find the best technical parameters for the tracks. Leading steel companies in China have collaborated on research and development and conducted trial production at the same time.

Today, China’s high-speed heavy-duty rails boast world-leading performance, with a straightness deviation of no more than the thickness of three A4 sheets per meter.

A high-speed train running at 350 kilometers per hour consists of approximately 40,000 parts, with the network control system considered the train’s “brain.” China used to rely on foreign technology in this regard, which limited the technological iteration and advancement of the trains.

To tackle the technological challenge, China Railway managed to develop the testing platform and produce network chips independently. From technical documents to system architecture, from diverse hardware specifications to component testing and code debugging, it took five years for the company to break through key technologies of this network control system.

Today, this advanced, independently developed “brain” boasts a data transmission speed 60 times higher than existing products, with a transmission capacity 100 times greater. It is reported that of the 254 important standards adopted by the Fuxing bullet train, 84 percent are Chinese standards.

Innovation knows no bounds. The prototype of the next-generation Fuxing bullet train CR450 is being manufactured on the production lines of China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation’s Changchun and Qingdao bases. It will roll off the assembly line later this year, expected to break new ground in several areas of high-speed railway technology.

The Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway marks the first time that all systems, all elements, and the entire industrial chain of China’s high-speed railway are landed overseas. It also serves as a vivid example of China’s openness and inclusiveness.

During the railway’s construction, over 75 percent of services and procurement are local to Indonesia, creating 51,000 jobs for local communities. During the operation, China provided on-site training for over 160 local drivers and technicians. The project has significantly boosted the development of Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway economic belt, serving as the path to prosperity and happiness for local communities.

Chinese railway technology is rapidly advancing on a global level, contributing Chinese wisdom the global modernization. For instance, China-Europe freight trains have reached 223 cities in 25 European countries and over 100 cities in 11 Asian countries. The China-Laos Railway has transported over 4.3 million tons of cargo since it was put into operation in 2021.

So far, China’s high-speed railway network has handled a total of over 20 billion passenger trips. More than 8,700 Fuxing bullet trains are in operation every day in China. Known for its exceptional safety performance, China’s high-speed railway network is widely recognized as the safest railway system worldwide.

 

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Trump begins mass layoffs at Voice of America

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The Trump administration has initiated sweeping layoffs at Voice of America (VOA) and other U.S.-funded international broadcasters, effectively dismantling institutions long seen as critical for American influence abroad.

 

On Sunday, contractors working for VOA received an email notification that their employment would be terminated by the end of March. “You must cease all work immediately and are not permitted to access any agency buildings or systems,” the email read, according to multiple staff members who confirmed the development.

 

The move, which comes just a day after all employees were placed on administrative leave, disproportionately affects non-English-language services, where contractors make up a significant portion of the workforce. Many of these contractors are not U.S. citizens and may now face visa issues, further complicating their status in the country.

 

While most full-time staff remain employed for now, they have been told not to work, leaving VOA and its sister organizations in a state of uncertainty. Some services, unable to produce new programming, have resorted to playing music.

 

VOA, founded during World War II, has been a critical tool for U.S. public diplomacy, broadcasting in 49 languages to audiences in countries where press freedom is restricted. However, President Trump signed an executive order on Friday targeting its parent organization, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), as part of broader federal budget cuts.

 

The cuts extend beyond VOA, affecting other U.S.-funded media entities such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, Radio Farda (which broadcasts in Persian to Iran), and Alhurra, an Arabic-language network launched after the 2003 Iraq invasion. The administration argues that taxpayers should not fund what it calls “radical propaganda,” despite VOA’s longstanding editorial independence.

 

Liam Scott, a VOA journalist covering press freedom and disinformation, expressed concern over the decision. “I’ve covered press freedom for a long time, and I’ve never seen something like what’s happened in the U.S. over the past couple of months,” he wrote on social media.

 

The move has drawn international attention, particularly from China and Russia, which have been expanding their own state-funded media efforts. The Chinese state-run *Global Times* reacted with an editorial declaring that “the monopoly of information held by traditional Western media is being shattered.”

 

Trump’s administration has pursued aggressive cuts across federal agencies, including eliminating most foreign aid and significantly reducing the Department of Education. With input from tech billionaire Elon Musk, Trump has focused on reducing government size to facilitate tax cuts.

 

As the global media landscape shifts, the dismantling of U.S.-funded broadcasters leaves a vacuum that could be filled by rival state-controlled networks. Whether Congress or legal challenges will intervene remains to be seen, but for now, the future of America’s international broadcasting efforts hangs in the balance.

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Judge blocks Trump from deporting non-citizens using wartime law

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A federal judge has temporarily halted the Trump administration’s attempt to deport migrants allegedly linked to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua under a wartime law.

US District Judge James Boasberg issued a restraining order preventing the administration from using the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to expel undocumented migrants accused of gang ties. The order initially protected five individuals challenging the deportation but was later expanded to all affected noncitizens in US custody.

Boasberg also directed that any planes carrying these migrants be returned to the United States. “Any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned,” he ruled. The restraining order will remain in effect for 14 days or until further court action.

The Trump administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act, citing Tren de Aragua as a terrorist organization that has “unlawfully infiltrated the United States” and is engaging in hostile actions. However, civil rights groups, including the ACLU, argue that the gang’s activities do not meet the legal definition of an invasion.

The Justice Department has appealed the ruling, while the case continues in court.

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China’s new chapter in global innovation

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By Gu Yekai, Liu Yiqing, People’s Daily

At a smart construction project site managed by China State Construction Engineering Corporation, a quiet technological revolution is underway. Amid cranes and concrete, engineers are deploying advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems that could fundamentally reshape the construction industry.

Li Fengjian, an AI specialistwith Xianyuan Technology, detailed how the company’s latest intelligent system – built on a large model – adapts to complex construction environments.”Engineering machinery equipped with intelligent agents can adjust its operations automatically in response to weather conditions,” Li explained, adding that a spatiotemporal sensing network further enhances the system, providing real-time tracking of both personnel and materials throughout the construction site.

In February this year, Xianyuan Technology rapidly integrated its self-developed model with DeepSeek-R1, effectively blending a general-purpose framework with industry-specific models. This integration, Li noted, has produced a solution capable of delivering expert-level performance in challenging, dynamic environments. The firm is based in the Shanghai Foundation Model Innovation Center, aburgeoning AI incubator that now hosts over 200 innovative enterprises.

China’s technological transformation extends well beyond the construction sector. Overthe past three decades, the country has evolved from its initial forays into internet connectivity to becoming a key player in global digital innovation.

Here, a steady stream of technological innovations are emerging, from the early days of emails and web browsing to the cutting-edge technologies represented by DeepSeek and the dynamic evolution of social media.

Wu Jianping, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and headof the Zhongguancun Laboratory, pointed out that while China had introduced only one internet standard before 2005, it now contributes to over 200 worldwide. Such strides illustrate the country’s concerted push toward high-level technological self-reliance – a journey marked by both persistence and determination.

Beyond the digital realm, China is makingsignificant inroads in aerospace, new energy, and other high-tech sectors. It has transitioned from being a follower to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with global leaders, and in some areas, even taking the lead. Wu attributed these achievements to a dynamic ecosystem of policy reforms and talent cultivation that encourages creativity and technical expertise at every level.

Amid intensifying international competition, collaborative research and the integration of new technologies with traditional industries are central to China’s high-quality economic development.

Mei Linhai, a researcher at China’s State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Intelligence, remarked that the age of AI calls for continuous exploration. “In this era, everyone is an innovator. Only by persistently pushing the boundaries can we remain at the forefront of both technological and industrial development,” Mei observed.

In the field of general-purpose AI, Mei emphasized that independent innovation is paramount. He advocates for a self-driven industrial ecosystem that leveragesbreakthrough technologies to boost productivity and unlock new possibilities, Mei said.

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