BEIJING: China has ordered suspension of new railway projects, cut down train speeds on tracks built recently and halted bullet train manufacturing amid growing concerns that the country's rapid infrastructure development in the last few decades has come at the cost of safety.

July's bullet train crash that killed at least 40 passengers and injured 190 further deepened concerns.

"We will suspend, for the time being, the examination and approval of new railway construction projects," the country's cabinet said in a statement. It said the government would conduct safety checks on all high-speed links and those under construction and "thoroughly study" proposals submitted for approval . Railway minister Sheng Guangzu also said second-tier trains scheduled to run at 250kmph will slow to 200.