Ding Rongjun, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said that China was also researching the next generation magnetic-levitation train with a top speed of 600 kph, at a press conference on Monday.

 

"We are now focusing on how to link TV signals to the trains so that passengers will be able to enjoy films on window-turned screens," Ding said.

 

A permanent magnet drive system has been added to trains and is undergoing assessment, he said, adding that automatic and unmanned drive technology will be used in the future.

 

The maximum speed of China's bullet trains rose to 350 kph, when the Fuxing (Rejuvenation) bullet trains started operation between Beijing and Shanghai on September 21, 2017.

 

The Fuxing trains are a substantial upgrade on the previous Hexie (Harmony) bullet trains. Entirely designed and manufactured in China, the Fuxing train is more spacious and energy-efficient, with longer service life and better reliability.

The emergency response has ended as ferry services on the Qiongzhou Strait in south China's Hainan Province returned to normal on Monday, according to local authorities.

 

Rare heavy fog that started on February18 had triggered multiple suspensions of ferry services, stranding over 20,000 vehicles lined up to 20 kilometers with nearly 100,000 passengers at peak times, the provincial government said.

 

As of Sunday night, nearly 140,000 vehicles and 720,000 passengers had been sent for Guangdong Province via the strait since the emergency response was triggered seven days ago.

 

The city government of Haikou, the provincial capital, dispatched over 58,000 employees from various departments to maintain traffic, distribute food and clean highways in its three ports 24 hours a day.

 

Hainan, known for its tropical climate and clean air, is a popular destination for Chinese tourists in winter. According to the local government, about 90,000 vehicles containing over 400,000 tourists 

had arrived on the island during this year's Spring Festival holiday lasting from February15 to February 21.

 

China became the eighth-largest importer of food and drink from the United Kingdom in 2017, according to new data that showed a growing Chinese appetite for British milk powder, salmon, whisky, and beer.

 

UK food and drink exports to China grew by 28 percent last year, to reach 564.4 million pounds ($783.6 million) in value, according to trade figures released by the UK's Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which is also called Defra.

 

China rose up the rankings from ninth in 2016, when UK exports to China totaled 439.5 million pounds.

 

The United States is the only country outside the European Union to consume more British food and drink than China.

 

Defra said in a statement: "As Prime Minister Theresa May demonstrated during her recent trip to China, the UK's mouth-watering food and drink continues to grow in popularity across the globe with China now the eighth-largest export market for UK food and drink."

 

Milk powder was the top export product by value last year, when exports were worth 72.9 million pounds, up 44 percent on 2016. The UK exported 69.9 million pounds of salmon to China last year, up 28 percent. And the Chinese imported 61.8 million pounds worth of British whisky, up 47 percent on the previous year. British beer exports to China are also growing quickly in popularity, increasing to be worth 45.9 million pounds, which was 127 percent more than in 2016.

 

The UK Food and Drink Federation, which is also known as the FDF, said there is growing Chinese interest in the UK's "afternoon tea" products, which include jams, scones, tea, and cakes. The UK sold 2 million pounds of tea to China last year.

 

The organization links this trend to the popularity of British television programs, including Downton Abbey and the Great British Bake Off.

 

"The FDF has sought to highlight the opportunities a market the size of China can present to food and drink manufacturers and would-be exporters," said Dominic Goudie, FDF's export policy manager. "The government too is supporting businesses by negotiating new market access for certain products, with meat being a prime example, which has helped businesses begin to exploit the value of China as an export destination."

 

In January this year, China announced plans to lift a ban on British beef imports, and last November, two companies in Northern Ireland gained approval to export pig trotters to China in a deal that could generate 20 million pounds a year for UK farmers.

 

Defra said that, in total, the UK exported 22 billion pounds of food and drink products last year, up 9 percent on 2016. The top five exports were whisky, salmon, chocolate, cheese, and beer. The UK's top export destinations were the Republic of Ireland, France, the US, the Netherlands, and Germany.

 

 

China became the eighth-largest importer of food and drink from the United Kingdom in 2017, according to new data that showed a growing Chinese appetite for British milk powder, salmon, whisky, and beer.

 

UK food and drink exports to China grew by 28 percent last year, to reach 564.4 million pounds ($783.6 million) in value, according to trade figures released by the UK's Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which is also called Defra.

 

China rose up the rankings from ninth in 2016, when UK exports to China totaled 439.5 million pounds.

 

The United States is the only country outside the European Union to consume more British food and drink than China.

 

Defra said in a statement: "As Prime Minister Theresa May demonstrated during her recent trip to China, the UK's mouth-watering food and drink continues to grow in popularity across the globe with China now the eighth-largest export market for UK food and drink."

 

Milk powder was the top export product by value last year, when exports were worth 72.9 million pounds, up 44 percent on 2016. The UK exported 69.9 million pounds of salmon to China last year, up 28 percent. And the Chinese imported 61.8 million pounds worth of British whisky, up 47 percent on the previous year. British beer exports to China are also growing quickly in popularity, increasing to be worth 45.9 million pounds, which was 127 percent more than in 2016.

 

The UK Food and Drink Federation, which is also known as the FDF, said there is growing Chinese interest in the UK's "afternoon tea" products, which include jams, scones, tea, and cakes. The UK sold 2 million pounds of tea to China last year.

 

The organization links this trend to the popularity of British television programs, including Downton Abbey and the Great British Bake Off.

 

"The FDF has sought to highlight the opportunities a market the size of China can present to food and drink manufacturers and would-be exporters," said Dominic Goudie, FDF's export policy manager. "The government too is supporting businesses by negotiating new market access for certain products, with meat being a prime example, which has helped businesses begin to exploit the value of China as an export destination."

 

In January this year, China announced plans to lift a ban on British beef imports, and last November, two companies in Northern Ireland gained approval to export pig trotters to China in a deal that could generate 20 million pounds a year for UK farmers.

 

Defra said that, in total, the UK exported 22 billion pounds of food and drink products last year, up 9 percent on 2016. The top five exports were whisky, salmon, chocolate, cheese, and beer. The UK's top export destinations were the Republic of Ireland, France, the US, the Netherlands, and Germany.