On May 7, 2026, the groundbreaking ceremony for the continuation of the construction of the new Bayannula to Xinqiu railway project was held at the project site. Yu Chao, Deputy General Manager of Zhengda Mining and Director of Papua New Guinea Railway Company, Zhao Ziming, Assistant to the Chairman, and relevant leaders of the Engineering Construction Command attended the ceremony, which was organized by China Railway Electrification Bureau Group.

This railway has significant meaning. It is a key channel for the export of energy from eastern Mongolia and a core freight backbone route in the region. It can not only alleviate the shortage of coal in Liaoning and promote energy balance, but also improve the infrastructure along the route and activate the local economy. As a pioneering project in railway construction investment reform, the Papua New Guinea Railway carries far more than just freight transportation functions.

Origin and dilemma

The Papua New Guinea Railway connects Fuxin, Liaoning with Bayannula Town, Xilingol League, Inner Mongolia, with a total length of 487.845 kilometers. It is mainly used for coal transportation and is an important channel connecting eastern Mongolia and the coastal areas of Liaoning. It is also the longest local railway constructed with the participation of domestic private capital. Construction began in November 2007, and in November 2015, the Dabanbei to Xinqiu section was put into trial operation. Since then, the funding chain has broken, and some sections of the road have been suspended. There are still 157 kilometers of the entire line that have not been built to this day. In August 2025, after bankruptcy reorganization, the continuation of construction work was finally put on the agenda. Keywords: energy export channels, railway projects, transportation

Open up the sea outlet

The resumption of work is imminent, and the key link to bridging the last mile is also accelerating. Recently, Yang Fujun, Deputy Director of the Management Committee of Tongliao Naiman Industrial Park, had a special discussion with Papua New Guinea Railway Group and Jinzhou Railway Design Institute to deeply discuss the integration plan between Papua New Guinea Railway and Jingtong Railway. Once the intersection and merging of tracks are achieved within the territory of Naiman Banner, the railway channel from the Mengxi resource producing area to the mouth of Bohai Bay will be completely connected. The distance to sea has been significantly reduced, the cost of coal transportation has dropped significantly, and the efficiency of regional road networks and comprehensive transportation has been comprehensively improved - this long neglected economic artery is now pulsating again.Editor/Cheng Liting