San Francisco, Oct. 30, (People's Daily Online) - "China has built 7000 miles of high-speed rail. The United States has built zero. But we will change that," said Jeff Morales, CEO of California High Speed Rail Authority at the conference with Chinese high-speed rail delegation on Thursday.

"California will be the first high speed rail system in the United States," he added.

He said that he had discussed the opportunities with the delegation about building high-speed rail in the United States.

The delegation, led by Zhang Yujing, president of China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCCME), consists of 10 leading companies, including China Railway Corporation, CSR Corporation Limited, China Railway Construction Corporation Limited and China Investment Corporation.

Zhang said that the trip to California aims to learn the policies and investment environment of the high-speed rail development in California. "We would also like to introduce China's leading companies to the U.S. counterpart to seek cooperation and opportunities in developing high speed rails."

Xia Xiang, economic and commercial counselor of the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco said, "It's the first time that the Chinese high-speed rail delegation has got together with the industry leaders in California to discuss opportunities."

"One hundred and fifty years ago, Chinese workers helped the United States to build up the Pacific Railway here which connected the west coast to the rest of the United States," he said. "The Pacific Railway has been one of the seven industrial wonders since the industry revolution. It helped U.S. economic development. In certain way, I can say that the railway laid foundation for the modernization of the nation."

"One hundred and fifty years later, Chinese enterprises across the Pacific Ocean now are willing to participate in fulfilling the high-speed rail dream in California," he said.

Jeff Morales said that it's not only about the trains, it's actually about connecting economies, it's about improving environment, creating jobs and it's about California's competitive status in the world.

During this week, Reuter reported that China CNR Corporation is making a pitch to sell its high-speed trains to California, signaling China's growing export ambitions for such technology after building the world's longest network in just seven years.

California has been candid about its desire for Chinese investment in the 800-mile-long (1,287 kilometers) line from Los Angeles to San Francisco. U.S. media reports said Governor Jerry Brown met Chinese rail officials in April last year to discuss the project.

According to Xia Xiang, the railway between San Francisco and Los Angeles is expected to complete in 2030. About 40 million people will take the route each year. And once the rail is completed, it will take only two and half hours to Los Angeles while now it takes about six hours driving to get there from San Francisco.