China's railways carried 1.26 billion passengers and 2.87 billion tons of cargo in 2006, up 8.7 percent and 6.9 percent respectively over the previous year, the Ministry of Railways said in Beijing Wednesday.

Minister Liu Zhijun said at the annual railway meeting that passenger and freight numbers have risen for three years in succession.

Transportation of strategic materials like coal and fertilizers also rose in 2006.

Liu said that in 2007 China's railways are expected to carry 1.365 billion passengers and 3.06 billion tons of cargos.

(Xinhua News Agency January 11, 2007)