Ambassador denies high-speed rail plans in Africa
- By Maverick Chen
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China.org.cn, September 20, 2011
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| China's ambassador to South Africa, Zhong Jianhua [Maverick Chen / China.org.cn] |
![China's ambassador to South Africa, Zhong Jianhua [Maverick Chen / China.org.cn]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20110920/001fd04cea510fe288421b.jpg "China's ambassador to South Africa, Zhong Jianhua [Maverick Chen / China.org.cn]")
China's ambassador to South Africa, Zhong Jianhua, on Aug. 10 denied recent rumors claiming that China was mulling over plans to build a high-speed railway to connect Johannesburg and Durban.
Zhong said that the embassy was not aware of any such plans nor would it approve of one. He said this was because " high-speed railways are not a necessity in Africa."
Despite being the richest country on the continent, South Africa only has a population of 50 million, making the demand for a high-speed railway rather small.
Zhong said China's high-speed railway may have its political implications, but a recent fatal accident in east China's Zhejiang Province in which 33 people were killed also revealed its technical immaturity.
"Besides safety issues, most African countries cannot afford a high-speed railway. It will be a great financial burden to them," Zhong said.
High-speed railway in Taiwan is in debt, and in Japan's bullet trains struggle to turn a profit, Zhong said. He did not discuss the financial status of Chinese high-speed railway, but alluded to its low occupancy.
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