Guangzhou Metro inks railway service contract with Colombia

The Guangzhou Metro Group on Friday signed a contract of 2.06 billion yuan (about 304.6 million U.S. dollars) to operate and maintain services for Colombia’s Western Tramway Project.

The contract, signed in Guangzhou City, south China’s Guangdong Province, jointly with the project contractor, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, covers 21.5 years of preparation, operation and transfer services for the tramway project. Guangzhou Metro will also hold concession rights to commercial resources along the line.

The first section of the line is expected to begin operations in October 2027, marking the first time a Chinese company will independently manage a full-cycle rail transit project in South America.

Spanning 39.66 kilometers with 17 stations, the tram will connect Colombia’s capital Bogota with four major municipalities in Cundinamarca. During its 21.5-year operational period, the project is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 165,000 tons.

“Our strongest capabilities are actually at both ends. One is planning and design, the other is operational services. Both align with the areas encouraged by our country for expanding service industries overseas. This project itself is the landmark cooperation project between China and Colombia within the Belt and Road. We hope to showcase China’s best operational capabilities so that citizens in Colombia can experience the same high-level services as residents in Guangzhou,” said Yao Shifeng, general manager of the overseas business department at Guangzhou Metro Group.

To date, Guangzhou Metro has secured 42 overseas projects with a total contract value of about 5 billion yuan (about 739.4 U.S. dollars). Its international footprint now spans Southeast Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Africa and the Americas.

A sudden downpour triggered flash floods on Friday in Wuqia County, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, with local police launching overnight rescue operations for stranded people and animals.

Around 19:00 on Friday, several villages in the county experienced flood hazards due to overflowing river channels, trapping some residents and livestock. In addition, sections of National Highway 315 and County Road 415 in mountainous areas were blocked, stranding many vehicles and people.

Following the disaster, local police quickly activated emergency response plans. They waded through floodwaters to evacuate trapped residents and livestock, while coordinating with other emergency units to clear mud and debris and guided traffic through the affected areas.

By around 02:00 on Saturday, all rescue operations had been completed, with blocked roads reopened to traffic.