China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), which develops space and missile technology, plans to research a "flying" train network that it says could eventually have a top speed of 4,000km/h.

China was a pioneer in maglev rail, completing a 30.5-km line from Shanghai Pudong International Airport to a suburban station at the end of 2003.

Its bullet trains now have a top speed of 320km/h, but CASIC’s vehicles would be able to reach 1,000km/h, initially.

Acting as an alternative to Elon Musk’s Hyperloop, the MagLev train would travel inside a similar vacuum tube. Hyperloop’s top speed is estimated to be 1,200km/h.

Trains running between cities would have a top speed of 1,000km/h, while those linking China's megacity zones could reach 2,000km/h. International travel could top 4,000km/h.

If successful, the vehicles would allow traveling between Beijing to Wuhan to take half an hour.

There is currently no timeframe for the project.

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