China's New export drive - trains and rail systems

by fulltimestudent 29 Replies latest social current

  • fulltimestudent
    fulltimestudent

    Four or five times a week I travel on Sydney's extensive suburban rail network. These days, most services use a train like this,

    which are modern, double-decked, comfortable carriages.

    It's not generally known that most of these train-sets (i.e. the carriages) were not manufactured in Australia, but were made as described in this Wikipedia entry,

    " The trains are manufactured in China by the Changchun Railway Vehicles , with internal fitting-out performed by Downer Rail at Cardiff Locomotive Workshops . The first Waratah train entered service on 1 July 2011 with 78 sets completed in June 2014." Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Trains_fleet

    So who is Changchun Railway Vehicles, and who are their customers? Another Wikipedia link notes:

    Changchun Railway Vehicles Company Ltd. (长春轨道客车) is a Chinese rolling stock manufacturer under China CNR Corporation . While the CRV emerged in 2002, the company's roots date back to the establishment of the Changchun Car Company in 1954.Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changchun_Railway_Vehicles

  • fulltimestudent
    fulltimestudent

    The chances are that in the future more and more people in the world will be travelling on Chinese built trains.

    Thats the prediction of this article in a German trade journal: (Reference: http://www.dw.de/made-in-china-high-speed-trains-going-global/a-17755167 )

    'Made in China' high-speed trains going global

    Chinese high-speed train makers are increasingly selling their products to Western countries. Experts say the established European firms in the sector urgently need to develop strategies to counter the competition.

    Bildergalerie Hochgeschwindigkeitszüge China CRH380

    Previously known as a manufacturing hub for low-technology and labor-intensive products, China has been increasingly moving up the technology ladder to become an exporter of hi-tech goods.

    No other sector symbolizes this shift better than the train market. When China decided over a decade ago to build a high-speed rail network connecting the length and breadth of the vast nation, the country had no domestic production base that could handle such a mammoth project. It had to import trains from foreign companies such as the German conglomerate Siemens, the Japanese corporation Kawasaki and the French firm Alstom.

    Fast forward to today and Chinese rail companies have mastered the technology to build the trains and are now actively seeking markets overseas to sell their trains, thus competing with the established players in this segment.

    For instance, it is reported that China South Locomotive & Rolling Stock Corporation (CSR), the Asian nation's largest train manufacturer, recently signed a contract with Macedonia's national railway company to sell six bullet trains. The agreement follows deals made by China with several other Eastern European countries such as Romania and Hungary to build high-speed rail lines.

    Beijing is also promoting its high speed rail infrastructure and technology in other regions such as Asia and Africa.

  • fulltimestudent
    fulltimestudent

    The DW journal article quoted above goes onto discuss the issue of China developing its own technologies after working in joint ventures, but seems to conclude that in the end the result will be better and cheaper technologies driven by competition, and the ultimate result will be increased demand around the world for high speed train services, and subway systems.

  • fulltimestudent
    fulltimestudent

    For those people who think that China only makes cheap sh*t*, as a recent poster claimed, China's move up the chain of world technology is going to bring many changes.

    This past week, Russia (currently being shunned by the west) accepted a Chinese bit to finance and build a near 800 km long fast train service from Moscow to Kazan (on the River Volga)

    High-speed rail deal part of agreements worth $10 billion

    Updated: 2014-10-14 02:40
    By ZHAO YINAN and FU JING in Moscow and ZHAO LEI in Beijing(China Daily)

    High-speed rail deal part of agreements worth $10 billion

    Premier Li Keqiang talks to the media at a joint news conference with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow on Monday. [Rao Aimin / Xinhua]

    China will take a decisive stake in the next stage of Russia's transportation development, with Chinese companies building the country's first high-speed rail line. The agreement formed part of joint deals worth $10 billion being signed on Monday.

    Chinese firms and their Russian partners will hold talks on design, financing, supplying facilities and construction of a 770-km high-speed line connecting Moscow and Kazan, an important metropolis on the Volga River.

    This was one of 39 agreements being signed after Premier Li Keqiang and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev met for the 19th Regular Prime Ministers' Meetings.

    Under the Russian plan, the line will form the initial section of a railway stretching to Beijing, with completion scheduled for 2018 in time for the World Cup soccer finals in Russia. Kazan is one of the host cities.

    Trains on the line will reach speeds of up to 400 km/h, shortening the traveling time between the two cities from 13 hours to three and a half, according to the Moscow Times newspaper.

    Reference: http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2014-10/14/content_18732945.htm

    * The poster who made that comment completely misunderstands how the world works. The poster seemed to have the impression that China sells things in the USA (I think that was the poster's home). The reality is (in that case) that American bulk buyers go to China to buy things. They are presented as they talk to Chinese factories, with a huge range of products of varying qualities and price ranges. The American buyers make a choice of what they think they can sell in America in their outlets. The choice of the quality of a product is made (usually) by an American buyer, not a Chinese seller.

  • Jeannette
    Jeannette

    All I can say is, "my goodness".

  • fulltimestudent
    fulltimestudent

    Chinese premier Li Keqiang also recently visited the UK. Here's how DW, the German journal quoted above, saw his visit.

    Sieren's China: China saves the Queen

    China is more important for Britain's future than the British like to admit, says DW columnist Frank Sieren.

    Li Keqiang in London

    What can Premier Li offer the UK? It's no secret that western economies are cash-strapped. Years of supporting their hegemon in various wars have sapped western financial strength. The DW columnist continued ...

    China's Prime Minister Li Keqiang traveled to Britain last week for the first time since taking office - right on schedule for the tenth anniversary of the China-UK comprehensive strategic partnership.

    His timing could hardly have been better: China definately stands to benefit from Britain's adverse attitude toward the EU. All China has to do is what it does best anyway, namely to invest and finance infrastructure projects.

    Chinese express trains for Great Britain

    One of those projects is a high-speed railway line scheduled to connect London and the north of the country beginning 2026. The 53 billion euro ($72 billion) project is a highlight for Britain, where railroads were invented in 1825. In fact, Britain was a global leader in the technology until Germans and Americans caught on and stole the technology. In the 20th century, Germany, France and Japan took over world leadership of the technology, and now, they are being challenged by China.

    The Chinese don't necessarily build better trains. They entered the game mainly because they are in a position to finance such a project. Cameron can no longer count on the City of London, and the British state hasn't been able to finance such projects for quite some time on its own. The UK is in debt with 89 percent of the GDP, and infrastructure has steadily fallen into a state of decay. And Cameron doesn't want to ask the Europeans for money.

    So, to a certain extent, China is what the rich uncle from America used to be, who would help out in times of need. Finance Minister George Osborne, who has been asking himself for quite some time now how the impoverished country is able to finance its anti-European escapades if push comes to shove, heaved a sigh of relief once Li had signed the contracts to the tune of about 22 billion euros. In any case, China pledged that the two countries' volume of trade will rise from currently 62 billion euros to 75 billion euros next year - also for Britain's benefit.

    Reference: http://www.dw.de/sierens-china-china-saves-the-queen/a-17733514
  • fulltimestudent
    fulltimestudent

    How are Chinese trains built? In someone's backyard? Here's some recent images of the production line for one of the most popular Chinese train sets. (There are a number of different companies making trains in China)

    This is the assembly line of a CRH380A train, being assembled in the manufacturing plant on Jan. 3, 2014.

    China's high-speed train CRH380A, which has a maximum speed of 380 km/h during regular operations, and can keep a constant speed of 350 km/h was put into service last year. (Xinhua/ Wu Kaixiang)

    Link (with more images) is at: http://english.people.com.cn/102774/8504226.html

  • cantleave
    cantleave

    Anyone who doesn't realise that China is no longer an imitator but an innovator with the manufacturing capacity to overtake the US and Europe in all areas of manufacturing better wake up.

  • fulltimestudent
    fulltimestudent

    And some more:

  • Gregor
    Gregor

    It is common knowledge that China flat out steals patented western technology.

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit