Premier Li Keqiang inspected the construction site of the Yinchuan-Xi'an high-speed railway (Shaanxi section) on Oct 15.

The railway connects Shaanxi province and Ningxia Hui autonomous region, along with Gansu province, and has a total investment of 80.5 billion yuan ($11.38 billion).

After the project is completed, Ningxia will no longer be without a high-speed rail system, and the travel time from Yinchuan to Xi'an will be reduced, from 14 hours to 3 hours.

The project is of great significance to stabilizing investment as well as to the coordinated and balanced development among different regions, the Premier said, adding that it is both a major development project and a major livelihood project.

"The purpose of developing the economy is to benefit people, so we must take multiple measures to bring provinces without high-speed rail into the national network, so that they too can enter the fast track of development," he said.