Xi Jinping Increasingly Opting for Bullet Trains Over Planes for Domestic Trips
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Official media reports suggest Xi Jinping is increasingly taking bullet trains for domestic trips, offering security, flexibility, and ability to see conditions on the ground.
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Sources say Xi took a 4.5 hour high-speed train from Beijing to Shanghai last week and made an additional stop on the return train trip.
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Trains allow bigger entourages, are faster door-to-door than flying, give option for extra stops, showcase railway achievements.
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Xi has used trains for at least 4 of 13 regional tours this year, continuing tradition of top leaders using rail to travel domestically.
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Experts say train travel offers security, first-hand observation of remote areas impossible to completely spruce up for visits.