SOUTHEAST ASIA’S FIRST HIGH SPEED RAILWAY – INTERNATIONAL
News:
Indonesian president
launches Southeast Asia’s first high speed railway, funded by China
What's
in the news?
●
Indonesian
President Joko Widodo inaugurated Southeast
Asia’s first high-speed railway as it was set to begin commercial
operations, a key project under China’s
Belt and Road infrastructure initiative that will drastically reduce the
travel time between two key cities.
About
the Project:
●
The $7.3 billion project, largely funded
by China, was constructed by PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia-China, known as PT KCIC,
a joint venture between an Indonesian consortium of four state-owned companies
and China Railway International Co. Ltd.
●
The railway
connects Jakarta with Bandung, the heavily populated capital of West Java
province, and will cut travel time between the cities from the current three
hours to about 40 minutes.