China should speed up the standardisation of its high-speed railway technologies and take the lead in setting international standards, an industry insider suggested, reports The Star.
Xu Baocheng, an executive of China Tiesiju Civil Engineering Group in Anhui province and a deputy to the 12th National People’s Congress, said standards are crucial in facilitating Chinese railway enterprises’ overseas expansion.
“Seizing the international railway market is of strategic and economic importance to China. It will help resolve the overcapacity in industrial manufacturing, engineering and construction industries,” he said on the sidelines of the top legislature’s ongoing annual session in Beijing.
“In addition, the overseas railway market is an ideal field for us to invest in and thus increase our foreign exchange reserves.”
The government will strive to have the international railway community recognise and accept Chinese high-speed railway standards and take the lead in setting universal standards, he said.
“Currently, technological standards are dominated by industry giants from Western nations, while our country has yet to even make an English-language version of high-speed railway standards,” he added.
China released its first standards for high-speed railways in December 2014, governing nearly 20 aspects of design and construction of high-speed lines operating at speeds from 250 km/h to 350 km/h.
Xu urged authorities and enterprises to launch a publicity campaign in nations covered by the Belt and Road Initiative and other countries aspiring to high-speed rail lines.
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