Shandong plans to strengthen construction of its high-speed railway network during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period and ensure that each city will have access to bullet train services, according to local officials.

High-speed train G9228 arrives at the Pingdu Railway Station in Qingdao on Nov 26, 2020 on its way to the Jinan East Railway Station. [Photo/IC]

Over the next five years, the province will continue to accelerate construction on seven additional high-speed railway projects, including the Qufu-Heze section of the Southern Shandong High-speed Railway, the Zhengzhou-Jinan High-speed Railway, and the Weifang-Yantai High-speed Railway.

By the end of 2025, the combined length of high-speed railways open to traffic in Shandong is expected to reach 4,400 kilometers, double the current figure, and every city in the province will be linked to the high-speed railway network.

In addition, the province will strengthen research on new technologies, new materials, and new equipment and build innovation centers and platforms to facilitate the development of smart high-speed railways.

It will seek cooperation with China Railway Electrification Engineering Group, a leading domestic high-speed railway technology enterprise, to promote the application of scientific and technological achievements and jointly build incubators for high-speed railway products.

Shandong will also optimize its industrial pattern and cultivate a number of high-quality projects involving high-end equipment, new materials, new energy, and new-generation information technology to develop a world-class railway industrial cluster in the province.