BEIJING, Feb. 22 (Xinhuanet) -- The Chinese Railways Ministry will carry out joint-stock pilot projects, so as to speed up the railways' system reforms, said Chinese Railways Minister Liu Zhijun here Sunday.

    He said China's railways departments will actively seek domestic and overseas investors, set up standardized joint-stock companies and collect capitals from the society in forms of joint-stocks, so as to explore new ways of railways construction and administration.

    As the railway industry is one of the few monopoly industries in China, its reform has always been a focus of public attention at home and abroad. China's railway departments are in their way to explore multi-channel financing systems in railway construction, Liu said.

    He said this year China will further deepen reforms in professional transportation companies, and balance the economic relations between various sectors, so as to realize a sustainable and fast development of the railway transportation.

    He also noted that the Chinese Railways Ministry will try out making assessments of business achievements of 14 railways bureaus and 3 professional transportation companies.

    He said in the new year the railways departments of the whole country will speed up basic reforms, and make efforts to promote the reforms of investment and financing systems. Enditem