HANGZHOU, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- A new high-speed railway connecting Hangzhou and Wenzhou, two major economic hubs in east China's Zhejiang Province, began operations on Friday.

With a designed speed of 350 km per hour, the 276 km railway features nine stations in cities such as the provincial capital Hangzhou, the small-commodity hub Yiwu, and the province's third-largest city Wenzhou.

The railway will strengthen transportation links between cities in the Yangtze River Delta, one of China's most economically vibrant regions, according to Zhejiang Communications Investment Group Co., Ltd.

With private capital involved in its construction and operation, the railway has also set an example for expanding fund-raising channels for China's railway construction, according to investors.