China to invest hundreds of millions of in trans-Asian high-speed rail to Singapore

May 2009, the Pan-Asian railway line in the western China Baoshan station is being intensified construction.　　Special reporter Tri Yuan since Beijing has been brewing for a long time the Pan-Asian Railway finally ushered in intensive news of the commencement. "It is believed that the railway linking China-Laos-Thailand will start next year."　　"December 7, at the National Convention Center held at the seventh session of the World High Speed Railway Conference, Thai Deputy Prime Minister Tessoban announced."　　Song Shawa Lengsavad, Laos ' deputy prime minister, also revealed that in April this year, Laos and China reached an agreement to establish a joint venture to build a high-speed rail link between Kunming, China and the Laos capital, which will be linked to Singapore next year, with the project expected to be completed in 4 years.　　The Sino-Burmese high-speed railway project, which connects Kunming with Yangon, will start in two months, the China Daily reported November 22. The Trans-Asian Railway project has been put forward for many years, because of lack of funds and insufficient technology. This time, a substantial progress, a famous Yunnan Xiaoxiang Pan-Asian Investment company's role in China's private companies can not be underestimated.　　If the railway is completed as planned, the trade links between China and ASEAN countries will undoubtedly be closer. Pan-Asian Railway Dream "China-Burma railway is 170-200 kilometers per hour, is a high-speed railway, will be mainly freight, not with the domestic speed of more than 300 kilometers per hour high iron project equivalent."　　"Chinese Academy of Engineering, Professor Wang Mengshu of Beijing Jiaotong University, said in an interview with The Times weekly that the construction of China-Burma high-speed railway is not accurate.　　In charge of the "China-Laos-Thailand" railway construction of Yunnan Xiaoxiang Pan Asia Investment company also said that although the "medium and old Thai" railway speed than the original plan has been improved, but only to reach about 180 kilometers, not pure passenger transport of the High Iron Project.　　Both the Sino-Burmese Railway and the Sino-Thai Railway are part of the "Trans-Asian Railway network" linking China and Southeast Asia. According to the Kunming Railway Bureau of Information, the narrow sense of the Pan-Asian Railway is divided into the East Line, Midline, the Western line: three lines from Kunming, the east line through the mouth of the river through Vietnam, the median through the mill through Laos, the Western Front through Ruili through Burma, and finally arrived in Singapore　　The three routes are part of China's medium and long term railway network planning. "The Trans-Asian Railway is an early idea, and can even be said to be somewhat outdated." "Wang Mengshu introduced that since the 60 's, some Asian countries have put forward the idea of trans-Asian railways, but the idea is too ambitious, far from reaching the level of implementation."　　From Kunming to Singapore, the narrow pan-Asian railway, because the distance is shorter, the possibility of implementation is greater.　　However, it is not easy to implement. The Trans-Asian Railway network, which connects China and Southeast Asian countries, requires hundreds of millions of yuan in construction funds and, as planned by ASEAN, is funded by the Member States themselves to build the trans-Asian railways in their own country.　　Financial issues are a big problem for most ASEAN countries. In addition, "as a project that has been put forward for many years, the issue of the interconnection of railway networks between several countries has been raised for many years and has not been implemented, exceptThe lack of funds and technology in these countries is perhaps more difficult than the political co-ordination between countries.　　"Wang Zichang, professor of Southeast Asian studies at Jinan University, said to the Times.　　In this situation, China-led, the introduction of China's technology and capital, to become a pan-Asian railway participating countries a choice. "From China onwards, the first to repair to our border countries, then the railway further expansion, by the relevant countries to determine, from the current point of view, the road network will not involve the issue of rail, will be built on China's railway track as a standard."　　"Wang Mengshu introduced that China and ASEAN countries will take the" China out of technology, ASEAN Labor, funding issues negotiated solution "way. However, "China's provision of technology and funds to build the Trans-Asian Railway is a natural political consideration for improving international relations, but if the stakes are too large, there may be a lot of political problems." "Wang Zichang said.　　A head of China's import and export bank told reporters at the high-speed rail conference that if China's high-speed rail passenger train to ASEAN would face high costs and excess capacity, the operators might have to take greater risks.　　The emergence of Xiaoxiang company of Chinese private enterprises provides a new way for ASEAN countries to build trans-Asian railway financing. New ideas on financing of opening up of the people's capital "China-Burma Railway" I have been watching, now the tender has not started, two months to start the impossible. "Li Jianqun is the chairman of Yunnan Xiaoxiang Pan Asia Investment Co., Ltd., the company as a private enterprise in China to obtain the Trans-Asian Railway line Laos section of the investment right to operate." Li Jianqun in an interview with The Times, said Xiaoxiang company's goal is not only the pan-Asian midline railway, if the Lao paragraph construction is smooth, he will also participate in other sections of the bidding.　　The Lao Tai Railway Laos from Yunnan Xishuangbanna grinding port to the Laos capital Vientiane, the new road length of 530 kilometers, design speed of 180 km, and Vientiane to Bangkok between the road, from the existing railway transformation from. Li Jianqun, born in 1942, revealed that as early as in 2005, he began to operate the "Sino-Thai" railway, "Thailand and Laos reached an agreement, the Thai company to build the project, the Ministry of Railways after we learned that they mobilized me to cooperate with them, but a few years later, the Thai side of the delay in the position of funds, Laos has suspended contracts with Thais, and we are now taking over the entire project.　　"The accession of Chinese private capital makes the construction of Pan-Asian railways an important choice." "Domestic state-owned enterprises can certainly participate, but will be more trouble, the need for the development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Railways approval, time-consuming, relatively, private enterprises to do a lot easier." "The Ministry of Railways is very supportive of the construction of the Laos Railway by Xiaoxiang company and will give full support to the technology," Li Jianqun said. Li Jianqun's budget for the China-Thailand railway is 30 billion yuan, and his investment in the Trans-Asian Railway is expected to be 30 billion dollars.　　In addition to railways, the 30 billion dollars will also be used for some investment projects along the railway lines. "Laos is a socialist country, the government ' Shuoyibuer ', the return on investment railways can beto security.　　"Li Jianqun introduced, in addition to railways, Xiaoxiang company will also participate in the Lao Railway along the Agroforestry development, industrial development and mineral development projects, especially the rich non-ferrous metals in Laos, Xiaoxiang Company will get preferential rights."　　But so far, Xiaoxiang company in the domestic registered capital of only 10 million yuan, shareholders only Li Jianqun and other three people, the company is only in April this year only to set up. Li Jianqun did not evade the source of funding, he explained, a part of the project funding from the United Nations Development Programme to provide Laos with 3 million of dollars in funding, Laos will be transferred to the construction of Xiaoxiang Railways, the other part of the Chinese government's aid to Laos, two of the total investment of 15%.　　The remainder was raised by Li Jianqun overseas with friends, who said he would welcome other investors if they were interested. "The return of the railways is certainly not quick, but I believe the development projects along these lines are attractive to investors," he said. Li Jianqun stressed that his overseas friends are very interested in this. According to Li Jianqun, the birthplace of Qidong County, Hunan Province, he experienced rich, as early as 1963, to accept the mission in Myanmar to engage in revolutionary work, until 1981 only returned.　　Perhaps that is why the 68-year-old has such a wealth of resources. "We can't just look at the immediate benefits, we should look at the long-term, such as the Pan-Asian Railway projects on the development of neighboring countries, I have great confidence in the future."　　Li Jianqun said firmly.　　To the ASEAN community, whether it is the Sino-Burmese Railway on the Western front of the Trans-Asian Railway or the middle-old Thai railway in the midline, the completion period is set at 2015 years. In the view of Wang Yu, director of the Regional Cooperation Research Institute of the Asia-Pacific Study of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the two projects are the "gift project" of the ASEAN community to some extent.　　In February 2009, ASEAN leaders signed the ASEAN Community 2009-2015 road Map Declaration at the 14th Summit, proposing the establishment of the ASEAN Community goals in 2015. "The gift project is not necessarily just for the image, although these rapid railway in the early days of the construction may not be very large transport needs, the benefits may not be so good, these infrastructure will inevitably lead to the development of neighboring countries, and soon the problem of excess capacity will not exist."　　"Wang Yu believes that with the acceleration of ASEAN integration process, ASEAN's strategic position is increasingly important, although China has joined the ASEAN Free Trade Area, but this is only to solve the problem of man-made barriers, the natural" natural barrier between the two sides must be similar to the Pan-Asian Railway infrastructure construction to solve. "The large number of agricultural products and resources transported from Indo-china Pen. countries to China are road transportation and water transport, with low capacity, long time and high transportation cost." Chai Yu, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences engaged in China-ASEAN regional Economic Research, said that the railway transport capacity of Indo-china Pen. countries, including Laos and Cambodia, is still difficult to meet the above transport requirements, apparently with the completed and graduallyThe FTA that tends to integrate development does not match. "China's prior cooperation with ASEAN is mainly trade, even if it is investment, but only some processing plants, the local development is limited, the future should be more consider the infrastructure investment in such a way as economic cooperation, and thus to promote the development of the border area."　　Wang Yu the Lord stressed.　　In addition to the economy, China's own strategic security is also the construction of the Pan-Asian Railway one of the considerations. "In the future, when the railway network of Indo-china Pen. and the Indian peninsula is established, China's import resources, especially oil, can no longer bypass the Straits of Malacca, but direct entry through the west by land, not only to save costs but also to secure our resources."　　"Wang Mengshu said. At present, the narrow pan-Asian railway is part of China has begun or project. According to the Yunnan Daily reported that the Western line of Dali to Ruili paragraph was started in June 2008, is expected to open in 2014, the eastern route of Yuxi to Mengzi section was opened on December 15, 2005, is expected to open in December 2011; The Ministry of Railways has reviewed the feasibility study report of the project. (Source: Times weekly)