China plans 'smart trains' to take on global rail companies
BEIJING. KAZINFORM - The capacity to manufacture and export top-end high-speed trains and related equipment isgiving a new sheen to the image of China, for long considered maker of low-quality, cheapgoods like bags, shoes and lighters.
Even foreign governments and corporate clients are sitting up and taking notice, China Daily reports.
China is in talks with more than 30 countries including the United States, Russia, Brazil,Thailand, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Iran about high-speed rail projects, said Wang Mengshu,a deputy to the National People's Congress and deputy chief engineer of China RailwayTunnel Group Ltd.
"China's first high-speed rail project in Indonesia will arouse more countries' interest, whichare keen to put their economic growth on a firmer footing through efficient transportationsystems and regional connectivity," said Wang.
China was selected by the Indonesian government to build the nation's first bullet rail link－the 150-kilometer Jakarta-Bandung link last year. It is responsible to construct the $5.5-billion high-speed railway line from Jakarta to Bandung in the Southeast Asian country.
With the operational date scheduled for 2019, the project will be developed by PT KeretaCepat Indonesia-China, a joint venture formed in October 2015 between a consortium ofIndonesian state-owned companies and China Railway International Co Ltd, a subsidiary ofChina Railway Corp Group.
The project is financed through a Chinese loan provided by China Development Bank whichprovides around 75 percent of the funding, with the rest arranged by the joint venturepartners.
"Even though China is a latecomer to the field in comparison with its German and Frenchrivals, its rail equipment companies have thrived thanks to cost advantages, reasonabledelivery times and flexible financing models," Wang said.
Eager to compete with established rivals in Europe, Japan and Canada, China will furtherdevelop "smart trains", which apply intelligent technology that will allow trains' speed control,condition determination and fault detection to be performed digitally, Wang said.
The Chinese government announced in September a 370-kilometer high-speed railwayproject between Las Vegas and Los Angeles will be built by a joint venture by Chinese railcompanies, including China Railway Construction Corp, China Railway Corp, andXpressWest Enterprises, a US passenger rail service provider.
The construction work between Nevada and California is expected to start as early as thisSeptember, and the estimated investment for the project is $12.7 billion.
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