Nanning-Kunming Railway, Connecting Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangxi Provinces, is Completed on March 18, 1997

Nanning-Kunming Railway, one of China's major construction projects, was completed on March 18, 1997. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]

Nanning-Kunming Railway, connecting Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangxi provinces, is completed on March 18, 1997

Constructed by Chinese central SOEs such as China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited, China Railway Group Limited and China Railway Construction Corporation Limited, the railway has a total length of 899 kilometers.

As the most convenient connection between China's southwest and southeast regions, the railway has contributed a lot to regional economic development.

The railway is a trunk line constructed in the country's most complex mountainous area. Over 90 percent of it is affected by serious geological challenges. The Nanning-Kunming Railway has 258 bridges which together account for 31 percent of the line's length.

Completion of the railway was a clear signal that China's construction level for railways, bridges and tunnels had entered the world's leading position.

China's first giant AC313 helicopter for civil use conducts its trial flight on March 18, 2010

China's first giant AC313 helicopter for civil use, independently designed and produced by Aviation Industry Corporation of China, Ltd., conducted its trial flight on March 18, 2010.

The AC313, designed to meet airworthiness standards, reached the level of international third-generation helicopters in terms of its specifications.

With a maximum takeoff weight of 13.8 tons, it can carry 27 passengers over a maximum flying distance of 900 kilometers. It has high ride comfort and high safety and reliability along with the ability to fly under complex meteorological conditions.

The debut of the helicopter filled the gap in the research of giant civil helicopters, and confirmed China's capacity for independent giant helicopter development.

(Executive editor: Li Shuling)