Qingdao high-speed rail innovation center on track

China is accelerating its efforts on developing a national-level innovation center for high-speed trains in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province, aiming to be a global leading innovation force, officials said on Monday.

The establishment of innovation centers on a national level is a top-level decision, and the first one is focusing on rail transportation, as the rapid development of high-speed trains has become a new focus for China's high-end manufacturing sectors, said Zhao Minghua, deputy director of National Innovation Center of High-Speed Rail.

With an estimated investment of 60 billion yuan ($8.94 billion) and taking an area of six square kilometers, the center is expected to be completed in 2030. Construction of the center, by China Railway Rolling Stock Corp or CRRC, the world's largest railway vehicle manufacturer by sales revenue, and Qingdao municipal government, began last February.