China's reusable shield tunneling machine ready for export to Singapore

A smart shield tunneling machine developed and produced by China for export to Singapore rolled off the production line on Monday.

The shield machine, named "Zhongtie 1238" and manufactured by China Railway Engineering Equipment Group Co., Ltd. (CREG) in Zhengzhou, central China's Henan Province, boasts a tunneling diameter of 7.22 meters.

Though it is not the largest shield machine produced by the group, this type of shield machine are developed with innovation.

Shield machines are used to drill through tunnels, and traditional ones can only move forward, but cannot go backwards. As a result, when a tunnel project is completed and there is no exit ahead for the machine, the machine would be cut into pieces at the scene.

However, the "Zhongtie 1238" is equipped with a double-layer shield structure, allowing it to return the same way after completing its work.

The shell of the shield can remain permanently at the scene as stable support, while the machine inside can be used in other projects later.

This innovation helps the group further consolidate its market presence in Singapore.

Up to now, the group has received orders for more than 1,700 sets of different shield machines, with the total mileage of tunnel excavation exceeding 5,000 kilometers.

The products of the CREG have been exported to more than 30 countries and regions, and its production and sales volume have ranked first in the world for seven consecutive years.

China's reusable shield tunneling machine ready for export to Singapore

The South Korean won slid to its lowest level against the U.S. dollar in more than 15 years on Friday, largely due to domestic economic woes and political instability, as well as the dollar's continued strengthening.

The won opened at 1,467.5 per dollar and was trading at 1,482.6 per dollar at 11:03 local time, marking the weakest level since March 16, 2009.

South Korea's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choi Sang-mok said that the sharp decline in the won/dollar exchange rate shows that the absence of a national leader would have a serious impact on the world's trust in the South Korean economy, security, and the continuity of state affairs. 

South Korean financial experts predict that the Korean won will continue to weaken against the U.S. dollar, due to domestic political uncertainties, including the South Korean National Assembly's impeachment motion against acting president Han Duck-soo and the potential launch of a consultative body between the ruling and opposition parties and the government. 

External factors include the Federal Reserve's adjustment of the pace of interest rate cuts, which has pushed up the U.S. dollar.

S Korean won hits 15-year low against USD amid political turmoil