A bullet train runs on the Yangxian section of Xi'an-Chengdu high-speed railway line in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Tang Zhenjiang)

China's fixed asset investment in railways exceeded expectations in the first half of 2020, with investment in fixed railway assets reaching 325.8 billion yuan, rising 1.2 percent year-on-year, marking the government's determination to boost the economy.

China Railway said on Sunday that in the first half of the year, investment in fixed railway assets nationwide rose 3.8 billion yuan from the corresponding period last year, hitting 325.8 billion yuan.

China's railway system has expanded at a record rate. By July 1, 1,178 kilometers of new railway lines had been opened, including 605 kilometers of high-speed rail lines, the Global Times has learned.

Zhao Juan, research fellow with the China Railway Economic and Planning Research Institute, told Global Times on Sunday that the higher investment is not surprising, as railway infrastructure always plays an important role to support the economy. "And, railways projects will not be disrupted as long as the epidemic is contained," Zhao said.

This increase in the growth rate of the national railways during difficult times demonstrates the government's determination to overcome the adverse impact of the epidemic and strengthen the organization of railway construction, analysts said.

Affected by the epidemic, railway investment in the first quarter was only 79.9 billion yuan, down 21 percent year-on-year.

However, with the reopening of the economy is gaining impetus in the second quarter, China Railway completed investments of 245.9 billion yuan, up 11.4 percent from the previous year, including complete infrastructure investment of 179.7 billion yuan, up 16.4 percent from the previous year.

About 4,400 kilometers of new railway lines are expected to open for business this year, including about 2,300 kilometers of high-speed rail lines, said China Railway.

"Such an increase in growth rate will be maintained in the second half of the year as resumption of economic activities and market recovery are well underway and policy support is in place," Zhao said.

The International Monetary Fund expects China to be the only major economy to report a positive growth in 2020, media reports.