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Updated Tuesday, August 31, 2010 9:52 pm TWN, By Nophakhun Limsamarnphun

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China's 'railway diplomacy' plan is making tracks throughout Asia

One of China's most impressive showcases is the magnetic-levitation, or Maglev, train between Shanghai airport and the city. Another is the 114-kilometer Beijing-Tianjin high-speed railway, opened in 2008, which shortened the previous commute by an hour to just 30 minutes. Last December, China also launched the first long-distance (1,068 kilometer) high-speed line, from Wuhan to Guangzhou, with trains capable of traveling at 350 kilometers per hour. Such technology is comparable to Japan's world-renowned bullet trains.

In addition, China plans to build another 26,000 kilometers of new railways, including 9,200 kilometers of high-speed track, over the next three years. As a result, the country expects in the next few years to have at least 800 trains traveling nationwide at a minimum speed of 250 kilometers per hour. Eventually, one of the pan-Asian rail networks could run from Kunming in Yunnan province to Singapore, passing through Indochina, Thailand, and Malaysia. Another network could run from eastern China to Central Asia to Europe, via Germany, or from the northeast to Russia and Europe.

In cash-strapped countries, China is ready to provide financial aid to build tracks in return for natural resources and payment-in-kind. For example, Burma could sell minerals to China in exchange for the latter's high-speed rail investment. Central Asian and Eastern European countries that currently sell natural gas to China, are also interested in this program.

As for Thailand, Kobsak is finalizing the framework of bilateral negotiations for Cabinet approval. Before entering into any agreement, the Thai government will have to seek parliamentary endorsement because the project is considered a bilateral deal with another country under Article 190 of the Constitution.

Ultimately, Thai negotiators must ensure that the country has a fair cut of the benefits of this scheme, and that its implementation is transparent.

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