Top Chinese scientists arrived in
Shanghai
yesterday to debate whether the country should adopt magnetic
levitation-based technology or conventional wheel-based cars on a
proposed high-speed transportation railway between Beijing and
Shanghai.
During their one-day stay, the scientists, some supporting and
some opposing the maglev technology, listened to a presentation by
the Shanghai Maglev Transportation Development Co. They also rode
on the maglev line and visited major maglev facilities, including
its maintenance yard.
"At the request of the central government, we come to Shanghai
for further research and comparison between the two technologies,"
said Piao Aihua, a China International Engineering Consulting Corp
official.
It was the first time that scientists, both for and against the
technology, collaborated on a collective study. Shanghai hosts the
world's first commercial maglev line, which has been operative
since earlier this year. It is expected to be open for public use
early next year.
Reporters were barred from having direct talks with the
scientists.
Group members came from the Ministry of Railways and various
other important research bodies, such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the
Chinese Academy of Engineering.
Among those present were the CAS' Yan Luguang, an ardent
supporter of the maglev technology, and Shen Zhijie,
ex-chief-engineer from the Ministry of Railways, who is against
it.
With a total of 10 billion yuan (US$1.2 billion) in investment,
the 30-kilometer Shanghai line, linking Longyang Metro Station and
Pudong International Airport, is the world's first commercial line
of its type.
Using German technology, it takes only eight minutes to reach
the airport from the station with a peak speed of 430
kilometers-per-hour. In comparison, it takes 30-40 minutes by taxi
to cover the same distance.
Despite the apparent advantages of maglev, those against the
technology argue it is too costly, relatively untested elsewhere
and not compatible with conventional wheel-track rail transport.
They believe high-speed wheel trains are a better choice for
China.
However, those who support the technology maintain the maglev is
faster and technologically superior. Also, they believe, there is
plenty of room to cut costs.
The debate started in the early 1990s when the central
government began to study a 1,300-kilometer, high-speed railway
line between the country's two most important cities -- Beijing and
Shanghai.
If maglev is adopted, the total investment of the project is
estimated to exceed 200 billion yuan (US$24.1 billion).
Earlier this month, Ogi Chikage, Japan's minister of Land,
Infrastructure and Transport, visited China and said that her
country was ready to cooperate in developing a Beijing-Shanghai
"bullet train" link.
(Eastday.com August 31, 2003)