China's railway sector handled a record-high 4 billion passenger trips in the first 11 months of 2024, according to the national railway operator on Wednesday.
This marks the first instance of annual passenger trips surpassing 4 billion, reflecting robust travel demand, according to China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.
In the first 11 months, railway passenger turnover, calculated as the number of passengers multiplied by the distance traveled, accounted for nearly half of the national passenger turnover during this period.
Cross-border passenger transport through the railway system experienced notable growth during this period.
The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong High-speed Railway reported 24.35 million passenger trips, up 37.2 percent year on year, and the China-Laos Railway completed 249,000 cross-border passenger trips.
China's railway sector handles over 4 billion passenger trips in first 11 months
China's railway sector handles over 4 billion passenger trips in first 11 months
Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Wednesday highlighted the importance of stronger business ties with China at the Nepal-China Business Forum in Beijing, calling for joint efforts of the business community from both sides to achieve mutual benefit.
Oli is in China for a four-day official visit, during which he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang on Tuesday.
On Wednesday afternoon, he delivered a keynote speech at the forum, in which he spoke highly of the close relationship between the two nations.
"We are not only linked by mountains and rivers, but we are also connected by culture and situation on economic relations, respect for sovereign equality, territory integrity, political independence as well as mutual trust," said the prime minister.
Oli also encouraged businesses from both countries to deepen cooperation.
"I encourage the business community from both countries to work together for mutual benefit. Your increased collaboration and partnership will contribute to further enhancing our economic cooperation. I believe the private sector is the real engine of economic growth and prosperity," he said.
India, as Nepal's largest trading partner, accounts for two-thirds of Nepal's international trade, whereas China, as the second largest, now accounts for about 14 percent. Nine agreements have been signed between China and Nepal, with some of them focusing on enhancing business ties.
According to some participants in the forum, there is still much room for the two countries to expand cooperation in trade and investment.
"Our export is very much low, if we compare with the lot of import from China. So we need to export more items to China. Border connectivity also needs to be improved [more] than what we already have," said Chandra Prasad Dhakal, president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
"From January to September this year, the trade volume between China and Nepal reached 1.58 billion U.S. dollars, marking an 8.7-percent year-on-year increase, showcasing the great potential of bilateral economic and trade cooperation," said Zhang Shaogang, vice chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.
Nepali prime minister stresses importance of stronger business ties with China
