China to build its biggest high-speed train factory

CHANGCHUN, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Construction of China's
biggest manufacturing base for high-speed trains is to be completed in the
northeastern Jilin Province in June next year, local sources confirmed
Wednesday.

It will also become China's biggest research and
development center, according to Han Fengwu, deputy general manager of the
Changchun Railway Vehicle Co., Ltd (CRC).

The base, which cost 2.5 billion yuan (about 0.36
billion U.S. dollars), is capable of producing 500 cars for ordinary passenger
trains, 800 cars for high-speed trains which run at a speed above 350 kilometers
per hour and 800 cars for inter-city express trains above 120 kilometers per
hour.

Construction on the base began last May.

CRC, a share-holding enterprise registered in March
2002, produced China's first underground train, magnetic levitation train and
high-speed train.

The Ministry of Railways launched a major overhaul of
the rail system on April 1, the seventh since 1997, featuring faster trips and
more seats.