Vice-Premier Ma Kai called for efforts in railway construction with a focus on high quality and efficiency this year, at a meeting on March 31 in Hefei, capital city of East China’s Anhui province.

2016 is the starting year of the 13th Five-Year Plan, which covers an important period to accelerate railway construction, said Ma Kai, adding that a total of 800 billion yuan ($ 124 billion) will be invested in this field this year.

To achieve this goal, all the parties concerned need to organize projects in a scientific way, make full preparations beforehand, expand investment channels, improve operation management and strengthen risk prevention and control, the vice-premier stressed.

By the end of 2015, China’s railway mileage reached 121,000 kilometers, among which the high-speech train network exceeded 19,000 kilometers, accounting for over 60% of its kind in the world, the vice-premier said at the meeting.