ULAN BATOR, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- The installation of all T-beams on the Gantsmod-Gashuunsukhait railway, the second cross-border railway link between China and Mongolia, was completed on Friday following the placement of the final prefabricated beam.
Measuring 32.6 meters in length and weighing approximately 134 tonnes, the final T-beam was installed by China Railway Construction Bridge Engineering Bureau Group Co., Ltd. The milestone lays a solid foundation for subsequent construction work.
The Gantsmod-Gashuunsukhait railway is the second cross-border railway link between China and Mongolia, nearly 70 years after the Erenhot-Zamiin-Uud railway opened in 1956. The project is expected to become a new link in infrastructure connectivity between the two countries.
The railway is being jointly developed by China and Mongolia under the principle of "unified design, independent construction and integrated commissioning." The line crosses the border at the Gantsmod port in China and the Gashuunsukhait port in Mongolia before connecting to Gashuunsukhait station in Mongolia's Umnugovi Province.
Construction of the cross-border railway project began in May 2025. The route is 9.91 kilometers long, including a 6.08-kilometer cross-border bridge section that requires the installation of 760 T-beams. The heaviest individual beam weighs 149.5 tonnes.
Handling and installing such heavy structural components requires a high level of technical expertise, rigorous safety management and precise equipment operation. Construction has also been complicated by the route's desert environment. Having overcome numerous challenges, the project team completed all work to high standards and quality.
The Gantsmod-Gashuunsukhait railway marks a significant step forward in strengthening strategic alignment and practical cooperation between China and Mongolia.
Once operational, the railway is expected to transport 30 million tonnes of cargo annually, linking the Gantsmod Railway with Mongolia's southbound railway network. The project is expected to expand bilateral trade, improve transport and logistics connectivity, and stimulate economic activity along the route. It could also support the development of cross-border logistics services, industrial parks and border trade facilities in both countries.
The railway is expected to play an important role in deepening China-Mongolia economic cooperation and advancing high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. ■
