Rail line seeks harmony with nature

The first high-speed railway through the Qinling Mountains - a habitat for rare wildlife, including the giant panda - will seek harmony between man and nature, according to those behind the project.

At 643 kilometers, the line will link Xi'an, Shaanxi province, with Chengdu, Sichuan province. It will pass through the Qinling Mountains, which contain seven national natural reserves and 21 provincial level natural reserves, according to Lai Wenhong, deputy director of China Railway First Survey and Design Institute Group.

When the line becomes operational at the end of this year, train speeds are expected to reach 250 kilometers per hour, cutting travel time between Chengdu and Xi'an from 13 hours to less than three.