China halts new railway projects

In the wake of two high-speed train collisions last month, China has suspended its forthcoming railway projects due to safety concerns, according to Reuters.

On 23 July, a crash near the city of Wenzhou killed 40 people and injured several more after one high-speed train collided with another one on the track. The high-speed trains were projects rushed to completion to show China’s advanced technology in this space.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said new railway project approvals would be suspended and announced that the government would launch safety checks on equipment, the design, and staff training on existing high-speed projects and those under construction.

The railways ministry has yet to determine the cause of the accident, which is still under investigation, although a Chinese railway research institute has since taken responsibility for a flaw in signalling equipment as the cause of the crash. The ministry has also ordered a two-month safety review of railway operations.