Chinese Vice-Premier Huang Ju said Tuesday in Beijing that China will strengthen international cooperation to improve the level of construction, equipment and management of the railway sector.

Huang made the remark during a meeting with visiting German Minister of Transport, Building and Housing Manfred Stolpe.

China needs to increase railway construction to meet the needs of a fast-growing national economy, Huang said.

China has been conducting a massive railways construction program nationwide with the aim to extending the length of the total operational tracks from the current 75,000 kilometers to 100, 000 kilometers by 2020. Currently, the country can only meet one- third of national demand in freight transport.

China plans to build more multiple tracks and electrified railways, and is considering building high speed tracks. Various countries have been trying hard to grab a share of the high speed program.

"China will launch a number of national key projects (in railway construction)," he said. "We will open wider to the outside world and cooperate with other countries to improve the level of railway construction, equipment and management."

The German minister briefed Huang on German railway construction and technology. He said Germany hopes to expand its cooperation with China in railway, aviation and energy-saving housing renovation.

China and Germany have cooperated in the railway sector for two years. China's first maglev train, built in cooperation with Germany, started a test operation at the end of 2002, travelling from the Pudong airport to the city proper of Shanghai.

Source: Xinhua