Turkish and Chinese companies will work together to build a high-speed train network in Turkey that would stretch from the country's western border with Greece and Bulgaria all the way to its eastern frontier, the Turkish press reported Friday.
According to Turkish State Railways (TCDD) Director General Suleyman Karaman, among the agreements made during last week's visit to Turkey of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao was one that would see China providing 28 million dollars in financing for the rail network, DPA reported.
The official said Turkey is planning to construct some 6,000 kilometers of high-speed train lines, running from the city of Edirne in western Turkey to Kars, a city near the easter border with Armenia.
Turkey is currently building an underwater rail tunnel that goes under Istanbul's Bosphorus Straits, which separate Europe from Asia. Once the tunnel is complete, trains could conceivably travel all the way from Western Europe to China.