BEIJING (CAIXIN GLOBAL) - China is introducing guidelines to limit new high-speed rail construction along underused routes, as it seeks to prevent projects that give short-term boosts to local economies, but add to regional governments' already huge debt piles.

If a high-speed rail route is operating at less than 80 per cent of its designed capacity, then a second line shouldn't be built covering the same route, according to guidelines jointly released by the country's top economic planner and the transport authority on Monday (April 5).