Briefing 11: New HSR Higher Up in NE China, Xinjiang + Tibet to Get New Rail Line, Sabaidee Muang Xai!

China is pushing the railways into new boundaries: a new "northernmost" HS station, linking two parts of far western China by rail, and squeezing time for more stops to and from Laos...

China’s now back to normal — just look at those attending the sessions of the Chinese legislature. Masks are off! And works are back to normal even in far northeastern China. The borderlands and beyond are getting more trains as well — Xinjiang is to be connected to Tibet by rail, and Muang Xai station in Laos on the China-Laos railway is getting a direct international connection to China.

On more personal aspects, as of late, you’re seeing slightly slower moves my end — Long Covid has continued to haunt me, and over this past weekend, it’s hit me especially hard. We’ve 24/7 medical support but sometimes, with so much work going on, I’ve had to just to take a breather for a few hours than days or weeks off… I have been advised to do something more Swiss, though, and that’s to take walks in the countryside walks. I’m looking forward to my trip tomorrow on the Western Suburban Tram Link in Western Beijing, which gets me close to a lot of city parks — some with a good view of trams — and always never too far from a coffee shop…

— David Feng, 11 March 2024