Liu Zhijun, minister at China's Ministry of Railways, has stated that the Chinese government plans to invest a total of RMB 700 billion ($106 billion) in domestic high-speed railway infrastructure in the period of the country's 12th five-year plan (2011-15).
Mr. Liu said that the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway, connecting the two most important cities in China, is scheduled to be opened in mid-June 2011. He added that in 2011 alone China plans to lay 7,935 kilometers of new single rail high-speed lines and 6,211 kilometers of new double rail high-speed lines.