High-speed railway heralds new dawn
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Global Times, June 30, 2011
The Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway enters operation today.
Just like the Three Gorges Dam before it, the railway project has been blasted with doubts and criticism from day one.
But today we want to extend our congratulations to the high-speed railway. We hope it can eventually prove itself to be an engineering wonder of which all Chinese can be proud.
A country's development level is first reflected by its transportation system. In the past century, China has lagged behind many other nations in the introduction of various modes of transport from bicycles to cars to airplanes.
The country did not invent high-speed rail either. But the 1,300-kilometer line between Beijing and Shanghai is the world's longest high-speed rail line. With several other lines already in place in China, the world's first high-speed rail network has begun to fully take shape.
Chinese people are a bit reluctant to be No.1 now. However, the new line will bring revolutionary changes to the country by offering a fast option on its most-traveled route. The rail will also compete with airline services, which will mean real benefit for passengers.
There are also worries, such as whether the government can recoup its huge investment. The pricey tickets are also feared to be driving away poorer people. But the significance of high-speed rail to the Chinese nation as a whole goes beyond these debates. Europe invented railways.
History will prove that the future of railway lies in China. A united and densely populated country will become a driving force for faster trains and longer rails. China is faced with a chance to solve the issue of inter-city travel.
Each country that transformed its transportation systems was once faced with investment risks. The US spent a lot of money to build its continental railways, and then a national network of highways. The American people also paid the cost of the space shuttle program that have now been retired. But in the longer term, these costs paved the way for the US to become top dog.
The profit-cost risk still exists for China's high-speed rail.
However, the booming economy has been helping create greater demand for transport, and broader affordability of passengers at the same time.
The high-speed railway should face the fact and try hard to change this situation.
Despite continuing doubts among some, we should call today the real birthday of China's high-speed rail, and we applaud the coming into being of this great project.
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