China Develops Xianglong Tunnel Boring Machine

Exam-focused facts from the 7 August 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

The Xianglong tunnel boring machine, jointly developed by Tsinghua University and a subsidiary of China Railway Group, combines mechanical excavation with an integrated drilling and blasting system.
The machine has a diameter of 4.5 metres and was produced in Wuhan, Hubei province.
The hybrid design is expected to improve tunnelling efficiency through extremely hard rock by 30 percent.
The machine will undergo its first real-world trial at a pumped-storage hydropower project in Henan province.
China has become the world's leading manufacturer of tunnel boring machines, with exports to 36 countries.