From September 6th to the 14th an exhibition in Beijing will tell visitors how the development of railways has changed the life of Chinese people. It will also illustrate what our life will be like when the proposed high-speed railway network finishes in the country.

The exhibition of China's railway development is held in Guangyao-Dongfang, a commercial property opposite the Beijing West Railway Station.

Guangyao-Dongfang, the real estate developer, joined hands with the China Railway Museum to host the exhibition on its new property, aimed at attracting more high-end clients who are well-educated and interested in China's macro policies and economic development.

The company specializes in developing urban complexes in large and middle-sized cities such as Beijing, Tianjin and Shijiazhuang. In the past few years, high-speed railways have greatly boosted the economy in these cities.

For instance, China's first high-speed (HS) rail line, the Beijing-Tianjin Intercity High-Speed Rail, has provided a boost to local commerce, trade, tourism, and service industries in north China's Tianjin city. According to figures released by the Tianjin Commission of Commerce, shopping accounted for almost 34 percent of the total spending by passengers who are traveling on the rail line to Tianjin.

Retail sales in Tianjin soared 21.5 percent in 2009 year on year to 243 billion yuan. In the first half of 2010, retail sales expanded by 19 percent over the same period of last year to reach 139.4 billion yuan.

Further, boosted by the rail link, foreign investment already spent by Tianjin jumped 20 percent in the first half, reaching 5.9 billion U.S. dollars.

In many other countries, similar experiences have also proved that the construction of high-speed railways is able to increase business productivity, promote tourism and broaden the regional labor market.

Furthermore, both local governments and companies will profit from real estate development near the train stations.

The company is confident the future of its projects will be bright since China has sped up the development of its high-speed railway network. And major railway stations like the Beijing West Railway Station will become both transportation hubs and bustling trade centers in the cities, said an anonymous manager with Guangyao-Dongfang.

The photo taken on Tuesday, September 7, 2010 shows the model of the first China-made steam locomotive. [CRIENGLISH.com]

 

The photo taken on Tuesday, September 7, 2010 shows the model of the train named after late Chinese leader Mao Zedong. [CRIENGLISH.com]