This is a passenger on the C98 train of the China Laos Railway photographed in Laos on October 12. Photo by Cheng Yiheng, Xinhua News Agency reporter
Jakarta, October 17 (Xinhua) — New Developments in the Pan Asian Railway Release New Momentum for Regional Cooperation
Xinhua News Agency reporter Ye Pingfan, Tao Fangwei, Liu Kai
On October 17, the first anniversary of the official opening and operation of the flagship project of the “the Belt and Road” cooperation between China and Indonesia was celebrated.
The Jakarta Bandung high-speed railway is the first high-speed railway in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, with a total of 5.79 million passengers transported since its opening. From the China Laos Railway to Ya’an Wanzhou High speed Railway, to the China Thailand Railway under construction and the East Coast Railway of Malaysia (referred to as “Malaysia East Railway” for short), new progress has been made in the grand blueprint of the Trans Asian railway network, and new momentum of regional cooperation has been gradually released.
This is a woman photographed at Vientiane Station of Laos China Railway in Vientiane on October 12. Photo by Cheng Yiheng, Xinhua News Agency reporter
Yawan Flying Spur: Opening the prelude to the era of high-speed rail in Southeast Asia
The existence of the Jakarta Bandung high-speed railway has ended the era of no fast trains in Southeast Asia, marking a new era in railway construction in Indonesia, “said Budi Kariya Sumadi, Indonesia’s Minister of Transport.
The Jakarta Bandung high-speed railway has a total length of 142.3 kilometers, connecting the Indonesian capital Jakarta with the tourist city of Bandung. After the official opening of the Yawan high-speed railway on October 17, 2023, the travel time between the two cities has been shortened from over 3 hours to 46 minutes. During peak hours, 52 trains can operate daily, with a daily passenger capacity of 18000 to 22000.
Now, the Jakarta Bandung high-speed railway has become a new tourist check-in point in Indonesia, and many Indonesian people who are taking this high-speed railway for the first time are eager to take photos with the train and share them on social media.
The Jakarta Bandung high-speed railway not only provides a safe, efficient, and comfortable new mode of transportation, but also drives the development of industry and commerce in cities along the route, accelerating Indonesia’s modernization process. Eva Hyrunisa, Secretary General of Indonesia China High Speed Railway Co., Ltd., said that the Jakarta Bandung high-speed railway has driven real estate appreciation and the emergence of new residential areas in cities along the line, promoting sustainable economic growth in Indonesia.
This is the construction site of Section 4-3 of the China Thailand high-speed railway project located in Ayutthaya, Thailand, captured on October 11th. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Sun Weitong
Vertical and Horizontal Road Network: New Progress Achieved in the Grand Blueprint of the Pan Asian Railway
The population of ASEAN exceeds 600 million, making it a hot spot for global development. However, the high mountains and dense forests in many parts of ASEAN, coupled with unique geographical conditions, have led to a serious shortage of transportation infrastructure construction in the region.
In 1995, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir proposed the idea of the Pan Asian Railway. In 2006, 18 member countries of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific signed the Intergovernmental Agreement on the Trans Asian Railway Network, marking the formal cooperation of Asian countries in building and connecting regional railway arteries. However, due to factors such as funding, technology, and the international political environment, the Pan Asian Railway has not made substantial progress for many years.
On December 3, 2021, the Laos section of the China Laos Railway was officially opened to traffic with a whistle in Vientiane Railway Station in Laos. Previously, the total length of railways in Laos was only 3.5 kilometers. After the opening of the China Laos Railway, 422.44 km of new railway lines were added in Laos, making the per capita railway mileage in Laos jump to the first place in ASEAN countries.
The Laotian people have been wanting to have a railway for a long time, “said Songma Benshena, Vice President of the Laotian Parliament, in tears of excitement.
According to the data released by China Railway Kunming Bureau Group Co., Ltd., in the first half of this year, the total number of passengers sent by the China Laos Railway reached 9.896 million and the total number of goods sent by the railway reached 10.049 million tons. Mechanical and electrical products and agricultural products made in China, as well as natural rubber and tropical fruits from Laos and Thailand, have achieved “two-way travel” through the China Laos railway, injecting strong impetus into port economy, cross-border tourism and people to people and cultural exchanges.
In Ayutthaya, Thailand, the construction of the China Thailand high-speed railway parallel to the old tracks is intensifying. The first phase of the project will connect Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima, an important town in northeastern Thailand. The second phase of the project will extend to the corridor in northeastern Thailand to connect with the China Laos railway and directly reach Kunming, China. After the railway is connected, it will further promote connectivity among countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion.
This is a drone photo taken on October 11th at the construction site of Section 4-3 of the China Thailand high-speed railway project located in Ayutthaya, Thailand. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Tana)
Building the Future Together: Towards Prosperity through Connectivity
Azriel Hakim, a 25-year-old engineer who graduated from the Civil Engineering program at Pahang University in Malaysia, works at the Eighth Division of the Malaysia East Rail project. He arrives at the construction site at 8 o’clock every morning on time to prepare for the day’s work.
The Malaysia East Rail connects Kota Bharu on the Malaysia Thailand border with the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, and is regarded as a “land bridge” connecting the east and west coasts of Malaysia. As of the end of September, the overall construction progress of the Ma Dong Railway has exceeded 70%, with 227 kilometers of mainline track laying completed.
My professional field is very compatible with the project, and I can learn a lot from it, “Azriel said.” My Chinese masters are very kind and considerate. Whenever I encounter any problems or difficulties, they are willing to help me
Since the start of the project, Ma Dong Railway has trained over 1300 local professionals. In 2023, Azriel was named the best employee for the project. I hope the project can be completed on time and smoothly, benefiting more people
The successful operation of the China Laos Railway and the Ya’an Wanzhou High speed Railway, as well as the positive progress of the China Thailand Railway and the Malaysia East Railway, once again ignited the enthusiasm and hope of Southeast Asian people for railways.
In April of this year, Cambodian Minister of Public Works and Transport, Ban Pongne, announced plans to upgrade and speed up multiple existing railways in Cambodia, and to construct new high-speed railways; China and Vietnam have agreed to accelerate the feasibility study of the Lao Cai Hanoi Haiphong standard gauge railway and the planning and preparation of the Tongdeng Hanoi and Mangjie Ha Long Haiphong standard gauge railways; Indonesia is studying the possibility of extending the Jakarta Bandung high-speed railway to Surabaya, Indonesia’s second largest city; Malaysia and Singapore are also actively promoting the Malaysia Singapore high-speed railway
As multiple railways move from planning to reality, more convenient flows of people, logistics, and capital will promote trade, investment, and cultural exchanges, drive regional economic integration, and drive economic growth in Southeast Asia.
Jin Ping, director of the Institute of International Relations at the Royal Academy of Sciences in Cambodia, said that building railways is a long-term plan for several years or decades, which is enough to prove that the relationship between China and ASEAN countries is oriented towards the long term.
Railways not only transport passengers and goods, connecting cities and countries, but also serve as a path to future prosperity. The railway network laid out in the southeast direction of the Asian continent and taking shape will accelerate the industrialization and integration of the Southeast Asian sub region, helping the local population of over 600 million to move towards a higher level of prosperity.
This is a passenger on the C98 train of the China Laos Railway photographed in Laos on October 12. Photo by Cheng Yiheng, Xinhua News Agency reporter
On October 11th, in Selangor, Malaysia, Azriel Hakim (right), a site engineer for the China Communications East Rail project, and Chen Weibo (left), the construction manager of the E’mang Station of the East Rail project, inspected the construction site. Xinhua News Agency (photo by Zhang Wenzong)
On October 11th, in Selangor, Malaysia, Azriel Hakim, a site engineer for the China Communications East Rail project, inspected the construction site. Xinhua News Agency (photo by Zhang Wenzong)
This is a drone photo taken on October 11th at the construction site of Section 4-3 of the China Thailand high-speed railway project located in Ayutthaya, Thailand. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Tana)
On October 11th, workers were working at the construction site of Section 4-3 of the China Thailand high-speed railway project located in Ayutthaya, Thailand. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Sun Weitong
On October 11th, in Selangor, Malaysia, Azriel Hakim (left), a site engineer for the China Communications East Rail project, and Chen Weibo (right), the construction manager of the E’mang Station of the East Rail project, inspected the construction site. Xinhua News Agency (photo by Zhang Wenzong)
This is the Luang Prabang railway station captured on October 12th in Laos. Photo by Cheng Yiheng, Xinhua News Agency reporter
On October 12, two passengers were waiting for the train in the waiting hall of Vientiane Station of Vientiane China Laos Railway in Vientiane, Laos. Photo by Cheng Yiheng, Xinhua News Agency reporter
On October 12, staff inspected passenger tickets at Vientiane Station of Laos China Railway in Vientiane, Laos. Photo by Cheng Yiheng, Xinhua News Agency reporter
On September 13th, in Bandung, Indonesia, the Jakarta Bandung high-speed train stopped near the DeKalur railway station (drone photo). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Xu Qin
On September 13th, at the Wanrongkalur station in Indonesia, the Jakarta Bandung high-speed train stopped at the platform (drone photo). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Xu Qin
On September 12th, the driver was driving a high-speed train on the Yawan high-speed railway (mobile phone photo). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Xu Qin
On May 1st, in Ayutthaya, Thailand, personnel from the China Thailand high-speed railway project conducted an on-site inspection. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Teng
On April 15, station staff took a group photo with passengers at Laos Luang Prabang Station of China Laos Railway. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Yang Yongquan)
On April 17th, in Bandung, Indonesia, the Jakarta Bandung high-speed train was running along the Jakarta Bandung high-speed railway line (drone photo). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Xu Qin
On April 12, at Laos Luang Prabang Station of China Laos Railway, the passenger duty officer stood on guard to greet the train. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Yang Yongquan)
On May 6th, on the slopes along the Malaysia East Rail project in Pahang, two lines of Chinese and Malay characters reading “Together for consultation, co construction, and sharing, creating a better future” came into view. Photo by Cheng Yiheng, Xinhua News Agency reporter
On April 17th, at the Halim Station platform in Jakarta, Indonesia, passengers took a photo with the Jakarta Bandung high-speed train. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Xu Qin
This is the track laying site of the Malaysia East Rail project captured by aerial photography in Pahang, Malaysia on May 6th. Photo by Cheng Yiheng, Xinhua News Agency reporter