China is considering acquiring foreign high-speed train technology to improve railway services on its existing lines, in addition to a planned high-speed rail link between Beijing and Shanghai, sources close to the project said Saturday.
Japan, Germany and France are competing for a Chinese order for their technologies in connection with the existing lines and in parallel with their attempts to win the order for the high-profile Beijing-Shanghai line, the sources said.
The Chinese plan to speed up services on existing lines calls for trains to run at up to 200 kph.
China is believed to be planning to begin 200-kph services on an existing line linking Shenyang in the northern province of Liaoning with the port city of Qinhuangdao in the province of Hebei, as well as on a line linking the major cities of Qingdao and Jinan, both in the province of Shandong, the sources said.
The 200-kph project was envisioned in addition to the 1,300-km high-speed link between Beijing and Shanghai that will feature services traveling at 300 kph.
The Chinese Ministry of Railways initially sought to develop the high-speed trains for the old lines on its own. Although the efforts resulted in development of a train called the China Star, the vehicle failed to meet planned technical standards, they said.
Consequently, the Chinese government is considering arranging the establishment of a joint venture between a Chinese train maker and foreign manufacturers so the 200-kph trains can be manufactured in China, they said.
A consortium of Japanese makers and trading houses is examining possible technological roles involved in manufacturing high-speed trains in China, including the necessary traffic signal technology, by teaming up with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, they said.