China is trying to connect Southeast Asia by high-speed rail. Here’s how that’s going
A staff member waits for passengers to board the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train during a week-long public trial phase at the Halim station in Jakarta on September 17, 2023. - Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP/Getty Images
Imagine jumping on a train in southwestern China, traveling some 2,000 miles and arriving in Singapore – less than 30 hours later. That’s the scenario China is envisioning for Southeast Asia as part of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a vast overseas infrastructure development program that launched more than a decade ago.
In 2021, the semi-high-speed Laos-China Railway opened to passengers, connecting the southwestern Chinese commercial hub of Kunming to the Laotian capital of Vientiane – a roughly 10-hour journey spanning some 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) that officials claim has boosted numbers of overland Chinese travelers while greatly benefiting local vendors and businesses in the tiny land-locked country. Also with China’s help, Southeast Asia’s first bullet train began operating in Indonesia in October 2023 following years of setbacks and delays, connecting the capital Jakarta with Bandung in West Java, one of the country’s biggest cities and a significant arts and cultural hub.
Meanwhile, a second high-speed rail project is underway in Thailand, which aims to connect the Laos-China Railway with Bangkok – but is now facing further delays and mounting construction costs. Launching in phases, the Thai government currently expects the full line to be operational by 2028. The Chinese government has not detailed a timeline. The project, seen by some analysts as a ‘fiscal trap’, has been a source of heated debate and scrutiny in Thailand, with the government agreeing to shoulder the full construction cost of $5 billion (179 billion baht) for the first building phase, reported Reuters. The Chinese side will be responsible for installing systems, design, and procurement of trains. And when that line is finally complete, the plan is to expand into northern Malaysia, where it will connect to the capital Kuala Lumpur before finally ending 350 kilometers (218 miles) down south in Singapore.
Indonesia launches Southeast Asia's first high-speed rail
Indonesia launched Southeast Asia's first high-speed railway on Monday (Oct 2), a delayed, multibillion-dollar project backed by China that President Joko Widodo hailed as "a symbol of our modernisation".
With a top speed of 350 kmh, the bullet train "Whoosh" can get between the capital Jakarta and Bandung in 45 minutes. The 140km journey would previously have taken about three hours by train.
"The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train marks our efficient, friendly, and integrated mass transportation system," Widodo said during a ceremony at the capital's central station. "It is a symbol of our modernisation in the public transport, seamlessly connecting with other modes of transportation."
Indonesia opens Whoosh high-speed railway
Indonesia's launch of its China-backed high-speed railway will be first of its kind in South East Asia
Indonesia has inaugurated its first high-speed railway, a $7.3bn (£5.9) project backed by China under its Belt and Road Initiative. President Joko Widodo launched the service, which connects the capital Jakarta to Bandung, a top economic hub.
The railway is named Whoosh, a Bahasa Indonesia acronym that translates to time-saving and reliable. Mr Widodo has prioritised projects like Whoosh to ease the country's severe traffic jams. The railway was originally scheduled to open in 2019 but was delayed due to land disputes, the Covid-19 pandemic and a $1.2bn (£984m) budget overrun.
Monday's inauguration was pushed back from Sunday to accommodate the president's schedule. Whoosh is operated by PT KCIC, a joint venture made up of four Indonesian state companies with Beijing's China Railway International. Its name is short for "Waktu Hemat, Operasi Optimal, Sistem Handal", which translates to "Timesaving, Optimal Operation, Reliable System". It can reach speeds of up to 350km/h (217mph) with the journey spanning 142km. "The name is inspired by the sound of a rushing high-speed train," Mr Widodo told reporters at the launch.
Southeast Asia’s First High-Speed Railway, Funded by China, Launches in Indonesia
Launch of Southeast Asia’s 1st high-speed railway at Halim station in Jakarta, Indonesia, Oct. 2, 2023. Achmad Ibrahim-AP
Indonesian President Joko Widodo inaugurated Southeast Asia’s first high-speed railway on Monday as it was set to begin commercial operations, a key project under China’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative that will drastically reduce the travel time between two key cities.
The project has been beset with delays and increasing costs, and some observers doubt its commercial benefits. But Widodo has championed the 142-kilometer (88-mile) railway, which was issued its official operating license from the Transportation Ministry on Sunday.
The $7.3 billion project, largely funded by China, was constructed by PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia-China, known as PT KCIC, a joint venture between an Indonesian consortium of four state-owned companies and China Railway International Co. Ltd. The railway connects Jakarta with Bandung, the heavily populated capital of West Java province, and will cut travel time between the cities from the current three hours to about 40 minutes. Its use of electrical energy is expected to reduce carbon emissions.
Indonesian president launches Southeast Asia's first high-speed railway, funded by China
Officials stand near of high-speed railway during the opening ceremony for launching Southeast Asia's first high-speed railway at Padalarang station in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia, Monday, Oct. 2, 2023
Indonesian President Joko Widodo inaugurated Southeast Asia’s first high-speed railway on Monday as it was set to begin commercial operations, a key project under China’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative that will drastically reduce the travel time between two key cities.
The project has been beset with delays and increasing costs, and some observers doubt its commercial benefits. But Widodo has championed the 142-kilometer (88-mile) railway, which was issued its official operating license from the Transportation Ministry on Sunday.
The $7.3 billion project, largely funded by China, was constructed by PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia-China, known as PT KCIC, a joint venture between an Indonesian consortium of four state-owned companies and China Railway International Co. Ltd. The railway connects Jakarta with Bandung, the heavily populated capital of West Java province, and will cut travel time between the cities from the current three hours to about 40 minutes. Its use of electrical energy is expected to reduce carbon emissions.
Indonesia to seek China's help to develop renewables at Belt and Road Forum
Coal barges are pictured as they queue to be pulled along the Mahakam river in Samarinda, East Kalimantan province, Indonesia, August 31, 2019. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan/File Photo
Any partnership with China would be parallel with the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) - a $20 billion deal Indonesia has with a U.S.-led group of countries to help decarbonise its energy sector, acting Chief Investment Minister Erick Thohir said in a Reuters interview on the weekend. JETP discussions have not been proceeding smoothly. Many senior Indonesian officials have complained that Western countries are reluctant to finance the early retirement of coal power plants and that loans under JETP will carry high interest rates.
Southeast Asia's largest economy has pledged to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2060, a large part of which will involve cleaning up its energy sector. "China has made great strides in renewable energy development and has massive hydropower. So it would be good to learn from that," Erick said, adding that the two countries were still exploring what kind of partnership would be possible.
Singapore-Kunming Rail Link (SKRL)
The Singapore-Kunming Rail Link (SKRL) is a pan-Asian high-speed railway network being developed to connect the countries of Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Republic of China, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The 6,617.5km-long, meter-gauge railway network is being developed with an estimated investment of $15bn, under the ASEAN-Mekong Basin Development Cooperation (AMBDC) which was formed to encourage economic integration among the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries.
The project will link the cities in ASEAN countries with Kunming, the capital city of China’s Yunnan Province. Proposed under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the railway network aims to connect countries for encouraging cross-border passenger/cargo transportation and tourism between the countries.
Kunming–Singapore railway
The Kunming–Singapore railway is a network of railways that connects China, Singapore and all the countries of mainland Southeast Asia. The concept originated with the British and French colonial empires, which sought to link the railways they had built in southwest China, Indochina and Malaya, but international conflicts in the 20th century kept regional railways fragmented.
The idea was formally revived in October 2006 when 18 Asian and Eurasian countries signed the Trans-Asian railway Network Agreement, which incorporated the Kunming–Singapore railway into the Trans-Asian railway network. The network consists of three main routes from Kunming, China to Bangkok, Thailand: the Eastern route via Vietnam and Cambodia; the Central route via Laos, and the Western route via Myanmar. The southern half of the network from Bangkok to Singapore has been operational since 1918. The Central route opened on 3 December 2021, with the opening of the Yuxi–Mohan railway and Boten–Vientiane railway linking with the other operational segments of the route,[6] which formally connected Kunming and Singapore directly by rail.
There have been plans for high-speed railway constructions, though only one line (between Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima) has since entered the construction phase. The railway network is expected to increase regional economic integration and increase China's economic ties with Southeast Asia.
Malaysia, China keen to complete the Singapore-Kunming railway project
Malaysia and China are both keen to complete the Singapore-Kunming Rail Link (SKRL) project so that the countries in the Asean region can benefit from an efficient public transport system in passenger or cargo services.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong stated this at the 21st Asean-China Transport Ministers Meeting in Bali, Indonesia. Malaysia is the permanent chairman of the SKRL working committee. The Asean secretariat, he added, also shared the same view about cross-border rail transport and cooperation on new rail projects involving all Asean countries, especially those who are not involved in the project.
“Discussions between Asean countries are most crucial as they involve mutual recognition in rail standards and traffic signals, as well as sharing information on the level of high-speed rail development,” he said in a post on Facebook today.
The meeting also appreciated the technical expertise and financial assistance from China to Asean countries in the SKRL project, China-Laos High-Speed Rail, and the construction project of the 665-kilometre East Coast Rail Line (ECRL) in Malaysia which is expected to be completed in 2026.
Almost third of Chinese-constructed mega railway in Malaysia completed
The construction of the 655-kilometer Malaysian East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project, undertaken by China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), has been progressing steadily, with 30 percent of the work completed by May. Excavation work has also commenced on the Genting Tunnel of the project.
The mega infrastructure project with $12 billion in investment will be a game-changer by offering a modern, safe, and efficient transport network to Malaysia's East Coast, the Malaysian government said, adding that the country will gain a wealth of experience from the extensive technical expertise of the Chinese company.
The CCCC was named contractor of the ECRL Project in Malaysia based on its previous experiences with the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway in Kenya and the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway in China.
Sino-Thai High-Speed Rail Project Takes Another Step Forward
Earlier today, the Bangkok Post carried a short report about a meeting between Thai Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob and Han Zhiqiang, the recently appointed Chinese ambassador to Thailand. As per the report, the meeting involved discussions on possible Chinese support for a number of transport infrastructure projects, including the MR Map, a Thai connectivity initiative, and the Southern Land Bridge project, which will enable cargo transport between the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea.
But Saksayam said that he had also discussed with the Chinese ambassador progress in the long-delayed Thai-Chinese high-speed railway project. In particular, Saksayam related to the Chinese envoy that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was keen to accelerate the construction of the rail project in order for it to be connected as soon as possible with the Laos-China Railway, which was inaugurated with much fandare on December 3 after six years of construction.
The first phase of the Thai-Chinese railway project runs from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima, is currently under construction and is expected to begin operations in 2026. Transport Minister Saksayam added that the design of the railway’s second phase, which runs from Nakhon Ratchasima to Nong Khai, is now complete, and that talks are underway between Thailand, Laos, and China to complete the development of the route. As some observers have noted, this news will no doubt be sweet music to the ears of the leadership in neighboring Laos, which has taken on more than $1.5 billion in loans from China’s Eximbank to help finance its section of the railway.
China - Thailand Railway
China - Thailand Railway, or Sino - Thai Railway hasn't been opened yet. The construction began in December, 2017. About 4 years are needed to complete this high speed rail project, by when it will run through three countries including China, Laos and Thailand. It will serve trains running between Kunming and Bangkok. In the far future, this China - Thailand railway project will be extended all the way to Singapore, shaping a high speed railway as long as 1,864 miles (3,000 km), namely Kunming - Singapore Railway.
Based on the latest developments of China - Thailand Railway, Thailand will complete the construction plan on time. The high-speed rail of Bangkok – Nong Khai will be officially put into use in 2023. By the end of October 2017, a total of 207 sites have been constructed. This project is scheduled to be completed by the end of December 2021 and it will open to traffic in 2023.
Thailand - China High Speed Railway Project will make traveling between the two countries cheaper, easier and more convenient. Thailand is one of the top outbound tourism destinations among Chinese. When the China - Thailand high speed trains are put into service, they are estimated to attract 2 million more Chinese to visit the mysterious and colorful country each year, greatly boost the develop of its tourism industry.
China, Thailand sign agreement on high-speed rail line, set to open in 2026
Photo shows train tracks near the construction site of the China-Thailand high-speed railway. Foto: Chu Daye/GT
Thai transportation authorities and Chinese construction corporations signed a construction agreement for the first phase of the Thailand-China High Speed Rail on Monday, a new step forward for the long-awaited rail project that could link the two Asian countries.
The first 251-kilometer leg connecting the Thai capital, Bangkok, and Nakhon Ratchasima, better known as Korat, in northeastern Thailand, is expected to be completed and open to traffic in 2026, China's national broadcaster CCTV said on Monday.
The total budget for the first phase is about 179 billion baht ($5.85 billion), with the civil engineering contracts accounting for 27.527 billion baht. A consortium that includes Chinese companies will be responsible for the civil engineering work on the first section, according to the report.
China-Thailand Rail Project Back on Track With Cost Agreement
China and Thailand have agreed on the cost of the first phase of a planned high-speed railway project, thereby once again breathing new life into Beijing’s grand infrastructure ambitions in Southeast Asia, Thailand’s transport minister said Wednesday.
The two countries have been discussing the billion-dollar rail project for years, with the latest iteration since 2014 being two routes covering 873 kilometers (542 miles) running from southern China through Laos to Thailand’s industrial eastern coast. As I have stressed elsewhere, the project is central to Chinese broader infrastructure objectives under the One Belt, One Road which would see a railway running from Kunming all the way down to Malaysia and Singapore (“China’s Grand Plans in Southeast Asia on Track With Thai Rail Deal”). Yet negotiations between the two countries on the rail project have been going on in fits and starts due to disagreements on various issues including costs.
The latest agreement, where they agreed to construct the first 3.5 kilometer section of the railway from Bangkok to Pak Chong – part of the 271.5 kilometer southern stretch from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima – had been derailed because of financial issues, with China estimating in May that the costs of that stretch be 200 billion baht and Thailand projecting 180 billion.
High-speed rail in Thailand
Although Thailand has no operational high-speed rail lines, the country has a plan for a large high speed rail network connecting its major cities. The first line of the network is under construction from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima, with a planned maximum operational speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).
In October 2010, the Thai Parliament approved initial proposals for a high-speed rail (HSR) network. Five lines capable of handling 250 km/h (155 mph) speeds would radiate from Bangkok. In March 2013, the transport minister revealed that only one company would be selected to run all high-speed train routes, scheduled to be operational between 2018 and 2019.
The first 86 km (53 mi) section from Krung Thep Aphiwat to Ayuthaya was planned to be tendered in late-2013. However, a seven-month political crisis involving the dissolution of parliament and an annulled February 2014 election culminated in a military coup in May 2014. In July 2014 the new military junta deferred all HSR plans until a civilian government is installed.
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China Completes Track-Laying for First High-Speed Rail Link to Vietnam, Set to Boost Trade and Connectivity
China has completed the track-laying project for the Fangchenggang-Dongxing Railway, its first high-speed rail link to Vietnam. The railway, located in South China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is set to enhance connectivity and expedite travel between the Beibu Gulf economic zone and ASEAN markets. This development comes alongside Vietnam’s proposed renovations and upgrades to the cross-border line between Vietnam’s Lao Cai Station and China’s Hekou North Station on the Kunming-Hai Phong railway line. Both projects are expected to significantly facilitate two-way trade between the two nations.
A Closer Look at the Fangchenggang-Dongxing Railway - The Fangchenggang-Dongxing Railway spans 46.9 kilometers and is designed to run at 200 km per hour. However, it has been built with infrastructure that allows for an upgrade to a travel speed of 250 km per hour in the future. The completion of the track-laying project is a significant milestone, and the railway is expected to commence operation by the end of December 2023. This high-speed rail link will reduce the journey time between Fangchenggang and Dongxing from 60 minutes to just 20 minutes. Furthermore, it will connect Dongxing, a border city, to China’s sprawling 42,000 km high-speed railway network.
Boosting Trade and Connectivity - The new railway corridor is set to ease and quicken travel between the Beibu Gulf economic zone, the Greater Bay Area, and ASEAN markets. This development is expected to cut down costs and facilitate transportation between the two countries, thereby speeding up the flow of trade. In 2020, Vietnam’s railway transport of goods from Vietnam to China and other countries reached nearly 900,000 tonnes, up about 10 percent year on year, in which more than 90 percent of border trade with China flowed through the Lao Cai-Hekou railway line. The China-Laos Railway currently serves as China’s main railway artery to ASEAN. In its first 20 months of operation, the railway has handled 1.9 million passengers and 2.3 million tons of cargo. The success of the China-Laos Railway has inspired other regional countries, including Vietnam, to explore similar railway projects.
China’s First Direct High-Speed Railway Link to Vietnam: A Symbol of Cooperation and Growth
China’s pursuit of better connectivity within its borders and with neighboring countries has taken a new stride forward. On Tuesday, workers began laying tracks on China’s first direct high-speed railway link to Vietnam. A track-laying machine put down a 500-meter-long track, according to the domestic media outlet CGTN.
Background of the Project - The high-speed railway between Fangchenggang and Dongxing in South China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is not merely a means of transportation; it’s a symbol of growing collaboration between China and Southeast Asia. Spanning 46.9 kilometers, this railway line is designed to run at 200 km per hour with infrastructure allowing an upgrade to 250 km per hour in the future.
Connectivity and Economic Benefits - The railway corridor will make travel between the Beibu Gulf economic zone and the Greater Bay Area and ASEAN markets easier and faster. This project could signify a new era of business opportunities and cross-border exchange between China and Vietnam.
China begins construction of high-speed railway link to Vietnam
Workers began to lay tracks on China's first direct high-speed railway link to Vietnam on Tuesday. A track-laying machine put down a 500-meter-long track, domestic media outlet CGTN reported.
The railway between Fangchenggang and Dongxing, in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, spans a distance of 46.9 kilometers (km), and has a designed speed of 200 km per hour. Infrastructure is being built with conditions to upgrade the travel speed to 250 km per hour in the future. The railway corridor will make travel between the Beibu Gulf economic zone and the Greater Bay Area and ASEAN markets easier and faster. The Fangchenggang-Dongxing Railway is expected to see all tracks laid by the end of September and the railway could be put into operation by the end of December.
The railway will cut travel time between the two places from 60 minutes to 20 minutes and will link Dongxing, a border city, to the country's sprawling 42,000-km high-speed railway network. The China-Laos Railway is currently China's main railway artery to ASEAN. In the first 20 months of operation, the railway has handled 19 million passengers and 23 million tons of cargo, according to China Railway.
Trains between Vietnam and China
There are two railway lines between Vietnam and China, one is Hanoi - Pingxiang - Nam Ninh (Nanning, China) line, and the other is the historical Vietnam - Yunnan line. If you would like to take the cross-border overnight train, Hanoi - Nam Ninh is the only choice. While the other route of Lao Cai - Hekou - Kunming (Vietnam - Yunnan line) is faster and more convenient.
The cross-border railway between Pingxiang, China and Hanoi, Vietnam was firstly built in 1940. In November 1951, construction of the Nanning - Pingxiang section in China started. Since the railway in Vietnam is a narrow-gauge track built by France in the past, the section from Pingxiang to Youyiguan was also paved with narrow-gauge for the convenience of docking. In this way, Pingxiang Station on the Chinese side has actually become a transfer station for the combined railway transportation between the two countries.
On August 2, 1955, the first Sino-Vietnamese international intermodal train departed from Beijing and reached Pingxiang after dozens of hours, then went all the way to Hanoi. However, at the end of the 1970s, this international railway was completely interrupted. 17 years later, on February 14, 1996, the ceremony of the restoring of China-Vietnam International Railway was held at the Pingxiang Railway Station. The Hanoi-Pingxiang-Beijing-Moscow international train shuttled back and forth, and Pingxiang Station became an important hub for the intercontinental railway transportation line from Eastern Europe to Southeast Asia. Since the journey time for Hanoi - Beijing is too long, most of the travelers will only take the train from Hanoi to Nanning, then connect China high speed train or domestic flight from Nanning to Beijing.
Vietnam’s High-Speed Railway is Back on the Agenda
Vietnam’s government has taken the first step toward the construction of a long-envisioned high-speed rail along the country’s spine, at the reported cost of $58.7 billion. According to a Reuters report that cited a government statement released yesterday, the country’s Ministry of Transport will next month submit a proposal to build the 1,545-kilometer railway to the Politburo, the top decision-making body of the ruling Vietnamese Communist Party (VCP).
The 1,545-kilometer rail line would connect the southern metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City to the capital Hanoi in the north, supplementing the longer 1,729-kilometre railway that dates back to the era of French rule. As VnExpress reported last month, this new rail line would be used to transport passengers, while the existing railway routes would be used solely for freight.
The ministry’s plan envisions the first two sections of the railway, which would have a combined length of 665 kilometers and require an investment of $24.72 billion, being open to traffic by 2032. The entire project is slated to be completed by 2045-2050. The Ministry previously said it hopes to begin construction on the project by 2028.
China-Vietnam high-speed railway's tunnel construction completed at border
With the last tunnel drilled through on Tuesday, the construction of a railway that will allow Chinese high-speed trains to reach the China-Vietnam border has made a significant step forward.
The 46.9-kilometer railway will link the cities of Fangchenggang and Dongxing, both in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Trains on the line can run at a design speed of 200 km per hour, and the travel time between the two cities will be cut.
The line will eventually boost trade and exchanges between China and Southeast Asian countries.
related:
China Completes Track-Laying for First High-Speed Rail Link to Vietnam, Set to Boost Trade and Connectivity
China has completed the track-laying project for the Fangchenggang-Dongxing Railway, its first high-speed rail link to Vietnam. The railway, located in South China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is set to enhance connectivity and expedite travel between the Beibu Gulf economic zone and ASEAN markets. This development comes alongside Vietnam’s proposed renovations and upgrades to the cross-border line between Vietnam’s Lao Cai Station and China’s Hekou North Station on the Kunming-Hai Phong railway line. Both projects are expected to significantly facilitate two-way trade between the two nations.
A Closer Look at the Fangchenggang-Dongxing Railway - The Fangchenggang-Dongxing Railway spans 46.9 kilometers and is designed to run at 200 km per hour. However, it has been built with infrastructure that allows for an upgrade to a travel speed of 250 km per hour in the future. The completion of the track-laying project is a significant milestone, and the railway is expected to commence operation by the end of December 2023. This high-speed rail link will reduce the journey time between Fangchenggang and Dongxing from 60 minutes to just 20 minutes. Furthermore, it will connect Dongxing, a border city, to China’s sprawling 42,000 km high-speed railway network.
The new railway corridor is set to ease and quicken travel between the Beibu Gulf economic zone, the Greater Bay Area, and ASEAN markets. This development is expected to cut down costs and facilitate transportation between the two countries, thereby speeding up the flow of trade. In 2020, Vietnam’s railway transport of goods from Vietnam to China and other countries reached nearly 900,000 tonnes, up about 10 percent year on year, in which more than 90 percent of border trade with China flowed through the Lao Cai-Hekou railway line. The China-Laos Railway currently serves as China’s main railway artery to ASEAN. In its first 20 months of operation, the railway has handled 1.9 million passengers and 2.3 million tons of cargo. The success of the China-Laos Railway has inspired other regional countries, including Vietnam, to explore similar railway projects.
Laos-China High-Speed Railway and Its Implications for Vietnam
The railway connecting Vientiane to Kunming in China is reshaping the socio-economic and tourism landscape of the Lao People's Democratic Republic
The high-speed rail link between the capital of Laos, Vientiane, and Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province in China, was officially inaugurated on December 3, 2021. In just one year (up to December 2022), this railway has transported goods worth 10 billion yuan, carried 2 million tons of cargo, and served nearly 1 million passengers. It has positioned Laos as a burgeoning commercial hub in the region.
Thailand has been the most effective beneficiary of this railway. Thailand's Ministry of Commerce reports a substantial surge in fruit exports to China since the Laos-China railway commenced operations at the end of 2021. Thai goods exported to China via this railway system are projected to reach USD 55 million in 2022, marking a more than 21-fold increase compared to 2021. In the first five months of 2023, Thailand's exports to China via this railway have exceeded USD 80.2 million, with fresh durian accounting for 72% of the total. This shift reflects Thai exporters' preference for bypassing Vietnam. Before the pandemic, particularly in 2018, Thai exporters used to route their fruit through Vietnam, either by working with Vietnamese intermediaries or importing to Vietnam and subsequently exporting to China, generating nearly USD 600 million in revenue. However, since 2021, Thai exporters have largely abandoned this route in favor of the Laos-China railway. This decision has enabled them to cut delivery times to China to a mere 15 hours, a significant improvement over the previous two-day truck journey or the five-day route via Vietnam. Thailand's main fruit exports to China now include bananas, coconuts, durian, dragon fruit, and longan.
The Laos-China railway stretches for 1,035 kilometers, constructed over five years (2016-2021) at a cost of USD 6 billion, with the Laotian segment covering 422 kilometers. The railway includes 198 kilometers of tunnels and 62 kilometers of river bridges and viaducts, boasting an average speed of 160 kilometers per hour. This rail link has propelled Laos' tourism industry forward, attracting more tourists than ever before. According to Vientiane Times, in the first three months of 2023 alone, nearly 900,000 foreign tourists visited Vientiane, with 350,000 coming from Thailand, 180,000 from Vietnam, 145,000 from China, and 46,000 from Korea. Most of these tourists continued their journey to China via the high-speed train. Additionally, this railway has created job opportunities in local communities, particularly in service sectors, transformed the landscape, and unlocked the potential of previously underdeveloped areas in Laos.
A year on, Laotians say high-speed rail link with China has brought them few benefits
A high-speed train passes through the Lao countryside along the Laos-China Railway, Dec. 3, 2021
A year ago, a U.S.$6 billion high-speed railway was completed between Laos and China amid much fanfare and hopes that it would fuel exports from Laos and spur growth in the impoverished, landlocked country.
But one year later, most of the trade has been one-way: from China, which exports machinery, auto parts, electronics and consumer goods, sources in Laos tell Radio Free Asia. Laotian exports, hindered by China’s strict COVID policies at the border and other structural barriers, have made up just a small fraction by comparison.
“The Laos-China train carries a lot of goods from China to Laos but only a few [goods] from Laos to China, mainly because of the Chinese zero-COVID policy,” a Lao transport official told RFA. Passengers, too, say train service has been far from ideal. Laotians say they face difficulties buying train tickets, which must to be done in person at rail stations. People often wait in long lines for up to six hours, forcing some to pay others to stand in line and buy tickets, though these middlemen charge high markups for their service.
China and Laos open $6 billion high-speed rail link
A $6 billion high-speed rail line connecting China with its Southeast Asian neighbour Laos opened on Friday, a milestone in Beijing's ambitious Belt and Road infrastructure plans.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Lao counterpart Thongloun Sisoulith attended a virtual ceremony to mark the maiden voyages on the line, which stretches from the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming to the Laotian capital Vientiane. China, which holds a 70% stake in the joint venture project signed in 2015, hopes the 1,000-km (621.37-mile) line will eventually expand through Thailand and Malaysia to Singapore.
In a video meeting between the two leaders earlier on Friday, Xi said the countries stood at "a new historical starting point". "China is willing to strengthen strategic communication with Laos, promote the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and continue to build an unbreakable China-Laos community with a shared future," he said in comments published by China's state broadcaster CCTV.
China Launches High-Speed Rail Through Laos in First Leg of SE Asia Corridor
Chinese and Lao officials Friday will inaugurate a $5.9 billion high-speed rail line through Laos, six years after breaking ground on the first leg of Beijing’s grand plans to link China’s underdeveloped interior with the bustling seaports of Singapore by train.
The 414-kilometer ribbon of steel and concrete ties Laos’ northern border with China’s Yunnan province to its frontier with Thailand at Vientiane, Laos’ capital, across 167 bridges and 75 tunnels. With a top speed of 160 kilometers per hour, sleek new bullet trains will cut a bone-jarring 15-hour road trip down to under four hours, promising a new tide of trade and tourists from China for one of Southeast Asia’s poorest countries. Laos is hoping the line will help transform the country from landlocked to land-linked, drawing more foreign holidaymakers and investors in while sending more of its own wares out.
For Beijing, it is the critical opening move of a key Belt and Road Initiative project aimed at not only developing Yunnan by plugging it into some of Southeast Asia’s biggest economies but at pulling the region further into China’s orbit, analysts say. “From a Chinese perspective it enables China to look at continental Southeast Asia as part of the hinterland, and they’ll have better control, they’ll have better access because the train is there,” said Ruth Banomyon, a professor at Thailand’s Thammasat University who studies international trade, transport and logistics.
China-Laos railway goes into full operation
The Lane Xang EMU train passes by the China-Laos borderline inside a tunnel, October 15, 2021. /Xinhua
After years of construction, the railway linking southwest China's Kunming City with the Lao capital Vientiane became fully operational on Friday afternoon. With a length of 1,035 kilometers, this docking project links the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Lao's strategy to convert itself from a landlocked country to a land-linked hub.
The designated rail speed of 160 kilometers per hour shortens the travel time from Vientiane to Moding on the China-Laos border from two days to around three hours, and the full journey to Kunming can be done in about 10 hours, according to a statement issued by China State Railway Group (CSRG), the national railway operator, on Thursday. Construction took nearly five years and was mainly funded and constructed by China with the line directly connected to the Chinese railway network.
"What we are building is not only a railway, but also it represents the standards of 'made in China' and the inheritance of China-Laos friendship," said Wang Gengjie, general manager of China Railway's Kunming bureau, a contractor of the cross-border railway.
China, Laos to Build $6 Billion Railway by 2020
China aims to complete the long-awaited construction of a multibillion-dollar, high-speed rail project from southwestern China to Laos by 2020 as part of Beijing’s efforts to link itself to Southeast Asian markets, official sources confirmed over the weekend.
The two countries agreed Friday to build a 40-billion yuan ($6.28 billion), 418-kilometer railway from Kunming, the capital of southwestern China’s Yunnan province, to the Laotian capital of Vientiane, the official China Economic Herald reported following a signing ceremony attended by the National Development and Reform Commission, China Railway Corporation, and Export-Import Bank of China.
According to Chinese media sources, China will be responsible for 70 percent of the investment while Laos will be responsible for the rest. Once operational, the railway will the Laos’ longest and fastest, with an average speed of 160 kilometers per hour and 60 percent of the line being bridges and tunnels. It is part of a larger 3,000-kilometer regional railway that will run from Kunming through Laos and Thailand down to Malaysia and Singapore. The agreement followed years of discussions about the project than began around 2010. Lao officials had earlier expressed concerns, including the fact that China’s three-percent interest rate for the project was too high. Laos, a landlocked country, currently only has one railway, which opened in 2009 and links to Thailand’s Nong Khai. China, Laos’ largest trading partner, has been promoting the project as a boost for Laos’ development in addition to the benefits for Yunnan province.
Cambodia Plans $4 Billion Upgrade for its First High-Speed Railway Line
Cambodia has announced its plan to invest $4 billion to upgrade the existing northern Phnom Penh-Poipet railway line into the first high-speed railway line in the country. This ambitious project marks a significant step towards modernizing Cambodia’s transportation network and promoting socioeconomic growth.
The new railway line, set to be completed in four years, will feature 33 stations, electric locomotives and carriages, and will be able to reach speeds of up to 160 km per hour. This will be a major improvement over the current railway network, which was built during French colonial times and has seen little change since.
The current railway line is not fully utilized due to its state of infrastructure and offers limited service to travelers, business people and goods movers. The new railway line is expected to be a viable alternative to the current system and provide passenger and freight services between Cambodia and Thailand. It is also planned to link into China’s belt and road policy of high-speed trains in ASEAN and extend from Bangkok to Cambodia’s border, connecting to mainland China and Singapore.
Cambodia’s Hun Sen to head to China in search of high-speed rail support
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen will visit China after Lunar New Year, with plans to secure China’s support for his country’s first high-speed rail project.
Hun Sen confirmed on Saturday that he will make a three-day official visit to China from February 9, followed by a trip by Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni.
Hun Sen said this visit was arranged by Chinese President Xi Jinping to mark the third anniversary of his last trip to China, Cambodian daily Rasmei Kampuchea reported on Saturday.
Cambodia plans over 4-bln-USD high-speed rail linking capital with Thai border
Cambodia has planned to upgrade its existing northern Phnom Penh-Poipet railway to become the kingdom's first high-speed rail, which is expected to cost more than 4 billion U.S. dollars, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport said in a news release on Tuesday.
The China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) presented its feasibility study's preliminary results on the upgrading of the Phnom Penh-Poipet railway to the ministry on Monday, the news release said. Poipet is a bustling city that shares its border with Thailand.
"The preliminary results showed that the 382-km rail line requires an investment capital of more than 4 billion U.S. dollars, including electric locomotives and carriages, and the construction will take about four years to complete," the news release said. This high-speed rail will have a width of 1.43 meters, with the speed of 160 km per hour, it said, adding that there will be a total of 33 stations and more than 300 overpasses along the route.
China - Myanmar Railway
Myanmar - China Railway Project, 1,193 miles (1,920 km) long, will link Kunming, capital city of China's Yunnan Province with Yangon, Myanmar's largest city. The top permitted speed will be 87 mph (140km/h). Up till now, the section in China with length of 423 miles (680 km) has been under construction since December, 2015 and it is expected to be completed by 2020, while the section in Myanmar is still under negotiation.
Kunming to Yangon train will start from Kunming, run southwestward to Ruili at Chinese - Burma border, and then southward through Burma to Yangon. The Kunming - Yangon railway is scheduled to be constructed in two phases. There is no doubt that both countries can benefit a lot from Sino - Myanmar Railway once it is put into operation. First, it will greatly boost the economy growth of southwestern China and Burma, especially for Burma. According to its official statistics, China is its largest trading partner and the main source of investment. Second, Myanmar - China train will make the travel between the two countries easier and promote the tourism development along the rail. Third, it will create more employment opportunities for the locals. Fourth, according to the plan, this rail line will be extended all the way to Singapore, thus it will be a convenient channel connecting China with the Southeastern Asian countries. Last but not least, this railroad will be a good advertisement for the advanced Chinese railway construction technology.
For the significance to China, it is reflected in the following aspects: accelerate the development of the southwest border areas of China; promote the friendship of Southeast Asian countries to China; obtain the nearest channel connecting South Asia region to the Indian Ocean; facilitate the establishment of “One Belt and One Road” in southeast China.
New China-Myanmar Railway Route Launched to Strengthen Connectivity with ASEAN
As a new China-Myanmar channel, the first international freight train linking Chongqing and Lincang in southwestern China with Myanmar set off from the Yuzui Station in Liangjiang New Area on May 23.
The new route is expected to strengthen Chongqing's connectivity with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) members, said Ba Chuanjiang, Director of the Port and Logistics Office of Chongqing Municipal People's Government.
The successful opening of this train will further optimize the international logistics mode and route in the inland areas of western China to many ports in the Middle East and Europe.
Full steam ahead for China-Myanmar high-speed railway
A Chinese bullet train in southwestern China in a file photo. Image: Facebook/Xinhua
Once stalled plans to build a high-speed railroad connecting China’s southern city of Kunming and Myanmar’s Kyaukphyu port on the Bay of Bengal are firmly back on track. If completed, the 1,400-kilometer railroad will be a crucial link in a strategic economic corridor through which China’s imports and exports would bypass the congested Malacca Strait and contested South China Sea, both potential chokepoints in any conflict scenario.
There are already gas and oil pipelines in place running from Myanmar’s western coast and China’s southern Yunnan province which strategically bypass maritime bottlenecks and potential trouble spots. Combined with a special economic zone (SEZ) that is being developed around Kyaukphyu, and plans for a new expressway linking the Chinese border to Myanmar’s coast, it is plain to see how economically and strategically important the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor, or CMEC, is to China’s long-term vision for the region and beyond.
The CMEC forms a crucial part of Chinese president Xi Jinping’s US$1 trillion Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a China-centered network of trade-promoting roads, railroads and shipping lanes spanning more than 60 countries in Asia, Africa and Europe.
Chinese High-Speed Rail Network Reaches Myanmar’s Border
The opening of the Chengdu-Lincang line will further mainland Southeast Asia’s historic reorientation toward the north
Lost among the torrent of disheartening news from Myanmar was a report on the official opening of a new rail line bringing China’s high-speed railway network to the country’s border with Myanmar. The recently completed railway runs from Chengdu, the capital of China’s Sichuan province, to Lincang, a prefecture-level city in Yunnan province opposite the town of Chinshwehaw in Myanmar’s Shan State.
According to The Irrawaddy, Yang Haodong, the Chinese Communist Party secretary in Lincang, said at the railway’s opening ceremony on August 25 that the border would function as an important node of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and would work to write a new chapter in the history of friendly “paukphaw” relations between Myanmar and China.
The new rail line is just the latest in a flurry of transport links that have bound Yunnan province, once a sparsely populated frontier region at the outer reaches of the Chinese empire, into China’s dense highway and rail network. It also reflects the long process of China’s deepening integration with Myanmar and the other nations of mainland Southeast Asia. Since the late 1980s, Beijing’s ambition has been to create an overland corridor connecting Yunnan to the Indian Ocean via Myanmar.
First stage of China - Myanmar rail link opens
A China National Railway train crossing one of the impressive viaducts on the Dali - Baoshan line
ON July 22, China opened the 133km Dali - Baoshan section of the planned 330km Dali - Ruili railway, marking an important stage in the construction of an international railway corridor between China and Myanmar as Ruili is close to the Myanmar border.
The line has been designed as a national Class I single-track electrified railway with an operating speed of 140km/h. There are passenger stations at Dali, Yangbi, Yongping County and Baoshan, and three freight terminals at Yangbi, Yongping County and Baoshan North.
The line passes through the steep-sided canyons of the Hengduan Mountain Range, spans many rivers including the Yangbi, Yinjiang and Lancanq, and crosses areas of high geothermal heat and seismic activity. Construction started in 2008 and has involved overcoming numerous geological hazards such as landslides and mud and water surges, building the Lacanq River bridge in such a way as to overcome the impact of cross-winds in the valley, and the construction of the Dazhu Mountain and Xiuling Tunnels through challenging rock strata.
China Opens Rail Line, Trade Route to Indian Ocean Through Myanmar
China last month inaugurated a new trade route via ship, road and rail running through Myanmar in keeping with Beijing’s dogged building spree across the Southeast Asian country to reach the Indian Ocean and points west.
Analysts say it is one more strand in the ever-expanding web of transportation channels pulling China and Southeast Asia closer under the banner of Beijing’s sprawling Belt and Road Initiative while boosting China’s sway across the region.
Whether the new route actually pays off, they add, may hinge on whether and when new rail lines are laid across Myanmar, a challenge made tougher by the violent turmoil the country has tipped into since its Feb. 1 coup. The Chinese Embassy in Myanmar announced the opening of the route after a successful test run with a post to its Facebook page.
China To Develop Philippine’s Mindanao Rail Network Project
Proposed Railway is first in Mindanao and will eventually become a 1,530km circular island route
The Philippines’ Department of Transport has announced that the proposed Mindanao rail line, the first rail project outside the Philippines main Luzon Island, is to be developed in a joint venture between China Railway Design and Guangzhou Wanan Construction Supervision. The entire project is valued at US$1.6 billion.
The Mindanao line will extend for 102km along the islands southeast coast, linking Tagum, the provincial capital Davao City, and Digos. The US$60 million development contract covers a range of services, from detailed design to revenue projection, for the project, and will run for more than two-and-a-half years. The design-and-build construction work will be picked from a China-only shortlist of contractors. Those in the running are China Railway International Group, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, China State Construction Engineering and China Communications Construction Company. All are state-owned enterprises.
The government hopes to have the line enter service by June 2023. Later phases will extend it to a 1,530km circuit of Mindanao, which is the second largest in the Philippines archipelago. That concept is still being studied with different proposals having been made. China Railway Design, formerly known as the Third Railway Survey and Design Institute Group Corporation is based in Tianjin and is a subsidiary of China State Railway Group. It is a major player in China’s domestic market, having designed more than 11,000km of high-speed track.
China to fund railway project in southern Philippines
The remaining phases of the railway project in the Philippines' southern island of Mindanao will be financed by a loan from China, according to the Department of Transportation. Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan said Phase 1 of the project is being funded through the government budget or the General Appropriations Act (GAA), reported The Philippine Star.
"Phase one is GAA, the rest is China," Batan said. He, however, did not disclose the cost of the next phases. Phase 1 of the Mindanao railway project involves the 102.9-km Tagum-Davao-Digos Segment which costs 31.9 billion pesos (S$807.8 million). The Tagum-Davao-Digos Segment is expected to reduce travel time from Tagum City, Davao del Norte to Digos City, Davao del Sur from 3.5 hours to 1.3 hours once it starts operating in 2022.
Design and construction of the project will begin by the third quarter of this year. The railway project, expected to cost 175 billion pesos, will also be funded by China. Batan said China will provide the exact amount of the actual winning bidder's contract. The project involves the construction of nine train stations. Construction of the railway is expected to be completed by 2022.
China ready to help build Mindanao railway
One of the highest-ranking Chinese officials to visit the Philippines said his country was ready to help President Duterte realize his dream of building a railway to connect key Mindanao areas with one another.
Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang, however, said he was still unsure how. Speaking through an interpreter during a visit here on Saturday, Wang said China’s help could be in the form of a loan or Chinese investors taking part in the Philippine government’s public-private partnership (PPP) scheme.
Wang was the main guest at the presentation of the proposed Mindanao railway, which would cost P218 billion and run at least 830 kilometers, and other major projects that the Duterte administration is selling to China for funding. Although he expressed support for the project, Wang said he wanted a feasibility study done first if a railway was the most practical way to connect key Mindanao cities like Davao, Zamboanga, Butuan, Surigao, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan and General Santos.
Mindanao Railway construction set to start in 2022
The construction of the first phase of the China-funded Mindanao Railway will begin by the first half of 2022, according to Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan.
Among the big-ticket infrastructure projects delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mindanao Railway Phase 1 involves building a 100-kilometer train line connecting Tagum, Davao and Digos.
“We are already catching up [to build] the Mindanao railway,” Batan told lawmakers during the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) budget hearings before the House of Representatives earlier this week. He said right-of-way acquisition activities were hampered by the lockdowns that were imposed during the health crisis.
DOTr inks contract with China for Mindanao Railway project
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has signed a project management consultancy contract for the first phase of the Mindanao railway project with the China Railway Design Corp. and Guangzhou Wanan Construction Supervision Co. Ltd. consortium.
“The DOTr is now bringing the Mindanao rail project to life and will very soon be providing a reliable, convenient and fast railway connection to the millions of residence of Mindanao,” DOTr Assistant Secretary for project implementation for the Mindanao cluster Eymard Eje said. The Mindanao rail is a China-funded project which will be the country’s first train system outside Luzon.
Eje said the first phase of the massive railway project is the Tagum-Davao-Digos segment comprising about 100 kilometers that will connect the cities of Tagum in Davao del Norte, Davao City, and Digos in Davao del Sur with eight stations along its alignment. The project will have a depot in Tagum for heavy maintenance and a satellite depot in Davao City for light maintenance.
China’s Grand Plans in Southeast Asia on Track With Thai Rail Deal
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and other leaders at the 10th China-ASEAN Summit, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Nov. 21, 2015 (AP photo by Vincent Thian)
In early December, China and Thailand finally signed a deal to build a multibillion-dollar railway line linking the two countries. If realized, the move has the potential to be not only a boost for bilateral ties, but also a feather in the cap of Beijing’s geopolitical ambitions in Southeast Asia.
The idea of a Sino-Thai rail project has been in the works for years, with the latest plans unveiled in December 2014 during Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s visit to Thailand, alongside rice and rubber deals. The rail agreement comprises two routes covering more than 530 miles and costing 350 billion baht, or about $9.7 billion, with the trains running at top speeds of up to 110 miles per hour.
Though Bangkok and Beijing have had differences over funding, feasibility and even the speed of the trains, the deal’s finalization last month is no doubt a boon as the two countries celebrate the 40th anniversary of their bilateral relationship. While China is already Thailand’s biggest trading partner and export market, the new railway—in addition to the agreements that will see China buying 2 million tons of rice and 200,000 tons of rubber from Thailand—would be a further benefit for trade, investment and tourism. China’s ambassador to Thailand recently told the Thai newspaper The Nation that the rail project was the most tangible.
China debuts its first overwater high-speed train
The latest addition to the country’s portfolio is a 277-kilometer (172-mile) high-speed train line along the southeastern coast, connecting the cities of Zhangzhou, Xiamen and Fuzhou, all three of which are in Fujian province.
The maximum speed of the trains along this route is 350 kilometers (218 miles) per hour, according to China Railway, the state railway operator. The first train on this line debuted on Thursday, September 28, departing from Fuzhou, the province’s capital, at 9:15 a.m. The new railway currently has 84 bridges and 29 tunnels, plus 20 km (12 miles) of track that goes over the sea, making it the country’s first over-water bullet train.
China Railway says that it used intelligent robots and environmentally friendly corrosion-resistant steel to build out the overwater rail sections. The new line is just one of many infrastructure projects touted by the Chinese government in 2016, when the “Eight Horizontal and Eight Vertical” rail initiative was announced. State-run media outlet Xinhua notes that ground transportation in Fujian province has been challenging due to its mountainous terrain.
Embracing, Leaning & Tilting towards China
After a series of visits by leaders of ASEAN states to China, China and ASEAN have found common agreement to prioritize economic cooperation and move forward. A golden opportunity has emerged: It is high time for China and its rival claimants in ASEAN to make major progress in the South China Sea disputes.
It's reported that officials and scholars from countries related to the South China Sea issue have met recently to discuss trust-building mechanisms, including nailing down the Code of Conduct, reshaping South China Sea order and the feasibility of joint cooperation on areas including anti-terror, climate change and protecting biodiversity.
US President-elect Trump's aggressive posturing against China has generated a lot of uncertainties in many respects, South China Sea disputes included, which have just quieted down after the tricky and stormy international arbitration process in July.
You Won’t Believe The Countries Replacing Planes With High-Speed Trains
Not only is travelling by train a more relaxing, scenic option compared to plane travel, it's more eco-friendly too – a recent report by the think tank Intergenerational Foundation suggested the UK could cut its aviation fuel emissions by a third if it banned short-haul flights in favour of rail routes. From iconic routes like Japan's bullet trains, which can travel at speeds of up to 225 miles per hour (360km/h), to TGV's swift services, here are the finest high-speed routes to get inspired by.
The inside track on fast trains around the world:
- Tokaido Shinkansen, Japan
- Cairo fast train, Egypt
- Frecciarossa, Italy
- Shanghai Maglev, China
- Fuxing Hao, China
- Haramain Railway, Saudi Arabia
- Eurostar e320, UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands
- The Thalys network, France, Belgium, the Netherlands & Germany
- Al Boraq, Morocco
- Vande Bharat Express, India
- HS2, England, UK
- Acela Express, USA
- AVE network, Spain
- Chuo Shinkansen, Japan
- TGV, France
- Laos-China Railway, Laos
- Jakarta to Bandung high-speed train, Indonesia
