Forewords

Mr GUO Zhuxue

Chair China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.

Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,

Greetings to you all! The 12th World Congress on High-Speed Rail will take place in Beijing, China, on 8-11 July 2025. On behalf of China State Railway Group Co., Ltd., I would like to warmly invite all our railway peers and friends from all circles around the world to join this great event!

Railway is a vital product of industrial civilisation in modern times. From the steam locomotives of over 200 years ago to today’s high-speed EMU trains, the HSRs, empowered by technological innovation, have emerged as a significant symbol of modernised transport. It is profoundly transforming the passenger mobility and turbocharging the high-quality development of economy and society.

Under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China, China had been surmounting challenges and forging ahead in railway sector, with the railway operational length expanding from 21,000 km at the beginning of the founding of the People’s Republic of China to 52,000 km at the initial period of reform and opening up. Whereafter, especially in the new era, China railways have flourished with rapid advancements, and the operational length has surpassed 162,000 km, including over 48,000 km of HSRs. The railway network has achieved a huge leap in its scale, quality, and modernisation. Specifically, China has constructed the world’s most extensive HSR network with the highest level of modernisation, and established a complete set of world-leading HSR technology system, successfully launching the era of intelligent HSR. Fuxing high-speed trains have achieved the commercial operation speed of 350 km/h, contributing to serving and supporting Chinese modernisation. Meanwhile, adhering to the principle of “planning together, building together and benefiting together”, China has been proactively engaged in international railway cooperation. Landmark projects such as China-Laos Railway, Jakarta-Bandung HSR and Hungary-Serbia Railway (Belgrade-Novi Sad Section) have been completed and put into operation successively. CHINA RAILWAY Express has opened up new Asia-Europe corridors for land transport, and railways have been playing a crucial role in promoting global economic development and enhancing people’s wellbeing in all countries.

Just as the theme of the Congress states, “HSR: Innovation and development for a better life,” HSRs in China are indeed providing people with new visions for a better life. Currently, the HSR network covers 96% of Chinese cities with a population exceeding 500,000, with over 10,000 EMU trains operated every day. In 2023, the passenger turnover of HSRs reached 983.4 billion p-km, accounting for 66.8% of the national total, an increase of 50.7% compared with that in 2012. HSRs not only offer a safe, comfortable, and convenient means of transport for the people, greatly enhancing their sense of fulfilment, happiness, and security, but also profoundly influence and drive positive changes in urban layouts, population distribution, and economic landscape, making China, as a country of people on the move, more energetic in pursuing prosperity. Moreover, the safe and efficient operation of the HSR network is producing significant economic benefits and showcasing a great potential for sustainable development.

As the organiser of the 12th World Congress on High-Speed Rail, we sincerely invite railway peers from all over the world to attend and engage in discussions on key issues surrounding the innovative development of HSR. Thus, we can embark on a new chapter of HSR development and make HSR better serve human society. During the congress, MODERN RAILWAYS 2025 will be held concurrently, showcasing the latest railway technology, products, and equipment from around the globe. Additionally, the Tour on HSR Innovation will offer participants the opportunity to experience the unique fusion of HSR technology with traditional Chinese culture.

The innovation and development of China’s HSR cannot be separated from the rest of the world, and the innovation in global HSR also requires China’s wisdom. Through this event, we would like to seize the opportunity to share experience, learn from each another, and collaborate with our railway peers around the world. Thus, we can progress together and jointly promote the global HSR industry towards a better future.

As an old Chinese saying goes, “It is always a delight to have friends coming from afar.” We look forward to seeing you in Beijing, China, in July 2025!

Timeline