BEIJING — China will boost railway network construction, according to a plan released following a State Council executive meeting, chaired by Premier Li Keqiang, on June 29.

The “medium and long term railway network plan” will improve the railway network layout, especially in the middle and western regions, according to a statement issued after the meeting.

The high-speed rail (HSR) network should center around the eight main vertical lines linking the north and the south, including the Beijing-Shanghai railway, as well as the eight horizontal lines connecting the east and the west.

Adjacent large- and medium-sized cities should be connected by lines ranging from 1 to 4 hours, said the statement.

Railways should cover all of China’s 2,800-plus counties, it said.

Stations should be designed and renovated so that they connect directly with other transportation and cargo links.

HSR should play an active role in facilitating the industrial upgrading and economic restructuring along the lines.

Private and foreign capital were encouraged to invest in railway construction work, according to the statement.