At China’s 2026 “Two Sessions,” Sun Yongcai, chairman of CRRC Corporation Limited, called for accelerating the development of an intelligent transport equipment system to support the country’s long-term transportation strategy.
Writing in CPPCC Daily, Sun noted that China’s high-speed rail network exceeded 50,000 kilometers in operating mileage by the end of 2025, making it the largest and most advanced network in the world. He claimed that the Fuxing high-speed trains have significantly improved travel efficiency and passenger experience, while showcasing the progress of China’s modernization.
Sun also emphasized that the equipment manufacturing sector plays a critical role in building China into a transportation powerhouse, particularly in driving technological innovation, industrial upgrading, and global competitiveness. Based on industry research, he proposed strengthening the localization and intelligent development of core rail technologies, building an integrated intelligent transport equipment system, and developing demonstration projects for “smart rail.”
He also highlighted the growing global relevance of China’s high-speed rail, noting that the network not only connects domestic mobility but is increasingly linked to international markets. In addition to maintaining leadership in network scale, China has reached advanced international standards in technology, operating speed, safety, and comfort.
To support global expansion, Sun has called for deeper participation in international standards-setting and for developing customized rolling stock tailored to overseas markets, such as trains capable of operating in high-temperature, high-humidity environments or on narrow-gauge tracks. He also suggested building intelligent overseas operation and maintenance cloud platforms.
On talent development, Sun stressed the importance of closer collaboration between industry and academia. He proposed establishing “Future Transport Institutes” in partnership with universities, focusing on frontier fields such as high-speed maglev and superconducting technologies, to cultivate interdisciplinary engineering talent for the sector’s next phase of growth.
