Yu Chunxiao:
Please first allow me to thank you for your question. Railways are to the national economy what arteries to our bodies. They form a key element of national infrastructure and are essential projects closely related to people’s livelihood. In addition, they play a major role in the comprehensive transport system. In building up China’s strength in transport, we should first complete the modernization drive of railway construction.
Initial research shows we will complete modern railway construction by the middle of this century, or around 2050. By then, the network will provide a strong transport capacity and powerful assistance supporting the various national strategies. The railways are supposed to run with high efficiency, offering top-notch services and environmentally friendly designs. While envisaging the layout of infrastructure construction, we will promote the integrated development of different traffic links, comprising major railway lines, inter-city, suburban and the urban rail system. In terms of railway transport facilities, major breakthroughs have been achieved in our researches to realize the operation of the heavy-haul trains capable of running with a load of 30,000 tons or bullet trains being able to run steadily at 250 kilometers per hour(kph). Our research and development efforts have been holistically reserved for the technologies applied to the system of high-speed wheel-track passenger train, being able to reach a speed of 400 kph or to the maglev system with a speed around 600 kph. In regard to services, we will develop a speedy interregional passenger transit system, which majorly relies on high-speed rail transportation with a larger capacity and higher efficiency to increase the passenger transport capability. We will also improve the overall transport structure, accelerate collecting and distribution of railway transport among different ports and build special railway lines to facilitate the transport of bulky commodities from logistic centers and large-scale industrial and mining enterprises and ease their freight transport over medium-and long-distance. This is how we will seek to ensure our railways can better meet modern logistics demand with high quality. Thank you.
Dong Zhiyi:
Thanks for your question. With economic globalization, an international aviation hub is not only a type of transportation infrastructure, but also a platform to incorporate the regional economy into the global market and to participate in the international division of labor and competition. At the same time, it is an important way to increase a city’s competitiveness and influence in the world arena and to participate in global resource allocation. In promoting the Belt and Road Initiative that aims to build a community with a shared future for mankind, civil aviation plays an indispensable role due to its unique features such as widespread and long-distance coverage as well as high efficiency.
In our 13th Five-year Plan (2016-2020), the Civil Aviation Administration, which is tasked with serving China’s opening-up strategy, has put forward a national comprehensive airport system with three world-class airport clusters and 10 international aviation hubs forming the core, 29 regional hubs forming a broader network of links, and other non-core airports serving as important supplements. In terms of international aviation hubs, we will work hard to promote the competitiveness in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou airports, and gradually increase aviation functions in Chengdu, Kunming, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Xi’an, Urumqi and Harbin airports.
In recent years, China’s international aviation hubs have seen increasing competitiveness and influence in the global aviation transportation market. According to our statistics, eight of China’s top 10 civil aviation hubs were among the world’s top 50 in 2018. These eight airports include the Beijing Capital International Airport, Shanghai Pudong airport, Guangzhou airport, Chengdu airport, Shenzhen airport, Kunming airport, Xi’an airport and Shanghai’s Hongqiao airport. The Beijing capital international airport became the second airport, after the US Atlanta airport, to have handled over 100 million passengers in a year.
To promote international aviation hubs, we have been actively promoting the building of three world-class airport clusters in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. We have drafted and implemented the plans with local governments of all levels to push for international aviation hubs in Urumqi, Kunming, Harbin, Chengdu and Chongqing. Currently, we are also pushing for draft strategic plans to build dual hubs in Xi’an and in Beijing.
Dai Yingjun:
Allow me to introduce some information about the postal services. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China’s postal services have made a historic transformation under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core. The industry’s growth rate ranks among the world’s top, and the total volume of express delivery business maintains its position as the world’s number one, with almost 200 million articles being delivered every day, contributing more than 50% of the global growth in the sector.
For building strength in transportation, the postal services will continue to put people first, prioritize innovative development, and push for reform in increasing quality and efficiency. First, we will build a comprehensive, multi-dimensional network system featuring global coverage, high-efficiency as well as safety and convenience. Second, we will push for the development of postal outlets service and inclusive delivery to better serve the needs of the general public. Third, we will increase both the delivery volume and efficiency, expand the areas with “delivery plus” features, and promote an efficient and convenient service system to better serve the people’s needs, improve their livelihood and help further develop production. Fourth, we will accelerate the building of the international logistics supply chain system, and form a diversified, intensive and smooth international delivery network with win-win cooperation as its aim. Fifth, we will build a sustainable industrial system, accelerate technological innovation and digital transformation, and push for green development to protect the environment.
Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, all members of the postal services will implement the “Outline for Building China's Strength in Transport,” assume the responsibilities of “meeting social demand, providing quality services and contributing to better living standards,” so as to contribute to the building of a great modern socialist country. Thank you.
Li Xiaopeng:
We will work hard across the industry and write a new chapter for the rapid development in rail, civil aviation, postal services, road, and waterborne transport, so as to build China's strength in transport, better serve the people and play a strong supporting role in the country's development.Thank you.
