Due to the need for diesel locomotives for heavy shunting and freight service, China Railway had the HXN5B developed by CSR Qishuyan. It was designed after the same principles as the American Road Switchers. It is powered by a twelve-cylinder with 3,530 kW (4,800 hp) and three-phase traction motors.
For the “Belt and Road” project, additional locomotives were needed for the Chinese-Russian border area whose bogies could be adapted to the Russian and standard gauge. For this purpose, the HXN5B was selected after the DF7C and adapted to use the SA3 central buffer coupling.