Cao ascribes the company's global success to a number of factors, including central government support, its own highly-efficient internal systems, the excellent price-performance ratio of its products and its ability to work to highly-competitive delivery schedules.

A benchmark result of this globally-competitive policy came on July 1 this year when CNR delivered its first four stainless steel double-deck coaches to New South Wales, Australia's most populous state. The coaches began their journey on May 6 when they were freighted out of Dalian to become the first Chinese passenger coaches ever accepted for service in a developed country.

A total of 626 double-deck passenger coaches and 4,136 heavy haul freight wagons manufactured by CNR are now set to enter the Australian market.

As fast as it has been delivering on contracts, CNR has also been signing new ones. On June 20 the company entered into a deal to supply 20 diesel electric locomotives to New Zealand. According to the contract, CNR has undertaken to deliver the first six locomotives to KiwiRail, New Zealand's leading transport operator, within 10 months.

Away from the Antipodes, the company has also been making significant inroads into South America and the Middle East. At the end of June, CNR signed a contract with the government of Brazil to supply 30 electric multiple units (EMUs). The deal, worth some 1.2 billion yuan (US$176 million), was signed in Beijing's Great Hall of the People and is a key part in Brazil's drive to create a major upgrade for its public transport network.

Back in April, CNR was also appointed to supply 17 sets of its 204 type A metro cars to Saudi Arabia. The cars will go into operation in November 2010 on lines to Mecca and will help ease congestion during the busy pilgrimage month.