SE Asia's first high-speed rail ready for construction

The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway project, a joint effort between China and Indonesia and the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, is ready for construction, according to China Railway Corp.

The company said in a statement on Friday that by June, major progress has been made at 22 key construction sites. Issues related to the project's licensing and financing have been gradually resolved and land acquisition work has made breakthroughs.

CRC, the world's largest railway operator, said that the design of the 142-kilometer rail line - connecting the Indonesian capital Jakarta, with West Java's capital Bandung - is based on China's railway technological standards, which are safe, reliable, advanced and long-tested, and take full consideration of the local weather and geological conditions, traditions and cultures, as well as lifestyles.