Indonesia inaugurates high-speed rail with Chinese support

INDONESIA: Indonesian President Joko Widodo earlier this week presided over the inauguration of a new high-speed rail project worth $ 7.3 billion connecting Jakarta to the southeastern part of Bandung, Java. The high-speed rail project was jointly built by Indonesian and Chinese companies with a total length of 142 km and a maximum speed of 350 km per hour.

The transport project is seen as a historic achievement under President Widodo's tenure and as part of China's "One Belt One Road" initiative, which has faced controversy since land grabbing construction was delayed due to the Kovid crisis and excessive budget requirements. According to a senior Indonesian official in charge of the railway project, all citizens will be able to try free travel on the high-speed rail line until mid-October.