Chinese Premier Li Keqiang invites leaders from Central and Eastern European (CEE) nations to a ride on a China-made bullet train from Suzhou to Shanghai on Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2015. (Photo: China News Service/Liu Zhen)
In a high-profile demonstration of China's high-speed rail technology, Premier Li Keqiang took the leaders of 16 Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) nations on Wednesday for an excursion on the country's most advanced bullet train.
The CRH380A, with a maximum speed of 486 kilometers per hour, took the leaders from the garden city of Suzhou 100 kilometers to Shanghai in just 25 minutes.
High-speed rail is the new face of Made-in-China equipment and Li has been at the forefront of the campaign selling China's technology abroad.
In the latest case, deals were signed on Tuesday with Hungary and Serbia for a rail link between Budapest and Belgrade.
Chinese railway equipment is thriving due to its low cost, quick delivery, and acknowledged reliability. Here are some of the landmarks on the way to this increased popularity.
-- In 2004, the medium and long-term plan for the railway network starts the development of railways for trains at speeds of 200 km per hour and beyond.
-- On April 18, 2007, bullet trains running at 200-250 km per hour go into service on the Beijing-Harbin, Beijing-Shanghai and Beijing-Guangzhou lines.
-- A revised version of the medium and long-term plan comes into effect on Oct. 31, 2008, declaring that the total mileage of China's express passenger railways will exceed 50,000 km by 2020, covering almost all Chinese cities with a population over 500,000.
-- On Dec. 3, 2010, a CRH-380A train sets a new speed record of 486.1 km per hour on a test run on the Beijing-Shanghai line.
-- On July 23, 2011, a high-speed train slams into a stalled train near the eastern city of Wenzhou, resulting in 40 deaths and 172 injuries. The accident was blamed on faulty signaling equipment and mismanagement. A nationwide rail safety check follows, with speed reductions for bullet trains and a stagnation of high-speed rail construction.
-- The country cautiously resumes construction and operation of high-speed railways in 2012, culminating in completion of the Beijing-Guangzhou link, the longest of its kind in the world.
-- In 2014, China has more than 16,000 kilometers of fast track in operation.
Overseas Expansion
After success at home, Chinese train manufacturers have started to explore overseas market. The merger of previously independent domestic rail transit equipment makers CNR and CSR has sharpened the competency of Made-in-China products.
-- In 2014, China's first overseas high-speed rail project is completed in Turkey where a 533-km railway links capital Ankara with Istanbul.
-- In June this year, a consortium of Chinese and Russian companies agrees on a contract worth 20.8 billion rubles (around 380 million U.S. dollars) with Russian Railways on pre-construction surveys and design for 770 km of track linking Moscow and Kazan. It is the first time Chinese railway technology is used abroad.
-- In October 2015, China and Indonesia sign a joint-venture agreement on construction and operation of a high-speed link between Jakarta and Bandung.
-- The first high-speed railway project in the United States with Chinese investment involved is expected to kick off as early as September 2016. The 370-km Xpress West high-speed railway project, also named the Southwest Rail Network, will connect Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
