|
The
Chinese government has approved the construction of the
first railway linking the Tibet Autonomous Region with the
rest of China.
The 1,118-kilometer railway will extend from Lhasa in Tibet
to Gormo in Qinghai province in northwest China. It will be
the longest and most elevated railway built on highlands in
the world.
Feasibility studies and planning of the construction of the
railway are now underway. The construction of the railway
will start as soon as possible.
Chinese President Jiang Zemin said that the construction of
therailway is highly necessary.
Premier Zhu Rongji said that the time was ripe for building
the Qinghai-Tibet railway. He said that the railway will
have great significance for accelerating economic and social
development in Tibet, increasing economic and cultural
exchanges between Tibet and the rest of the country and
reinforcing unity among various ethnic groups.
More than 960 kilometers, or over four-fifths of the railway
will be built at an altitude of more than 4,000 meters. And
more than half of it will be laid on earth that has been
frozen for a long time.
China has been considering building the Qinghai-Tibet
railway for over five decades. The rapid economic growth and
technological advance over the past two decades have given
the country enough national strength to complete the
project.
China
Central Television
|
