China freezes rail projects

CHINA has frozen approval of new railway projects and halted some bullet train manufacturing after the collision last month that killed 40 people.

The crash, with delays on a new Beijing-Shanghai line blamed on equipment failures, have embarrassed the communist government and fuelled public anger at a bullet train network critics say is dangerous and too costly.

The railway minister promised a nationwide safety inspection and also announced further reductions in the top speed of bullet trains following cuts in April.