I was reading in the local news papers, that it will not be a 200 mph high speed bullet train. It will be a normal train for passengers, containers and goods. Diesel electric speeding at 100 mph. About a 2.1/2 hours trip.
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Some examples of Chinese infrastructure projects.
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-12/28/c_136857657.htm
Chinese-built railways improve transport in Africa
NAIROBI, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) -- China has been playing a crucial part in improving Africa's transport over the years, giving a much-needed boost to the continent's efforts to achieve regional integration.
The most remarkable of the Chinese contribution perhaps has been the construction by professional Chinese companies of numerous railways that now criss-cross the continent.
Data from the Chinese government shows that China, through aid and financing support, has helped build or are building more than 6,200 kilometers of railways in Africa.
Quite a few railways, such as the Mombasa-Nairobi standard gauge railway in Kenya and Ethiopia-Djibouti railway, have become Africa's new flagship projects that will better connect nations in East Africa.
Following is a list of some major railways undertaken by Chinese firms since 2015.
1. Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, Kenya
Aerial photo taken on May 12, 2017 shows the Mazeras Bridge of the Mombasa-Nairobi standard gauge railway in Kenya. China in May 2014 signed a deal to build the rail link worth 3.8 billion dollars between Kenya's Mombasa and Nairobi. Around 480 km long, the project's passenger service was launched in mid-2017. The project, which marks the first phase of a line that is expected to cover a distance of about 2,935 km and eventually connect Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan, will facilitate transportation and boost trade in the eastern African region. It features passenger trains with a speed of 120 km per hour and freight trains designed to move at 80 km per hour. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng)
2. Ethiopia-Djibouti railway
A train runs on the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway during an operational test near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Oct. 3, 2016. The railway will help landlocked Ethiopia improve access to the sea and speed up a burgeoning industrialization process. The 752.7 km railway, with a designed speed of 120 km per hour, took six years to complete. It was constructed by the China Railway Group and the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, with a total investment of 4 billion U.S. dollars. (Xinhua/Sun Ruibo)
3. Lobito-Luau railway, Angola
In 2015, a 1,344-km railroad project spanning Angola was complete and put into operation. The railway, linking the coastal city of Lobito in the west and Luau city which borders the Democratic Republic of Congo, is the second longest railway built by a Chinese company for Africa after TAZARA. The railway is expected to be linked with the Angola-Zambia railway and the Tanzania-Zambia railway in the future. (Xinhua/Pang Shuguang)
4. Abuja-Kaduna railway, Nigeria
A train is pictured at a train station in suburban Abuja, on July 26, 2016. The railway, built by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, covers a distance of 186.5 km and links the capital city Abuja and the northwestern state of Kaduna. It has nine stations and a designed speed of 150 km per hour. Built in 2011, the railway became operational in July 2016. (Xinhua/Yang Hongjie)
5. Lagos-Ibadan railway launch, Nigeria
Photo taken on March 7, 2017 shows the scene of the ground breaking ceremony for Lagos-Ibadan railway project in Lagos, Nigeria. The new standard gauge railway project was awarded by the Nigerian government to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation. (Xinhua/Jiang Xintong)
6. Addis Ababa Light Rail Transit, Ethiopia
Photo taken on Sept. 20, 2015 shows a train operating on the light rail in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The electrified AA-LRT was the first light railway on the African continent with two lines of a total length of 34 km. The project, built by China Railway Group, became operational in September 2015. The rail service, estimated to transport about 60,000 passengers per day, helps ease people's travels in the Ethiopian capital. (Xinhua/Sun Ruibo)
Not all the hippies sold out- Live version of They Call it Democracy
https://youtu.be/68zccrskOqQ
The alternative please?
Louis, are you pleased with the current zeitgeist? I have my own theory of a better way, but Ning is not the venue. I'm not stuck in a box. There are some who can't think outside the capitalist/socialist/communist box.
Unfortunately, not many people understand how truly problematic this train thing it. It's a scam by China to create maleable "client states". Panama will be in debt to China for decades to come.
This has happened in many countries around the world, as illustrated by this article in the NYT. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/13/magazine/what-the-worlds-empties...
The IMF and the World Bank were founded in the U.S. and are headquartered in Washington, D.C. The President of The World Bank is traditionally a U.S. citizen.
In the same fashion as China is doing, these entities provided low cost loans for infrastructure projects to third world countries which basically couldn't afford them. American firms benefited by consulting on and building the projects and the U.S. gained influence.
From 1974 to 1980 the bank concentrated on meeting the basic needs of people in the developing world. The size and number of loans to borrowers was greatly increased as loan targets expanded from infrastructure into social services and other sectors.
From 1976 to 1980 developing world debt rose at an average annual rate of 20%.
Now the IMF is complaining about China following similar practices.
Is China’s investment in infrastructure projects driving Western Balkan nations into debt?
IMF says Beijing-led projects under the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ are partly to blame for economic problems in the region.
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2147293/c...
The IMF is criticizing the BARI! Wow. The words pot kettle and black come to mind.
There is a new IMF in town. It's called China.
https://www.livemint.com/Opinion/iC1RjIQjlDUSm8h0THogCN/Opinion--Th...
And let us not forget all those nefarious gifts to foreign countries:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Plan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_foreign_aid
The US paid Panama for the canal, and paid an annuity of $25 million/year initially. That amount increased several times over the years.
Since the USA is a very rich country it does give more in total dollars than any other country, but as a percentage of Gross National Income the USA is number 20 on the list of most generous countries-
The OECD also lists Development Assistance Committee members by the amount of ODA they spend as a percentage of their gross national income:[1]
Sweden – 1.40%
Norway – 1.05%
Luxembourg – 0.93%
Denmark – 0.85%
Netherlands – 0.76%
United Kingdom – 0.71%
Finland – 0.56%
Switzerland – 0.52%
Germany – 0.52%
Belgium – 0.42%
France – 0.37%
Ireland – 0.36%
Austria – 0.32%
Canada – 0.28%
New Zealand – 0.27%
Australia – 0.27%
Iceland – 0.24%
Japan – 0.22%
Italy – 0.21%
United States – 0.17%
Portugal – 0.16%
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