Despite much strained capacity, China's railways managed to further increase transport of key materials under the nation's macro-control policy.

China's railways shipped 525 million tons of coal in the first half of this year, increasing 45 million tons over the same periodlast year, according to figures just released by the Ministry of Railways.

Shipment of petroleum totaled 63 million tons, up 4.2 million tons year on year.

The total railway shipment during the first six months reached 1.13 billion tons, up 7.3 percent year on year.

An official said the ministry regards ensuring the transport of key materials as a major political task and has always put the state interests above everything else. It has given priorities to the transport of such key materials as grain, coal, oil and chemical fertilizer.

China's railways in operation account for only 6 percent of theworld's total, yet it shoulders 25 percent of the freight volume in the world. To date, all the major trunk lines have been operating at full capacity.

Source: Xinhua