On the morning of January 27, as the cutterhead of the shield machine on the left line of the Dabaoyang–Xiaobaoyang section of Xi'an Metro Line 8, constructed by China Railway No. 3 Engineering Group, slowly started up, the first shield machine of the entire line was successfully launched, marking that Metro Line 8 has officially entered the shield construction stage.

China Railway No. 3 Engineering Group undertakes the construction task of 3 stations and 4 sections under Civil Construction General Contracting Section 3 of Metro Line 8. (The 3 stations and 4 sections include: Fanjiacun Station, Hongmiaopo Station, Dabaoyang Station, Mingguang Road–Fanjiacun section, Fanjiacun–Hongmiaopo section, Hongmiaopo–Dabaoyang section, and Dabaoyang–Xiaobaoyang section.) The "Zhengxian" shield machine launched this time undertakes the excavation task for the left line of the Dabaoyang–Xiaobaoyang section.

To ensure the smooth launch of the shield machine, under the coordination and guidance of the Municipal Rail Transit Group, the construction unit took the initiative. On the premise of implementing epidemic prevention and control measures, it organized scientifically and overcame difficulties such as high transportation difficulty and limited site space. It safely and efficiently completed key procedures including lifting the shield machine into the shaft, installation and commissioning, review of the construction plan, and acceptance of launch conditions, successfully achieving the shield launch target. Next, during the shield tunneling process, technical personnel will carry out 24-hour uninterrupted monitoring, measure ground settlement in real time, and strictly control tunneling parameters through informatized monitoring to ensure the safe and stable advancement of the shield machine.

Xi'an Metro Line 8 is the most important backbone line in Xi'an's rail transit network and the only loop line in the network plan. The line runs through five administrative districts—Yanta, Xincheng, Baqiao, Weiyang, and Lianhu—as well as five development zones—High-tech Zone, Qujiang New Area, Chanba Ecological District, Economic and Technological Development Zone, and Daxing New Area. The line is about 50 kilometers long and has 37 stations in total, including 18 transfer stations. After completion, the line will be of great significance for alleviating traffic congestion in Xi'an's central urban area and promoting urban development.

Up to now, 22 stations along the entire Metro Line 8 have entered retaining structure construction, of which 9 stations have completed retaining structure construction, 3 mined stations are undergoing cross-passage construction, and 23 sections are under construction.