I have been fortunate enough to visit China on 15 occasions between 2008 and 2023, but I hadn't returned to the country since 2013. I thought I would be returning after a decade, but I realized I was mistaken. I didn't return to the place I left ten years ago, and I myself was not the same person who departed. This wasn't a journey back, but a journey forward, as we didn't return to the place we left, nor are we the same people who departed.
In 2011, I was in Shanghai studying control systems, information, signaling, and train communication. I was amazed by the Maglev magnetic levitation train. Back then, they were about to inaugurate the high-speed train that connects Beijing and Shanghai.
Training course on information and auto control to railway and urban rail traffic transportation for Developing Countries. Sponsored by Mofcom and organized by China Railway Signal & Communication Shanghai Engineering Group Co. Ltd | July 2011 in Shanghai
Since then, the development of high-speed trains in China has experienced rapid growth. Thanks to the international partnerships established between China and renowned European and American companies specializing in this type of trains, accelerated progress was achieved. Overcoming a learning curve, China was able to develop its own high-speed trains and is now in a position to export its technology and railway infrastructure to the rest of the world.
The technological, scientific, and engineering challenges that had to be overcome to launch the Maglev, the CRH high-speed trains, and the Qinghai-Tibet train are a testament to the impressive advancement of Chinese engineering.
Seminar on transport infrastructure development for belt and road countries. Sponsored by Mofcom and organized by the Academy for international business officials (AIBO), May 2023 in Beijing
On what I have learned
The rapid railway development in China is understandable within the framework of socialism with Chinese characteristics, where the market and the state work together under centralized planning. Through this planning, efforts are directed towards the design of cities, transportation systems, industries, education, healthcare, and services, efficiently and swiftly meeting the needs of the population. In contrast, in Chile, the state has relinquished its role as a city planner, leaving the development in the hands of the market, which has led to increased spatial segregation and social injustice.
Learning from the Chinese planning system and its institutional framework would enable our countries to adopt state organization tools that allow us to resume the role of planning alongside the market in its executive role.
The lessons in planning new cities with harmonious and sustainable development, controlled migration from rural areas to cities, and collaboration among academia, the state, and industry in all areas of development are examples that invite us to rethink the paradigms with which we design our cities and transportation systems in the West
As a doctoral researcher in metro systems, I have specialized in metro stations and the design criteria for metro stations in China. They have been improved and optimized in highly efficient terms of operation and handling of large passenger flows. At the same time, they have managed to maintain the quality of the journey and respect the dignity of passengers. In my opinion, these characteristics are unique and characteristic of metro stations in China.
Flexibility, Kung Fu, and Contraposition
As a researcher, I have had the privilege of observing China on 15 occasions over the past 15 years, in various cities and places. During these experiences, I have noticed three characteristics that are always present: flexibility, Kung Fu, and contraposition.
The Chinese people are as flexible as bamboo, able to adapt without breaking. They construct their environment with a flexible mindset, from small paths made with planters to dedicated bicycle lanes and bus corridors separated by simple and flexible railings, and even skyscrapers that are erected using bamboo scaffolding. Their designs are simple, agile, and adaptable, and they do not break but bend, just like bamboo.
The logic of Kung Fu involves utilizing the opponent's energy and actions against them. This mindset is present in all the political, economic, industrial, and technological achievements of China, enabling them to advance on the global stage by harnessing energy in their favor.
Contraposition, the juxtaposition of opposites as a way to progress and evolve, which can be scientifically compared to thesis, antithesis, and synthesis, is naturally and culturally observed in China. Opposing concepts such as socialism and the market allow them to have a system that, in synthesis, brings together the best of both in a harmonious manner.
Chinese philosophy and culture are incredibly rich, but these three mentioned characteristics are easily recognizable in everyday life and the built environment of the country.
Ideas for cooperation in the development of new cities, infrastructure, and railway technology
Chile and China are literally on opposite sides of the planet. If we imagine that a tunnel could be dug from Santiago to the center of the Earth, we would emerge in the province of Shanxi in China (山西).
Chile is a long and narrow country, located at the end of the world. It has a length of 4,270 km, but its average width is only 200 km. Despite this, approximately 70% of the population is concentrated in the central area of the country, where the three main cities are located: Valparaíso, Santiago, and Concepción. These cities are separated by a distance of approximately 500 km, similar to the distance between Beijing and Linyi in China.
Between 1890 and 1920, Chile developed an extensive railway network that connected much of the country. However, starting in the 1940s, with the rise of automobiles and the interests of vehicle manufacturers, the Chilean railway system began to be dismantled. During the dictatorship of Pinochet, the destruction of the railway system was completed as a form of compensation to the trucking industry, which had supported the coup d'état in 1973.
From the 2000s onwards, initiatives have been undertaken to revitalize the railway system in Chile. Over the past decade, commuter rail systems have emerged in some cities, which have been well-received by the population and have experienced high passenger demand.
While there is currently no passenger railway interconnection between the three main cities in Chile, where 70% of the country's population resides and 70% of the GDP is generated, there is a freight railway system in place. Currently, around 5% of the cargo and less than 1% of the passengers are transported by rail in Chile.
High-speed passenger train
One potential area of cooperation between both countries could be the planning, construction, and operation of a high-speed train that connects the cities of Valparaíso, Santiago, and Concepción. This train would have a distance and standard similar to the one currently connecting Beijing, Tianjin, and Linyi in China.
The interconnection of this central axis would alleviate pressure on the capital and promote the development of new sustainable cities between Santiago and Concepción, which would be well-connected through the railway system. This would have benefits in terms of decongesting the city and promoting more balanced and sustainable urban growth in the region.
Freight Train
Another area of cooperation would be the establishment of a freight railway network that connects the three cities, taking advantage of the strategic locations of Valparaíso and Concepción as the country's two main ports at either end of the railway line. This would maintain a balance in cargo transportation in both directions, as Chile exports raw materials, minerals, and food through its ports, while also importing manufactured goods.
Promoting the use of railways as a connection to the ports would align with the Silk Road and Belt and Road Initiative. Additionally, a third phase of cooperation could be established by linking the ports of Valparaíso in Chile and Buenos Aires in Argentina through a freight train. This would enable the transportation of goods between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, opening up new economic and trade opportunities.
Hopes for the Future
I hope to have the opportunity to return to China and once again marvel at its development. I desire to visit the Qinghai-Tibet Train, as it is a masterpiece of Chinese engineering. This railway project has overcome numerous scientific, technical, and engineering obstacles and is a testament to the wonders of modern engineering.
As a token of gratitude for the invitation, the affection received, and everything I have learned on this study trip, I have handwritten a letter of thanks in Chinese. I did this as a gesture of love and admiration for Chinese culture, as I believe that to understand the Chinese people, one must comprehend Chinese writing.
Ariel López
Transportation and Traffic Engineer, Master's in Urbanism, PhD(c) Territory, Space, and Society
University of Chile
ariellopez@ug.uchile.cl
