Pilot launch of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway: High-quality development for all

BEIJING, Sept. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from China.org.cn on Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway:

The clip you just watched is from a rap song, composed by Indonesian rapper Akbar Fernando specifically for the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway. Since the day it was posted, the rap has gone viral in Indonesia, resonating enormously with its people.

The Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway is built to link Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, and Bandung, the country's fourth biggest city, meandering for about 142 kilometers. It also marks a flagship project between the two countries under the "Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)."

Why has the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway received so much attention and welcome? I found the answer in some of the comments from Indonesian people.

The project will surely bring convenience. When the railway is officially open, travel between Jakarta and Bandung will only take 40 minutes. That means, about 40 million inhabitants in that area will basically live in the same city. A citizen of Jakarta said it once took her eight hours to arrive in Bandung for a vacation, due to the lousy traffic. Limited by the distance, an aerial ladder truck driver working on the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway project could only return home once a month. But he said, once the railway is available, it would be so much easier for him to get together with family.

The project will also bring economic benefits. The Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway has created plenty of job opportunities directly or indirectly for Indonesia, especially for people living in the en-route areas. During its construction, a total of 51,000 jobs were created. What's more, the "economic growth belt" along the railway is also thriving as the railway's construction progresses, which boosts economic development and tourism in the en-route areas.

The project bears profound influence beyond the railway itself. During construction, China has trained about 45,000 Indonesian employees. A netizen commented: "With China's technology support, I hope Indonesia will one day build its own high-speed railway." Moreover, as the economy develops, many long-existing problems like unbalanced development within regions and big city malaises, which were caused by an over-concentrated population and uneven economic development, will also be relieved.

There are more projects like this. From infrastructure cooperation like the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway and China-Laos Railway, and international capacity collaboration like the "Two Countries, Twin Parks" project, to the continuous breakthrough in China-ASEAN bilateral trade volume… The concerted efforts of China and Southeastern Asian countries under the BRI have not only become an exemplary model for international cooperation, but also contributed to the stability and harmony of Asia and the world, injecting robust vitality for the high-quality development of the related countries and the global economy.

China Mosaic 
http://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm

Pilot launch of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway: High-quality development for all
http://www.china.org.cn/video/2023-09/11/content_115196281.htm