Premier visits landmark rail project in Indonesia

Premier Li Qiang visited a section of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway in Java, Indonesia, on Wednesday and learned about the progress of the landmark project under the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.

Accompanied by Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Indonesia's coordinator for cooperation with China and coordinating minister for maritime affairs and investment, Li, who is on an official visit to Indonesia, boarded the express train from Halim station in Jakarta.

With a design speed of 350 kilometers per hour, the rail route covering 142.3 km will cut the journey time between Jakarta and Bandung from over three hours to around 40 minutes. It is the first high-speed railway in Southeast Asia. The current fastest railway in Southeast Asia is the Laos-China Railway, with a top speed of 160 km per hour.

Li was briefed about the construction, commissioning and test runs of the project, which is expected to start operations soon. The high-speed railway is in effect the first overseas construction project that fully uses Chinese railway systems, technologies and industrial components.

As Li traveled from Halim to Karawang station, the train traveled at its peak speed of 329 km per hour.

Incremental speed tests have been conducted since the start of joint commissioning and testing on May 22. Based on the test results so far, these systems have met the design requirements, which provide strong support for subsequent operation trials and opening for service.

Ferri Limputra, president director of Pura Mayungan Group of Companies in Jakarta, told China Daily that he is happy to note that the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway will start operations soon. "I am certain about its impact on the economic growth of our country."

He said that he hoped this will be a start for Indonesia to be connected efficiently and effectively, and to "get connected like in China".

Leonardus Jegho, a freelance journalist contributed to the story.