This year marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up. In the past four decades, the country has risen from poverty to become the world's second-largest economy. As the country adopted what was then seen as an audacious policy to inject free-market thinking into its political and economic system, Jilin, a northeastern province of China, followed the central government's lead and embarked on its own strenuous journey towards prosperity, having now achieved a great deal in many areas. The impressive achievements made by Jilin in developing its local railway system are something that stands out in particular when looking at a full panorama of the great era.

The world's fastest railway to be built in freezing conditions, the Harbin-Dalian high-speed train pulls into Changchun West Railway Station in Jilin province in 2013. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]