By Special Correspondent

China will promote the digital and green transition of its transport sector during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030), with a focus on intelligent infrastructure, clean energy and improved mobility services, Minister of Transport Liu Wei said.

Speaking on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People’s Congress in Beijing, Liu said China will expand the application of artificial intelligence in transportation and advance the development of smart highways, smart ports and intelligent shipping over the next five years.

The country will also promote the construction of zero-carbon transport corridors and stations as part of efforts to support low-carbon development of the transport sector. Authorities will increase the deployment of clean-energy transport equipment, including new energy vehicles and vessels.

China has already made significant progress in building charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. Liu said the coverage of charging facilities at expressway service areas across the country has reached 98.8 percent. Efforts will continue to increase the capacity of high-power charging facilities so drivers can access stations more easily and spend less time waiting.

During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, China will also implement measures to improve commuting efficiency in metropolitan areas. The country aims to significantly increase the proportion of the population able to complete daily commuting within one hour.

Liu said the transport sector plays a vital role in serving the public and supporting economic activity. On average, around 550 million parcels are handled across the country every day, equivalent to roughly three parcels per person per week.

China has achieved notable progress in transport development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–2025). According to Liu, the main framework of the national comprehensive three-dimensional transport network is now more than 90 percent complete.

Authorities aim to increase the completion rate of the national transport network to over 95 percent during the 2026–2030 period. The government will also renovate aging infrastructure and improve the safety and resilience of highways and bridges.

Flood damage remains a challenge, with more than 120,000 kilometers of roads affected by flooding each year. Liu said projects will continue to strengthen highway and bridge safety to address these risks.

China will also promote deeper integration between regions and transport modes. Efforts will include improving intercity commuting within urban clusters and strengthening multimodal logistics systems to increase freight transfer efficiency.

Transport services play a major role in daily life across China. Each day about 30 million passenger cars travel on expressways nationwide, around 10 million people take high-speed trains and roughly two million travel by air.

Within cities, approximately 100 million trips are made daily by metro systems, another 100 million by public buses and trolleybuses, and around 100 million by taxis and ride-hailing services.

China’s logistics sector has also expanded rapidly. Express delivery volume exceeded 200 billion pieces last year, ranking first globally for the 12th consecutive year.

The country has also made progress in transport technology. By 2025, the domestically developed C919 passenger aircraft had safely carried more than four million passengers, while China’s automated ports lead the world in scale, quantity and technical level.

Liu said the country will continue advancing digital and intelligent upgrades in the transport system while implementing the “AI Plus” initiative to support the development of smart transportation.

Authorities also plan to enhance public-facing services, including smoother passenger transfers, upgraded expressway service areas and improved facilities for elderly travelers and truck drivers. China will also promote integrated passenger transport services, enabling travelers to buy one ticket and travel seamlessly across different transport modes such as air and rail.

Credit: INP-WealthPk