China’s high-speed railway and its corresponding rail transportation equipment industry have become a symbol of the rapid economic development and the ongoing industrial transformation and upgrading of this ambitious resurgent nation. With high-speed rail and the expansion of its domestic industrial clusters as a solid base, China and its entrepreneurs are now ready to reach out to the international marketplace. Thanks to the unmatched quality of its high-speed rail technology, China has transformed its name into a powerful brand in exploiting oversea markets.

Phase two of the Ankara-Istanbul high-speed railway project was completed at the end of July. It connects Ankara, the capital city of Turkey, and the country's biggest city, Istanbul. The project will be of direct benefit to the Turkish people, and it represents an unarguable success in marking the entry of China’s high-speed rail technology and equipment into Turkey, a country whose entry threshold is higher as it adopts European technology standards. This first success will no doubt create favorable conditions for China to enter other European railway markets.

The Ankara-Istanbul project is the first high-speed electric railway project contracted to and organized by Chinese enterprises outside of China. This is of great strategic importance in promoting the globalization of China’s high-speed rail technology.

Many local professionals have now been trained in high-speed railway construction. This provides China with a great competitive advantage in the future bidding for any such tenders planned by the Turkish government. The completion of this project will inspire Chinese entrepreneurs and give them more confidence in exploring growing markets overseas. "We would like to seek further cooperation with China in the field of railroad construction," said Suleiman, the chief of the State Railways of the Turkish Republic, in a media interview.

China’s rail equipment and technology has been in Brazil for many years. During the World Cup in Brazil this year, some of the light rail trains there were made by Chinese business consortia, including China CNR Corporation Limited. Much of the light railway system in Rio de Janeiro, the host city of 2016 Summer Olympic Games, will again be made in China.

China’s technology and experience in rail construction has clearly gained recognition from Brazilian authorities. The president of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, has repeatedly stated that Brazil hopes China can provide more help in building Brazil's railway network. In the middle of July this year, during President Xi’s visit to Brazil, China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Brazil's Ministry of Transport on strengthening cooperation in the field of railroad transportation between China and Brazil. A railroad that links the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean, from Brazil to Peru, is now being considered.

China is Brazil's most important trade partner. Though Brazil is a great emerging economic power, there are myriad bottlenecks and lacunae in its infrastructure construction capacity, especially in its rail technology. China, on the other has, has unmatched technology, excellent construction ability, and a wealth of experience in railroad construction. And Chinese enterprises also have a strong desire to cooperate with Brazil. There can be no doubt that prospects are bright for cooperation between China and Brazil in railroad construction.

The Mombasa-Nairobi high-speed railway is a critical infrastructure project to boost regional trade and deepen integration in East Africa. It is also the first new railway for 100 years in Kenya. It is totally contracted to and organized by Chinese enterprises, and is the first project that fully adopts Chinese standards. Once it is complete, transport times along the route will be halved, driving local economic development and acting as the catalyst for a broader program of investment. It is sure to be a milestone in the history of Kenya’s economic development.

Preliminary research data suggests that the construction of the railway will accelerate Kenya’s economic growth by an annual increment of 1.5 percent. Kenya’s government estimates that the new railway will reduce transportation costs within East Africa by 79 percent, and that the overall cost of doing business in East Africa will fall by 40 percent.

The article is edited and translated from《中国高铁飞驰欧美非》, source: People's Daily Overseas Edition, author: Ding XIaoxi, Wang Zicheng, Li Ming, Zheng Jinfa, Chen Weihua, Zhao Yan.