Latest railway technology on show at Beijing expo

A simplified contact net for electricity supply along high-speed railways developed by China Railway Design Corp has attracted attention from railway professionals.

"The traditional contact net has more than 22 points to secure the equipment but the upgraded one has only 14," said Lin Defu, director of China Railway Design Corp's product department, adding that the new equipment has greatly improved the efficiency of maintenance work.

He said it is being used along the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway, which opened in Indonesia last month.

"More high-speed railway lines in China and abroad are using the new contact net to improve efficiency," he said.

China Railway International, a subsidiary of China State Railway Group, oversees all overseas railway projects that Chinese companies participate in.

Its president, Ju Guojiang, said: "The biggest advantage of China's railway sector (in going global) is that we have a comprehensive system, inclusive of all elements and the entire industry chain.

"It means that China can offer a comprehensive plan, including survey, design and construction as well as providing supplies and materials. It can also offer operation plans following the railway's opening."

China's railway sector has developed rapidly in the past 15 years, especially when it comes to high-speed lines. By the end of last year, China's high-speed network was 42,000 kilometers long, accounting for more than 70 percent of the length of all high-speed railways in the world.