China has unveiled a maglev train capable of a top speed of 600km/h, according to state media.
The maximum speed would make the train, self-developed by China and manufactured in the coastal city of Qingdao, the fastest ground vehicle globally.
Using electro-magnetic force, the maglev train "levitates" above the track with no contact between body and rail.
China has been using the technology for almost two decades on a very limited scale. Shanghai has a short maglev line running from one of its airports to town.
While there are no inter-city or inter-province maglev lines yet in China that could make good use of the higher speeds, some cities including Shanghai and Chengdu have started to conduct research.
At 600km/h, it would only take 2.5 hours to travel from Beijing to Shanghai by train - a journey of more than 1,000 km.
By comparison, the journey would take 3 hours by plane and 5.5 hours by high-speed rail.
Countries from Japan to Germany are also looking to build maglev networks, although high costs and incompatibility with current track infrastructure remain hurdles to rapid development.
