China is looking to gain a competitive edge in the transportation sector during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25) amid a larger drive to foster green, smart and high-quality development over the long run. There are imbalances and inadequacies in the development of comprehensive transportation, hence it is urgent to promote high-quality transportation development.
China will make efforts to improve major transportation networks, build multilayered and integrated comprehensive transportation hubs, construct a smart transportation system that is globally competitive and promote the intelligent, digital and networked transformation and upgrade of the country’s infrastructure.
– Luo Guosan, Director of the Department of Infrastructure Development, National Development and Reform Commission
By 2025, the comprehensive transportation system will witness integrated development, substantial strides in green and smart development, an improved facility network and more effective transportation services. More than 95% of cities with a population of over 500,000 will be covered by the high-speed railway network, with trains having maximum speeds of 250 kilometres per hour and faster. By 2035, a convenient, cost-effective, green, smart, advanced and reliable modern national comprehensive transportation network will be basically completed.
It is estimated that investment in transportation increased 3.1% year-on-year to 3.58 trillion yuan ($564 billion) in China last year, which provides strong support for boosting economic growth and meeting people’s basic needs. Under the new plan, the Ministry of Transport will make a big push to promote balanced development, improve transportation hub systems, optimise the transportation structure and improve the efficiency of the comprehensive transportation network.
The administration will set a goal of better serving China’s major regional strategies and regional coordinated development strategies. China will accelerate the construction of four world-class airport clusters in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, Yangtze River Delta region, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle. The key focus is to continue to ensure aviation safety and promote smart civil aviation development.
Transportation should play a leading role in China’s modernisation drive to provide better support for major national strategies and the overall economic and social development. Transformation towards a more innovative, digitalised, and integrated system, citing the unbalanced and inadequate development of the country’s transportation system.
The country will expand the network coverage in western regions, improve the transportation conditions in border areas, and promote the integration of urban and rural transportation. Efforts will be made to enhance the global competitiveness of the smart transportation system by empowering it with intelligent infrastructure and advanced equipment.
The country will also expand the coverage of low-carbon transportation equipment, focusing on building charging facilities in hub stations and highway service areas. During the period, the country will continue to promote the quality development of transportation services to meet people’s diversified needs and expectations for a better life.
As reported by OpenGov Asia, China aims to become the global leader in low-carbon tech for a carbon-constrained world. China is today the world’s largest emitter of planet-heating gases, responsible for about 28% of total global emissions.
A white paper shows Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications will help China cut down over 35 billion tonnes of carbon emission by 2060, the year the nation pledged to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality. At least 70% of China’s carbon reductions will involve AI-related technologies by 2060. The white paper was jointly released by research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) and a Chinese tech company that has greatly dived into AI technology in recent years.
The paper also estimated that cloud computing technology helped the world to reduce carbon emissions equal to what 26 million cars could exhaust in 2020. China has vowed to peak its carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. The country has since adopted a series of policies, measures and actions to push forward carbon emission reduction despite economic challenges. China has also rolled out new guidelines on carbon reduction promoting the integration of the carbon industry and techs such as big data, AI and 5G.
