The 12th World Congress on High-Speed Rail Was Held in Beijing
According to China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (CR), the 12th World Congress on High-Speed Rail was held in Beijing from July 8 to 11, 2025, co-hosted by CR and the International Union of Railways (UIC). Under the theme "High-Speed Rail: Innovation and Development for a Better Life". More than 2,000 participants attended the event, including government officials, diplomatic envoys, corporate executives, experts, and scholars from over 60 countries, regions, and international organizations, as well as domestic representatives. The attending representatives highly commended the rapid development and notable achievements of China's high-speed rail in recent years. A broad consensus was reached on key issues concerning the future of high-speed rail innovation and development.
The congress served as a global platform for showcasing high-speed rail achievements, fostering technological exchange, and industrial cooperation. It featured 2 roundtables and 30 technical sessions, with over 200 senior executives, experts, and scholars sharing innovations. Over 700 paper submissions from 27 countries and international organizations brought together cutting-edge ideas and fresh perspectives.
The concurrently held MODERN RAILWAYS 2025 attracted 521 companies from 14 countries and regions. A number of advanced technologies and high-end equipment, such as Railway unmanned aerial vehicle intelligent inspection, were unveiled. Thirty innovative train models, including the CR450 Fuxing EMU trains and maglev trains were displayed. The exhibition featured over 30,000 categories of exhibits and welcomed more than 72,000 visitors, offering the public a window into the future of high-speed rail technology.
During the congress, CR signed cooperation agreements with railway groups from France, Spain, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Laos, Malaysia and other countries. The congress also featured railway-themed science outreach, fan engagement, and technical visits, promoting high-speed rail culture and building a bridge for mutual learning and exchange among civilizations.
China's high-speed rail network spans 48,000 km—over 70% of the global total—connecting 97% of cities with populations over 500,000. Fuxing EMU trains operate at commercial speeds of up to 350 km/h, with over 10,000 daily departures serving more than 16 million passengers. EMU trips have exceeded 22.9 billion. China led the development of all 13 system-level international standards under the UIC, contributing expertise and advancing global rail technology.
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