CRI听力: EU Hopes to Boost Rail Connection with China

An EU diplomat is cautioning people not to get overly excited about the prospect of high-speed rail links between China and Europe.

However, as we hear from our Li Ningjing, the same diplomat also says the EU does want to expand its rail connections with China.

A member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering was quoted as saying that China is planning on high-speed rail networks in the next two decades between China and Europe.

This will allow train passengers to travel to Beijing from London's King's Cross station in only two days.

Miguel Ceballos-Baron is head of the Trade and Investment Section of the EU Delegation to China.

He says although the idea of linking China and Europe through a rail network is nothing new, the coverage about the high-speed network is inaccurate.

"Reducing (the traveling hours) to 48 hours, this is a good objective, but it's not feasible today. As the high-speed network is developing in China and in Europe, it would make the task easier. But we'll not forget that (from) China to Europe we still have to cross several countries, where high-speed railway network is not in place yet and there are no plans to develop."

But he says as things can evolve quickly, he hopes to see the eventual connection of high-speed railways.

"The truth is that the high-speed network in Europe is developing fast and is going east. We have a dense high-speed network in western European states. Now with European funds, we are also developing high-speed network and connections in Poland, and in northern and central and eastern states of EU. So the network is extending towards the east. And one day it will become closer to the Chinese network that is expanding to the west."

Ceballos-Baron says the EU is keen to support the plan if help is needed.

The councilor also underlines the importance of developing commercial goods transportation by rail in order to lower costs. Currently, 98% of trade between China and EU goes by sea, and the remaining 2% is by air.

"When we saw in 2008, the peak of the crude oil prices with almost 150 US dollars per barrel, the cost of shipping containers (traveling) such a long distance between China and Europe went up. And it made the connection through railway more attractive. "(www.hXen.com)

The cooperation has already taken shape. In 2008, a trial run was completed from Beijing to Hamburg, moving cargo from China to the EU in just 15 days - under half the time it takes to ship containers.

And a rail linking Chongqing and Rotterdam is expected to be completed by 2012, with a travel time of 13 days.

For CRI, I'm Li Ningjing.