Government and Policy

China vies for California high-speed rail job

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-04-09 15:49

China has signed preliminary cooperation agreements with the State of California to help build high-speed rail lines in the West Coast state, as Beijing races to become a major exporter of bullet trains that could travel up to 215 miles an hour, the New York Times reported Thursday.

"We are the most advanced in many fields, and we are willing to share with the US," said Zheng Jian, the chief planner and director of high-speed rail at Chinese Railway Ministry. The newspaper said China is also willing to help finance the California construction.

For the American market, Zheng said, "We can provide whatever services are needed."

However, China is not the only country hoping to sell its high-speed rail equipment to the US. According to the newspaper, Japan, Germany, the Republic of Korea, Spain, France as well as Italy have also approached the rail authority in California. So far, no choice has been made.

California Gov Arnold Schwarzenegger has closely followed progress in the discussions with China and hopes to come to the country later this year for talks with rail ministry officials, said David Crane, the governor's special adviser for jobs and economic growth.

China's rail ministry has an international reputation for speed and low costs, and has already begun building high-speed rail routes in Turkey, Venezuela and Saudi Arabia, the newspaper said.