To prevent the French from controlling the entire route between Beijing and Guangzhou, the Chinese government actively sought American involvement in the Guangzhou–Hankou railway.

[1] Construction on the project began in 1900, with the southern terminus on the east bank of the Pearl River.

The 49-kilometer (30 mi) branch line to Sanshui ("Samshui") via Foshan ("Fatshan") was constructed westward from the west bank of the Pearl from 1902 to 1904.

[2] A diplomatic crisis erupted when it was discovered that a Belgian consortium had purchased a controlling interest in the American China Development Company.

This subverted the original intention of awarding different railway lines to different foreign powers.