Sheng Guangzu, General Manager of China Railway Corporation, stated at the work conference that in 2014, China Railway Corporation will deeply advance the reform of the railway investment and financing system. According to the deployment of State Council Document No. 33, relevant policy measures will be studied in depth, and the pace of opening up the ownership and operation rights of intercity railways, regional railways, resource-development railways, and branch railways to social capital will be accelerated. Local governments and social enterprises will be supported to invest in railway construction or participate in railway operation and development through equity investment, asset restructuring, franchise operation, and other means. Active preparations will be made for the establishment of a railway development fund, which will be launched immediately upon approval by the State Council. Various financing tools will be fully utilized to raise construction funds through multiple methods and channels, providing reliable financial guarantees for railway construction.

    In addition, construction projects will be promoted with high quality and efficiency. It will be ensured that 44 new projects start construction within the year. In line with economic and social development needs, research on the "13th Five-Year Plan" railway development plan will be carried out, and project reserves will be well managed.

    Sheng Guangzu pointed out that in 2014, the railway construction management mechanism will be improved. Exploration will be made to implement a lump-sum investment management method for new projects, strengthening incentives and constraints for investment control. The supervision and assessment mechanism for construction units will be improved, responsibilities for all work will be implemented, and orderly progress of railway construction will be ensured.

    At the same time, the railway "going global" strategy will be implemented to enhance the international competitiveness of China's railways. According to the national strategic deployment, we will leverage our own advantages, contact and coordinate with relevant domestic enterprises, and focus on developing cross-border railway connectivity corridors and high-speed railway construction markets. Extensive international cooperation will be carried out in planning research, survey and design, engineering construction, operation management, maintenance, and other fields, to build the Chinese railway brand, vigorously expand the international railway market, and enhance the competitiveness of Chinese railway enterprises in the international market.

    Sheng Guangzu said that at present, efforts should be intensified on key projects such as the Laos railway, the Hungary-Serbia railway, and the Thailand high-speed railway, and they should be promoted actively and pragmatically to strive for substantive breakthroughs. We should also actively communicate and coordinate with relevant national departments to seek policy support in intellectual property protection, finance and taxation, and other aspects, creating a favorable environment for railways to "go global".

    Statistics show that in 2013, China's railway operating mileage exceeded 100,000 km, of which high-speed rail operating mileage exceeded 10,000 km. Passenger volume exceeded 2 billion, with a peak daily volume exceeding 10 million.