高铁时代 四川为何要修一条“慢铁路”

Core Viewpoint - The opening of the Long-Pu-Xu Railway marks a significant step in enhancing cargo transportation efficiency in Sichuan, facilitating faster access to Southeast Asian markets and integrating into the national open economy strategy [5][6][10]. Group 1: Railway Overview - The Long-Pu-Xu Railway officially commenced operations on December 25, with a design speed of 120 km/h, significantly faster than the previous line's 40 km/h [5][6]. - This railway is a crucial part of the Western Land-Sea New Corridor, connecting Sichuan to the Beibu Gulf and facilitating cargo transport to ASEAN countries [6][9]. - The railway's construction involved a total investment from Sichuan, aiming to create a direct rail-sea transport corridor to Southeast Asia, South Asia, Australia, and New Zealand [7][8]. Group 2: Economic Impact - The railway is expected to enhance the annual cargo capacity by over 20 million tons, allowing Sichuan's products, including minerals and fine chemicals, to reach ASEAN ports in 7-10 days, compared to the previous 20 days via the Yangtze River [9][10]. - The integration of the railway is projected to reduce logistics costs by approximately 30% for grain transport and improve transport efficiency by over 20% for goods heading to Kunming and the Beibu Gulf [8][9]. - Since 2019, the Western Land-Sea New Corridor has driven an average annual growth rate of 16.9% in import and export volumes for the provinces along the route [8]. Group 3: Strategic Development - The Long-Pu-Xu Railway is seen as a key element in transforming Sichuan's economic landscape, shifting from an "economic corridor" to a "corridor economy" [10][12]. - Experts suggest that the railway's opening presents a historic opportunity for Sichuan, emphasizing the need to develop a modern logistics network centered around Chengdu and key nodes like Luzhou and Yibin [10][12]. - The railway's infrastructure is designed to support high-value goods, with plans for a logistics park that includes cold chain and customs supervision facilities, aiming for a throughput capacity of 7.56 million tons [11][12].