BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- China's top economic planner has approved a railway project linking the city of Yinchuan with Huinong District in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, with a total investment of 12.87 billion yuan (1.93 billion U.S. dollars).

Spanning 100.6 km, the high-speed railway will have four stops and a top-speed of 250 kph, according to the National Development and Reform Commission.

The project, which will take four years to complete, is expected to increase development and boost the local economy, the commission said.

China spent 801 billion yuan on railway projects and put 3,038 km of new tracks into operation in 2017, exceeding its annual targets of 800 billion yuan of investment and 2,100 km of new lines, according to the China Railway Corporation.

By the end of 2017, China reached 127,000 km of railway lines in operation, with high-speed railway rising to 25,000 km, from 22,000 km at the end of 2016.