The country's top economic planning agency has approved a 247 billion yuan ($36 billion) plan to better connect Beijing to the port city of Tianjin, as well as cities in neighboring Hebei Province. Related: America's Crumbling InfrastructureBuilding nearly 700 miles of new rail lines in less than four years would be considered light speed by the standards of Americans infrastructure projects, but it's par for the course in China. The new railway project will expand service and upgrade stations in smaller cities, as well as improve coordination between regional and national rail lines. The announcement sent shares of state-owned rail and construction companies up in Shanghai on Monday. China State Construction Engineering Corp. closed 10% higher and China Railway Group Ltd. added more than 4%.

Source: CNN November 28, 2016 12:03 UTC