Editorial: It’s time normal rail system ‘caught up’ with high-speed railway in China

Efficient: A high-speed train running on the Beijing-Tianjin interurban railway in Beijing in 2019. — Xinhua

CHINA celebrated the 15th anniversary of the introduction of high-speed trains in August this year. The Beijing-Tianjin high-speed intercity railway started operation on Aug 1, 2008, a week before the opening of the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games.

Many, including my family, rushed to experience the joy of travelling on a high-speed train which covered the distance of 160km from Beijing to Tianjin in half an hour. However, few people at the time could foresee that high-speed trains would become a significant means of travel for the common Chinese people.