Henan Strides Forward in Transportation

Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport in Zhengzhou, Henan province [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Henan province has built a modern transportation network covering civil aviation, railways, highways and water, the Henan Department of Transportation said.

"With one decade of effort, the total scale of the province's comprehensive transport network has reached 280,000 kilometers," said Xu Qiang, head of the department. The decade from 2012 to 2022 is a time when transportation in Henan registered the fastest development with the best quality, Xu added.

Zhengzhou, Henan's capital, can be a global hub for air freight, rail, express mail services and logistics, officials said. The Zhengzhou Airport has been listed among the top 40 airports globally for air freight services.

Luoyang, Shangqiu and Nanyang in Henan are listed as national comprehensive transportation hubs.

During the past 10 years, railways in the province have reached 6,715 km, of which high-speed lines make up 2,176 km. All cities in Henan are connected by high-speed rail. The province also boasts 17 rail routes connecting with cities in Europe.

Fourteen projects that will collectively add 821 km of highways are expected to be completed by the end of this year, bringing the total highway length in the province to 8,000 km. Highways in the province are expected to surpass 10,000 km by 2025.

Public transportation has also seen rapid development during the past decade. A route is now in service for 5G-supported self-driving buses. The number of buses powered by new energy in Henan has reached 35,000, accounting for 90 percent of the total number of buses in the province.

Roads in rural areas of Henan have been greatly improved. Two in the province's rural areas are listed among the top 10 most beautiful rural routes in China.