The Weifang-Yantai High-Speed Railway in east China's Shandong Province began operation on Monday, which is set to enhance regional integration, cut travel time and boost the local tourism sector.
Linking Weifang to Yantai, the high-speed railway, with a total length of 237 km and a designed speed of 350 km/h, is the main transportation corridor for passenger exchanges in the northern coastal region of Shandong Province.
It passes through Qingdao and connects several coastal cities in the north of Shandong Province that were once without high-speed rail, including Laizhou and Zhaoyuan.
In addition to deepening regional integration, the operation of the high-speed railway will also boost tourism by making it easier for inland visitors to enjoy beautiful coastal views in a shorter time.
"I bought the ticket as soon as I heard the high-speed train would begin service. Now it takes only three hours to travel from Beijing to Penglai by the high-speed train. I’ll bring my family here this weekend. It's so convenient to travel back and forth!" said a visitor from Beijing.
"I used to drive more than three hours to travel from Jinan to Laizhou, but now it only takes one hour by high-speed train," said a visitor from Jinan.
Eying the influx of visitors brought by the opening of the high-speed railway, local authorities are welcoming them with open arms.
Over 40 scenic spots in Yantai are attracting visitors by offering discounts to holders of high-speed train tickets.
Shuttle bus services are also provided in the city to facilitate travel between tourist destinations and the high-speed railway station.
Starting in 2020, the construction of the Weifang-Yantai High-Speed Railway has once faced complex geological conditions when it passed through a gold mining area in Zhaoyuan City, but these challenges were resolved thanks to new technologies, new materials and intelligent construction equipment.
During the construction, the railway also went through an archaeological site in Pingdu City and the railway construction work gave way to archaeological excavations to protect cultural relics.
"Two steps were taken. Protective archaeological excavation was first conducted in areas on the high-speed railway route. Once the field archaeological work is completed, the site will be handed over to the construction team for further work," said Qu Tao, curator of a museum in Pingdu City.
Weifang-Yantai High-Speed Railway starts operation, deepening regional integration
A 93-year-old veteran of the Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) remains committed to attending the annual on-site ceremony to welcome the return of the remains of CPV martyrs from the Republic of Korea (ROK), paying his full tribute to the heroes who sacrificed their lives during the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea in the early 1950s.
Since China and the ROK signed a handover agreement in 2014 for the repatriation of CPV soldiers' remains, Li Weibo, the CPV veteran, has shown up at the site of welcome ceremony for martyrs every year, dressed in uniform and wearing his medals, to honor the departed comrades with his deepest respect.
"The first time I saw the news on TV, I immediately put on and straightened my uniform, then went to the site of the ceremony. I saluted to honor my comrades there," said Li.
In 1950, at the age of 19, Li graduated early from university and enlisted in the CPV as an anti-aircraft artilleryman. During the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953), the artillery regiment Li served in was responsible for securing the corridor between China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Over the course of the war, the regiment had shot down 15 enemy aircraft and damaged 17 others.
"At that time, we had very few anti-aircraft artillery soldiers, but we defeated a powerful enemy with outdated weapons. So the weak overcame the strong," said Li.
After the war, whenever he missed his fallen comrades, Li would visit the martyrs' cemetery to honor them and express his eternal remembrance.
Besides, over the past decade, he has attended the welcome ceremony every year to witness the return of his comrades' remains. He hopes that, even after their passing, they can see the growing strength and prosperity of their homeland in their own way.
"I saw our country using a large transport plane to bring back the martyrs' remains, escorted by two fighter jets. Now, our nation's aviation has grown stronger. I want them to come back and see how much our country has developed and prospered," said Li.
Despite being over 90 years old, Li said he will continue to be one of the welcoming group members to honor the return of the CPV martyrs, always standing straight and wearing his uniform with pride.
"I want to be there to welcome them every time they return in the rest of my life. I will prepare my uniform in advance, straighten it, and be ready to welcome when they come home," the CPV veteran said.
From 2014 to 2023, China and the ROK, in accordance with international laws and humanitarian principles, successfully completed 10 consecutive handovers involving the remains of 938 CPV martyrs in the ROK, along with related artifacts.
CPV veteran upholds tradition of welcoming comrades' remains home from ROK
