On Sunday, Ruijin sent a delegation of red education institutions, travel agencies, hotel operators and scenic spot managers north for inspection, and on Monday, Yan'an would send its own delegation south to Ruijin via the high-speed train to sign a framework cooperation agreement.

　　"Revolutionary bases joining hands for development is seriously compromised if transport links are inadequate," Yu said. She recalled her 2022 trip to Yan'an, which involved a train to Nanchang, a flight to Xi'an, and then a connecting drive. The journey took an entire day. Now, she said, one can enjoy the scenery all the way and arrive in Yan'an just by nightfall.

　　The bureau also plans to hold promotional events in major cities along the route, including Wuhan and Xi'an, to boost red tourism in the city.

　　Song Xuelin, deputy director of Ruijin's development and reform commission, suggested using tourism as a starting point, with cooperation extended to industry, rural revitalization and talent exchange. The train is transforming a transport link into a flowing economic and cultural tourism belt, Song added.

　　Over the years, the Chinese government has continuously increased support for the old revolutionary base areas and steadily improved the transportation backbone network. Ruijin and Yan'an have both developed integrated, multi-modal transport networks covering aviation, high-speed rail and expressways, achieving a historic transformation in their transport landscapes.

　　Ruijin, once a landlocked place with no access to rivers or the sea, now has an operational airport, a functioning inland port, and high-speed trains passing through, allowing investors from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to arrive by rail.