Zhao Zhiyan (center), general manager of Foshan CRRC Sifang Co Ltd, inspects a metro vehicle production line in the company's Foshan base in early January. [Photo by Qiu Quanlin/chinadaily.com.cn]

Foshan CRRC Sifang Co Ltd, a subsidiary of the State-owned CRRC Sifang Co, plans to produce 180 metro vehicles this year, after its rapid increase of sales in 2020, according to the company.

"The production plan is based on rapidly increased demand of metro vehicles in the Pearl River Delta region," said Zhao Zhiyan, general manager of Foshan CRRC Sifang.

Sales of the company, founded in 2014 in Gaoming district of Foshan, in the manufacturing hub of the Pearl River Delta region, rose 26 percent year-on-year to 762 million yuan ($118.16 million) in 2020, said Zhao.

"As a company mainly engaged in manufacturing metro vehicles, modern tramcars and hydrogen trains, we have seen great market potentials in the metro vehicle industry in the Delta region," said Zhao.

According to Zhao, the company's sales is expected to surpass 1.1 billion yuan in 2021.

"The rail traffic industry will maintain a rapid growth momentum in the years ahead in Guangdong province, following the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area," said Zhao.

In Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, construction of 11 new metro lines with a length of 292 kilometers will begin this year, said Zhong Xuejun, spokesman of the Guangzhou Metro Group.