BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- China has made steady progress on a number of key railway projects as investment in railway construction continued to expand in 2026, generating a notable driving effect and injecting fresh momentum into regional economic and social development, the national railway operator said on Monday.

Fixed-asset investment in the railway sector totaled 440.6 billion yuan (about 64.92 billion U.S. dollars) in the first seven months of the year, up 1.8 percent year on year, according to China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.

Recent projects included the opening of Foshan Station on the Guangzhou-Zhanjiang high-speed railway in south China's Guangdong Province, and the full-line testing on the Xi'an-Ankang high-speed railway in northwest China, among others.

The company said it will continue to advance major railway projects and enhance the quality and efficiency of railway investment to support China's high-quality development.

China has built the world's largest high-speed railway network. By the end of 2025, the country's total operating railway mileage had reached 165,000 km, including more than 50,000 km of high-speed rail.

The company noted that the country's operational railway mileage is expected to reach 180,000 km by 2030, including about 60,000 km of high-speed rail.