Bohai Sea underwater railway to be considered for 13th five-year plan

(ECNS) -- An ambitious high-speed railway to run beneath Bohai Sea may be taken into consideration when the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China's economic planner, decides its 13th five-year plan (2016- 2020), 21st Century Business Herald reported on Tuesday.

Zhang Wufeng, head of the NDRC in Shandong province, said it has agreed to "consider" and "support" the project that would connect Lushun in Dalian city, Northeast China's Liaoning province, with Penglai in Yantai, situated in Shandong.

It now takes over 10 hours to travel the over-1000-kilometer land route between Lushun and Penglai, which are separated by Bohai Sea and located on the Liaodong and Shandong peninsulas respectively.

The proposed underwater high-speed railway would shorten the distance to over 100 kilometres while the travelling time would be reduced to 40-50 minutes, said Wang Mengshu, academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and tunnel expert.

Wang added that the rail link will run at 250 kilometers per hour according to its design.

Large amounts of capital, raw materials such as steel and cement as well as labor would be needed to accomplish the large-scale project.

However, the connection will promote economic development in the region, especially in provinces with advanced steel industries like Liaoning, Hebei and Shandong, said Zhang Dawei, a School of Finance professor at Hebei University of Economics and Business.

This project would enhance economic interaction among Shandong, Liaoning, Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei by connecting the two peninsulas, noted Zhang Zhiyuan, dean of the Research Institute of Regional Economy, Shandong University of Finance and Economics.

It is predicted that by 2020, the potential passenger flow volume between the two areas will reach about 300 million, with the figure for the underwater high-speed rail to hit 180 million to 240 million.

It is calculated that the first phase of the project might cost 200 billion to 250 billion yuan ($32.1 billion - 40.2 billion).

According to Zhang Jiangyu, a railway expert, the initiative faces complex geographical factors such as geology and tides.

The project was first put forward in 1992, after which the State Council, China's cabinet, supported further research into its possibilities.

Its effects on the environment and economic development still need to be verified.