Beijing (AFP) - China and Russia are considering building a high-speed rail line thousands of kilometres from Moscowto Beijing thatwould cut the journey time from six days on the celebrated Trans-Siberian totwo, Chinese media reported Friday.

 

The project would cost more than $230 billion and be over 7,000 kilometres (4,350 miles) long, the Beijing Times reported -- more than three times the world's current longest high-speed line, from the Chinesecapital to the southern city of Guangzhou.

The country has the world's largest high-speed rail network, built from scratch in less than a decade, relying on technology transfer from foreign companies, including France's Alstom, Germany's Siemensand Japan's Kawasaki Heavy Industries.

Its reputation was tarnished after a bullet train collision in July 2011 near the eastern city of Wenzhou that killed at least 40 people andinjured hundreds.

But Chinais now keen to promote the export of its technology, and has been building high-speed rail networks in Turkey and Venezuela.