Chinese Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan(C) chairs a meeting of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway construction leading group in Beijing, Jan. 5, 2006. (Xinhua Photo)

    BEIJING, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan said here Thursday the Qinghai-Tibet Railway should be built into a world first-class plateau railway, highlighting good preparations for its trial operation on July 1 this year.

    Zeng, who made the remarks at a meeting of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway construction leading group, said that the railway was completed one year before schedule in last October, "an overall victory of a decisive battle".

    The world's highest railway stretches from Xining in northwest Qinghai Province to Lhasa, capital of Tibet on the roof of the world, with a total length of 1,956 kilometers.

    Before the railway's trial operation, Zeng ordered officials and railway staff to check the project quality in the first half of this year, conduct safety evaluation and make preparations to ensure sanitation conditions and reduce environmental impact of the train.

    He said experience of the plateau railway construction should be summarized as reference for future major plateau projects.

    He also urged local governments to cash in on the opportunity brought about by the operation of the railway to regulate their industrial structures and develop industries with their own features, tourism industry in particular. Enditem