CHINA: Beijing Municipal Communist Party Secretary Liu Qi officially initiated trial operation of Beijing metro Line 4 on September 28.

Following the ceremony at National Library station, Liu Qi, accompanied by Mayor of Beijing Guo Jinlong, Hong Kong Secretary for Transport & Housing Eva Cheng, MTR Corp Chairman Dr Raymond Ch’ien and Beijing government officials, took a ride on the new line. Trial running commenced the same day.

The 29 km underground line runs from Gongyixiqiao on the South Fourth Ring Road, via Xizhimen, to Anheqiaobei in the northwestern Haidian district. It serves 24 stations, including interchanges with lines 1, 2, 10 and 13.

The project is the first to be completed by MTR Corp in the Chinese mainland, at a cost of around 15·3bn yuan. On April 12 2006 Beijing MTR Corp Ltd, a joint venture company comprising MTR Corp, Beijing Infrastructure Investment Co Ltd and Beijing Capital Group, signed a 30-year concession agreement with Beijing Municipal government to finance, build and operate Line 4.

• Shenyang Metro Line 1 entered service on September 23. Northeast China’s first metro line is 22 km long with 18 stations and runs from Zhangshi to Limingwenhuagong. A 5·8 km four station western extension is under construction and is expected to open in 2010.