The newspaper quoted sources from the Beijing Subway Operations Company as saying that it has launched a joint venture with Beijing Subway Car Plant, Changchun Light Rail Car Co. Ltd. and Zhuzhou Times Group to research and develop electric subway cars using China's own intellectual property.

The first four trains, each of which will cost five million yuan (about US$602,410) and will be fitted with air-conditioning and information devices, will be applied to the subway and light rail lines in the national capital, according to the newspaper.

Subways are now available in Beijing, Tianjin, Guangzhou and Shanghai, and a growing number of other cities such as Shenzhen of south China's Guangdong Province are busy constructing them.

Demand for subway cars has kept rising and the market potential is good along with the fast development of urban light rail in Chinese cities. However, the country has long relied on imports for core technologies in the production of subway cars.

(Xinhua News Agency March 22, 2003)