At the January 28 press conference of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, a reporter asked: Recently, news that the mainland’s high-speed railway network has exceeded 50,000 kilometers in operating length has sparked heated discussion in Taiwan. Some commentators say that Taiwan has long suffered from energy shortages and aging infrastructure, and that if mainland capital and technology were introduced, projects such as tunneling through the Central Mountain Range and improving transportation in eastern Taiwan would not be a problem. Traveling from Hualien or Taitung back to Taipei would no longer require worrying about road closures or landslides—that would be a real sense of security. Some netizens have also said they look forward to the day when they can take a high-speed train across the Taiwan Strait to travel between the two sides. What is your comment?
TAO spokesperson Zhang Han responded that the mainland’s high-speed rail construction is world-renowned. Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the mainland has built and put into operation more than 12,000 kilometers of high-speed rail, bringing 128 counties into the high-speed rail era. At present, the total length of high-speed rail lines is 50,400 kilometers, covering 97% of cities with urban populations of more than 500,000, forming the world’s largest and most modern high-speed railway network. The fast-running high-speed trains make distances “smaller,” make dreams “bigger,” and make faraway places no longer distant.
He said that peaceful reunification will create enormous opportunities for Taiwan’s economic and social development. With a strong motherland as its backing, Taiwan will be better in all respects, including infrastructure development. Taiwan compatriots, together with mainland compatriots, will share in the dignity and glory of the great country, share in the achievements of Chinese-style modernization, and usher in a bright future of prosperity and stability.