China's sprawling rail projects around Asia
Around the region, China has been financing railways under its Belt and Road Initiative, which funds infrastructure projects globally but has come under fire with a number of plans stalled or mired in controversy.
Here are some of the key installments in Asia's China-backed railway network:
Indonesia: Southeast Asia first
Indonesia launched Southeast Asia's first high-speed railway in October 2023, after years of delays.
The $7 billion China-backed project links the capital Jakarta to the city of Bandung in 45 minutes -- slashing the journey by about two hours.
Built by a joint venture of four Indonesian state companies and Beijing's China Railway International Co, it was initially set to cost less than $5 billion and be completed by 2019. But construction challenges and the pandemic led to delays and surging expenses.
Indonesia's then-president Joko Widodo nevertheless hailed its opening as a symbol of modernization.
Laos: On the move
Laos unveiled its $6 billion Chinese-built railroad in 2021, bringing hopes of an economic boost despite backlash after thousands of farmers had to be evicted to make way for construction.
The 414-kilometer route connects the Chinese city of Kunming to Laotian capital Vientiane, with plans for the high-speed line to ultimately reach Singapore.
Infrastructure-poor Laos, a reclusive communist country of about 7.4 million people, previously had only four kilometers of railway tracks.
It was hoped that the railway would boost the Southeast Asian country's ailing tourism industry, which struggled to rebound from the pandemic.
But experts also raised concerns over whether cash-strapped Laos -- where public debt made up 116% of GDP in 2023 -- would ever be able to pay back Beijing.
Thailand: Full steam ahead
After long delays, Thailand is pressing ahead with a Chinese-backed high-speed line set to partially open in 2028.
The $5.4 billion project aims to expand the connection to Kunming, running to Bangkok via Laos by 2032.
Thailand already has nearly 5,000 kilometers of railway but the sluggish, run-down network has long driven people to favor road travel -- despite extremely high accident rates.
When the new railroad is fully complete, Chinese-made trains will run from Bangkok to Nong Khai, on the border with Laos, at up to 250 kph.
Unlike Laos, Thailand signed a deal to cover project expenditures itself and has pitched it as a way to boost the economy through trade with China.
China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan: Bridge to Europe
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov inaugurated construction in December of a railway linking China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, with hopes it will serve as a supply route to Europe.
"This route will ensure supply of goods from China to Kyrgyzstan and then onto Central Asia" and nearby countries "including Turkey" and "even to the European Union," he said.
The project, which Kyrgyz authorities estimate could cost up to $8 billion, includes construction through mountains and in areas of permafrost, where the ground never fully thaws.
Vietnam: Link to manufacturing hubs
Vietnam this week approved an $8 billion railroad running from its largest northern port city to China.
The line will operate through some of Vietnam's key manufacturing hubs, home to Samsung, Foxconn and Pegatron factories, many of which rely on components from China.
Another yet-to-be-approved line to China would connect Hanoi to Lang Son province, traveling through more areas packed with manufacturing facilities.
Malaysia: Back on track
Malaysia has revived construction of a nearly $17 billion railroad to carry passengers and freight between shipping ports on its east and west coasts.
The China-backed, 665-kilometer project was originally launched in 2011 under ex-leader Najib Razak but shelved due to a dispute about payments.
After blowing past several deadlines and budgets, it now looks set to be operational by 2027.
Pakistan, Myanmar, Philippines: Stalled
In Pakistan, a railway linking southwestern Gwadar Port with China's northwestern Xinjiang province has long been on the cards but has yet to materialize.
If the project moves ahead, a 2023 Chinese study estimated an eyewatering price tag of $58 billion.
In coup-hit Myanmar, talks on building a railway from Mandalay to China's Yunnan province appear to have stalled.
And in the Philippines, plans for China to fund three railways flopped after Manila backed out of talks in 2023 as the South China Sea dispute heated up.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Voice of America
15-03-2025
- Voice of America
Russian foreign minister exaggerates Russia-China relations, ignores nuances
On March 12, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke with American bloggers Mario Nawfal, Larry C. Johnson and Andrew Napolitano in Moscow. When asked whether the U.S. administration's efforts to normalize relations with Moscow are just to use Russia "cynically against the Chinese," Lavrov rejected such possibility. He described Russia-China relations as long-term, stronger and more confidential, based in deep trust and mutual understanding, and he emphasized widespread public support in both countries. That is misleading. The claim overlooks the underlying complexities and skepticism in the Russia-China relationship. Underlying tensions: Despite the appearance of a strong partnership, ongoing tensions underlie the relationship. This includes skepticism on both sides, especially about economic stability, military strength and the extent of mutual trust. Economic imbalance: China has become a dominant economic partner for Russia, but many Russians are concerned about China's increasing influence and the lack of substantial Chinese investment in Russia. Military relations: Unlike the strong military alignment seen in the Sino-Soviet alliance of 1950, today's cooperation is not as deeply integrated, particularly in military terms. China has not provided direct military aid to Russia in the Ukraine conflict, which would have been expected in a deeply allied relationship. Public sentiment: There is skepticism about the partnership in both Russia and China. Russian citizens are not entirely supportive of Chinese products or investments, and many Chinese question the long-term economic and military viability of Russia. Historical context Sino-Soviet Alliance (1950s): This period marked a high point of cooperation, with the Soviet Union providing substantial economic, technological and military support to China. Yet, the alliance ended with the Sino-Soviet split by the late 1950s. This contradicts Lavrov's characterization that current relations are unprecedented in their depth. Strategic Partnership (1996-2014): The strategic partnership strengthened after the Cold War, especially under Vladimir Putin and Jiang Zemin. However, China still balanced its relations with the West, highlighting that the partnership was pragmatic, not based purely on mutual trust. Anti-Western Alignment (2014-2025): The relations have become closer since Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the Ukraine invasion. China has been providing crucial economic support. Beijing, however, avoids direct military aid to evade Western sanctions and maintains neutrality. This signals that the cooperation is based on shared opposition to the West, not genuine trust or an alliance akin to that of the 1950s. Current economic dependence Moscow is now heavily dependent on Beijing: China has become Russia's largest trading partner, and Russia plays a key role in supplying China with oil and gas. The economic relationship has its imbalances, however. China's total investments in Russia remain relatively low compared with its global investments. China still prioritizes its global economic ties, while Russia has become increasingly dependent on Beijing. Vedomosti, Russia's leading business daily, reported that China rarely invests directly in Russia, noting that while Russia seeks high-tech investments, China prioritizes mining, real estate, and banking. Since 2023, China has been Russia's largest trading partner, whereas Russia ranks only sixth among China's top trade partners. Skepticism in both countries Russians question Chinese investment and the long-term benefits, while many Chinese doubt Russia's economic resilience and military strength. In February 2025, FilterLabs released the results of research that used its Talisman data tool to analyze Chinese and Russian news and social media. Talisman's analysis reveals deep skepticism about Russia among Chinese social media users, many of whom question whether Russia's economy is truly as resilient as Moscow claims, whether its military strength matches its rhetoric, and what its long-term intentions are. These doubts suggest that despite official narratives of strong ties, public confidence in Russia within China is far from unanimous. The research also shows that online sentiments in Russia toward economic cooperation with China are more negative than official narratives suggest. International sanctions have pushed many Western products out of Russia, allowing Chinese goods to fill the gap in sectors such as automobiles and technology. While their market share grows due to affordability and geopolitical shifts, many Russians remain skeptical and dissatisfied with Chinese products, FilterLabs reported. In both countries, social media discussions are consistently less positive than mainstream press coverage, which itself was not uniformly supportive, revealing underlying skepticism about the partnership. "Their partnership is vulnerable," FilterLabs founder Jonathan Teubner told VOA. Conclusion While Lavrov's statement reflects an official narrative of a strong and enduring partnership, the truth is more nuanced. Relations are indeed closer than at any point since the 1950s, but they are shaped more by pragmatism, economic necessity and shared opposition to Western influence than by deep trust or historical affinity. In both countries, public opinion reveals skepticism, and the economic and military cooperation, while growing, is not without concerns.
Voice of America
14-03-2025
- Voice of America
ທ່ານ ທຣຳ ຂົ່ມຂູ່ຈະເກັບພາສີຢ່າງໃຫຍ່ຕໍ່ເຫຼົ້າ ຂອງ ຢູໂຣບ
ປະທານາທິບໍດີ ສະຫະລັດ ທ່ານ ດໍໂນລ ທຣຳ ໄດ້ຂົ່ມຂູ່ສະຫະພາບ ຢູໂຣບ ເມື່ອວັນພະຫັດວານນີ້ວ່າຈະຂຶ້ນພາສີ 200 ເປີເຊັນຕໍ່ເຫຼົ້າໄວນ໌, ແຊມເປນ ແລະ ເຫຼົ້າອື່ນໆທີ່ຜະລິດໃນກຸ່ມ 27 ປະເທດນັ້ນຫຼັງຈາກ ສະຫະພາບ ຢູໂຣບ ຮຽກເກັບສິ່ງທີ່ທ່ານກ່າວວ່າເປັນ 'ພາສີ 50 ເປີເຊັນທີ່ເປັນຕາຂີ້ດຽດ' ຕໍ່ວິສກີຂອງ ອາເມຣິກາ. ທ່ານ ທຣຳ ໄດ້ໂຕ້ແຍ້ງໃນຂໍ້ຄວາມທີ່ຂຽນລົງໃນສື່ສັງຄົມ Truth Social ຂອງທ່ານເອງວ່າ ສະຫະພາບ ຢູໂຣບ ແມ່ນ 'ນຶ່ງໃນອຳນາການປົກຄອງທີ່ອັນຕະລາຍ ແລະ ລະເມີດການເກັບພາສີ ແລະ ເກັບພາສີທີ່ຮຸນແຮງທີ່ສຸດໃນໂລກ' ໂດຍກ່າວວ່າ ສະຫະພາບ ຢູໂຣບ ຖືກກໍ່ຕັ້ງຂຶ້ນໃນປີ 1993 'ເພື່ອຈຸດປະສົງດຽວໃນການເອົາປຽບສະຫະລັດ ອາເມຣິກາ' ທາງເສດຖະກິດ. ຕໍ່ມານັກຂ່າວຢູ່ທຳນຽບຂາວຖາມວ່າ ທ່ານຈະຍອມຫຼຸດລະດັບການຂູ່ຂຶ້ນພາສີກັບພັນທະມິດທາງພູມສາການເມືອງຂອງອາເມຣິກາຫຼືບໍ່, ທ່ານ ທຣຳ ຕອບວ່າ 'ເຮົາຖືກສໍ້ໂກງມາຫຼາຍປີແລ້ວ ແລະ ເຮົາຈະບໍ່ຖືກໂກງອີກຕໍ່ໄປ, ບໍ່, ຂ້ອຍຈະບໍ່ຫຼຸດຜ່ອນເລີຍ, ບໍ່ວ່າຈະເປັນອາລູມີນຽມ ຫຼື ເຫຼັກ ຫຼື ລົດກໍຕາມ.' ໃນເດືອນທີ່ຜ່ານມາ, ທ່ານ ທຣຳ ໄດ້ເປີດສາກຕໍ່ສູ້ເລື່ອງພາສີຕອບໂຕ້ກັນກັບພັນທະມິດທາງການຄ້າລາຍໃຫຍ່ທີ່ສຸດຂອງ ສະຫະລັດ ໄດ້ແກ່ ເມັກຊິໂກ, ການາດາ, ຈີນ ແລະ ສະຫະພາບ ຢູໂຣບ ໂດຍທ່ານກ່າວວ່າເປັນຄວາມພະຍາຍາມທີ່ຈະຢຸດຢັ້ງການໄຫຼວຽນຂອງຢາເສບຕິດ ໂດຍສະເພາະຢາເຟັນຕານິລຈາກ ເມັກຊິໂກ ແລະ ການາດາ ເຂົ້າສູ່ ສະຫະລັດ ລວມເຖິງພະຍາຍາມຮຽກຮ້ອງຜູ້ຜະລິດໃຫ້ປິດການດຳເນີນງານໃນຕ່າງປະເທດ ແລະ ຍ້າຍພວກເຂົາມາ ສະຫະລັດ ເພື່ອສ້າງງານໃຫ້ກັບຊາວອາເມຣິກັນຫຼາຍຂຶ້ນ. ໃນວັນພຸດວານນີ້ ທ່ານ ທຣຳ ໄດ້ຮຽກເກັບພາສີ 25 ເປີເຊັນສຳລັບການສົ່ງອອກເຫຼັກ ແລະ ອາລູມີນຽມມາຍັງ ສະຫະລັດ ຈາກ 35 ປະເທດ ລວມເຖິງກຸ່ມສະຫະພາບ ຢູໂຣບ. ຢູໂຣບ ໄດ້ຕອບໂຕ້ຢ່າງວ່ອງໄວດ້ວຍການເກັບພາສີນຳເຂົ້າສິນຄ້າຂອງ ສະຫະລັດ ມູນຄ່າ 28,000 ໂດລາໄປຍັງປະເທດຕ່າງໆ ທີ່ມີຄວາມສຳພັນໃກ້ຊິດກັບ ສະຫະລັດ ມາດົນນານ, ໃນຂະນະດຽວກັນ ການາດາ ກໍໄດ້ເກັບພາສີນຳເຂົ້າສິນຄ້າຂອງ ສະຫະລັດ ມູນຄ່າ 20,700 ລ້ານໂດລາໄປຍັງເພື່ອນບ້ານຕອນເໜືອຂອງເຂົາເຈົ້າເຊັ່ນກັນ. ການາດາ ຍັງໄດ້ຂໍໃຫ້ອົງການການຄ້າໂລກ ຫາລືກໍລະນີຄວາມຂັດແຍ້ງກັບ ສະຫະລັດ ກ່ຽວກັບ ການເກັບພາສີນຳເຂົ້າຜະລິດຕະພັນເຫຼັກ ແລະ ອາລູມີນຽມບາງລາຍຈາກ ການາດາ, ອົງການການຄ້ານັ້ນກ່າວເມື່ອວັນພະຫັດວານນີ້. ອ່ານຂ່າວນີ້ເປັນພາສາອັງກິດ U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened the European Union with 200% tariffs on wine, champagne and other spirits produced in the 27-nation bloc after the EU levied what he said was "a nasty 50% tariff" on American-distilled whiskey. Trump contended in a post on his Truth Social media platform that the EU is "one of the most hostile and abusive taxing and tariffing authorities in the World." He said it was formed in 1993 "for the sole purpose of taking advantage of the United States" economically. Later, asked by a reporter at the White House whether he might back off his heightened tariff threats against America's geopolitical allies, Trump said, "We've been ripped off for years, and we're not going to be ripped off anymore. No, I'm not going to bend at all — aluminum or steel or cars." In the past month, Trump has been waging a tit-for-tat tariff fight with the United States' biggest trading partners — Mexico, Canada, China and the EU — in what he says is an effort to stanch the flow of drugs, especially fentanyl, into the U.S. from Mexico and Canada, and to persuade manufacturers to close their operations overseas and move them to the U.S. to create more American jobs. On Wednesday, Trump levied 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum exports to the U.S. from 35 countries, including the EU bloc. Europe quickly retaliated with its own tariffs on $28 billion worth of U.S. exports to countries that have long had close relations with the U.S., while Canada imposed new tariffs on $20.7 billion worth of U.S. exports to its northern neighbor. Canada also requested World Trade Organization dispute consultations with the U.S. over its imposition of import duties on certain steel and aluminum products from Canada, the trade body said on Thursday.
Voice of America
14-03-2025
- Voice of America
Chinese officials look to limit social media and screen time in China
While some youth in China admit to spending an excessive amount of time on the internet, many are skeptical about new government proposals aimed at regulating the time young Chinese spend online and on social media sites. In conversations at China's annual political meetings that wrapped up in Beijing this week, retired international basketball star Yao Ming, called for some limits on internet access for young people in China. Yao was advocating for a plan that would mandate children turn off all electronics for one full day every academic semester and get outside and exercise. Officials also called for tighter controls of online gaming and cited concerns about harmful online content, warning that excessive internet use is hurting the physical health and academic performance of Chinese minors under the age of 18. China already has some of the world's tightest internet controls, with tens of thousands of websites, foreign social media sites and content blocked. It also has a massive online population. On social media in China some commenters praised the efforts, but many expressed frustrations with what they viewed to be an inherent contradiction within the policies. Some noted that children are already in school most of the day and rely on internet resources to complete assignments. 'Schools should assign less homework that requires phone check-ins and online research,' wrote one user from northern Hebei Province. 'Minors get home around 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. at night, so when do they even have time to use social media?' wrote another user from Beijing. A college student in Beijing, who spoke with VOA on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the topic, said she agreed with officials' concerns, but added that policies like the one suggested by Yao are likely to have a limited impact. 'Chinese teenagers and young people are absolutely addicted to the internet. You can find people walking on the streets looking at their phones everywhere and all the time. We use the internet to do almost everything,' the student told VOA. 'I don't really think proposals to limit internet accessibility for young people would be effective. The addiction is always hard to get rid of, so how can a 'limit day' alleviate the excessive internet use?' the student said, using the word 'addiction' to describe the excessive use of the internet. According to the "2024 China Game Industry Minor Protection Report" released by the Game Working Committee of the China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association, as of December 2023, the number of internet users in China under the age of 18 reached 196 million, with the percentage of minors who are on the internet and can access it reaching 97.3%. Will Wang, a Chinese student attending college in the United States, said when he returns home in Beijing during school break his impression is that the internet is used heavily in everyday life, and that teenagers are very active on social media platforms. 'There's definitely a significant increase in screen and internet usage across all ages in China…many Chinese teenagers are deeply engaged with TikTok, RedNote, Bilibili, and many internet platforms,' Wang said in a written response to VOA. Amid the busy academic and personal lives of young Chinese, the internet provides them with a rare space for privacy, which Wang said is fueling high levels of internet use. 'Most Chinese teenagers don't have a lot of private space for themselves at home or at school so [the] internet is the only option, especially with their busy schedules––nearly every kid has to attend some sort of classes or studying-related activities outside of school,' Wang said. 'For teenagers, if anything, [the] internet makes them more connected with their friends and the world.' Xu Quan, a media commentator based in Hong Kong, said online spaces can have a positive effect on children, who are often overwhelmed with parental and educational expectations. "Contrary to what some might think, the internet helps them deal with stress to a certain extent. If you were to remove the internet from their lives, that would actually be harmful to their physical and mental well-being," Xu told VOA. The recent proposals to limit internet use build on previous regulations regarding youth internet use. In October 2020, China revised the 'Law on the Protection of Minors,' adding an 'internet protection' chapter requiring that social media, gaming and live streaming platforms implement tools to limit their excessive use. The law targeted gaming addictions in particular. A 2021 notice required strict limits on gaming time allotments for children under 18. The regulation banned gaming between the hours of 10 p.m. and 8 a.m., and limited minors to no more than one hour of gaming per day on weekdays or two hours per day on weekends. During Chinese New Year this year, Tencent Games issued a "limited play order" for minors. During the 32-day break from academics, teenagers were only permitted to play the company's games for a total of 15 hours. However, all of these regulations can be circumvented through using or creating accounts belonging to adults, who are not subject to the restrictions. Despite previous momentum, A Qiang, who used to work in the Chinese media industry, thinks proposals from the recently concluded political meetings in Beijing are just talk and won't lead to any concrete policy change. The real way forward, he argues, is by lessening burdens impacting the quality of minors' lives offline such as intense academic pressure. The problem is not that they have too much freedom online but have too little freedom offline, he said.
