インドネシア高速鉄道が開業　「一帯一路」の一環

【ジャカルタＡＦＰ＝時事】インドネシアで２日、中国が建設を支援した高速鉄道が開業した。東南アジアで初の高速鉄道だという。ジョコ・ウィドド大統領は開業式で、「われわれの近代化の象徴」とたたえた。（写真はインドネシア・西ジャワ州に向かう高速鉄道に乗車した報道陣）
　高速鉄道「ウーシュ」の最高速度は時速３５０キロ、首都ジャカルタとバンドンの約１４０キロを結ぶ。従来は列車で約３時間かかったが、４５分で移動できるようになる。座席数は６００席。
　ジョコ氏は開業式で、「他の交通機関との接続もスムーズで、公共交通機関の近代化の象徴だ」と誇った。東南アジア初の高速鉄道だという。
　「ウーシュ」という名はインドネシア語の「時間短縮、最適な運転、信頼できるシステム」の頭文字からとったと述べた。
　プロジェクトは、中国主導の巨大経済圏構想「一帯一路」の一環。インドネシアと中国の企業連合が建設した。
　当初は２０１９年の開業を予定し、建設費用は５０億ドル（約７４７０億円）を下回るとされていた。しかし、建設上の問題や新型コロナウイルス流行の影響で開業が遅れたほか、費用も大幅に膨れ上がった。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2023/10/03-15:43）

Indonesia launched Southeast Asia's first high-speed railway on Monday, a delayed, multibillion-dollar project backed by China that President Joko Widodo hailed as a symbol of our modernisation.
With a top speed of 350 kilometres (220 miles) per hour, the bullet train Whoosh can get between the capital Jakarta and Bandung in 45 minutes.
The 140 km journey would previously have taken about three hours by train.
The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train marks our efficient, friendly, and integrated mass transportation system, Widodo said during a ceremony at the capital's central station.
It is a symbol of our modernisation in the public transport, seamlessly connecting with other modes of transportation.
Widodo said the 600-capacity train was the first high-speed rail transportation in Southeast Asia.
It is part of Beijing's Belt and Road initiative -- a decade-old programme of China-backed infrastructure projects.
The president said the name was actually an acronym, standing for a tagline of Waktu Hemat, Operasi Optimal, Sistem Handal -- which in Bahasa Indonesia means Saving time, optimal operation, reliable system.
It was built by PT KCIC, which is made up of four Indonesian state companies and Beijing's China Railway International Co.
The project was initially set to cost less than $5 billion and be completed by 2019.
However, delays caused by construction challenges and the Covid-19 pandemic led to a surge in costs.
In preparation for its opening, officials have conducted public trials for the new high-speed route.
Last week, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi confirmed that the government would extend the high-speed train route from Bandung to the country's second-biggest city Surabaya.
Last month, Chinese Premier Li Qiang joined Senior Minister Luhut Pandjaitan on a ride aboard the train during his Jakarta visit for summits with Southeast Asian leaders.
Pandjaitan told reporters on Thursday that Widodo plans to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping in the future to ride the train, but did not give more specifics.