China will step up efforts to build a smarter, greener and more integrated transportation system during the 15th Five-Year Plan period from 2026 to 2030, a transport ministry official said Wednesday.

The priorities were outlined at the opening of the three-day 18th International Exhibition on Transport Technology and Equipment in Beijing.

China will strengthen its national transportation network, improve safety and connectivity, and accelerate smart and digital upgrades across the sector. It will also promote greener development and structural improvements to make transport more efficient and sustainable.

These efforts build on major progress during the previous five-year plan, when China completed 91 percent of its planned nationwide transportation backbone. The country now has nearly 200,000 kilometres of expressways, more than 50,000 kilometres of high-speed railways and 18,500 kilometres of high-grade inland waterways.

Projects including the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link and Pinglu Canal have also advanced transportation engineering capabilities.

With artificial intelligence reshaping the industry, China's vast market is expected to provide opportunities to test and scale new transport technologies, supporting innovation and the development of competitive companies.