China Reform Monitor: No. 1205

January 17:

Algeria's Transport Ministry, China Harbor Engineering Company (CHEC), and China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) in Algeria have inked a $3.3 billion deal to create a consortium to build and operate the new Center Cherchell transshipment port 60 km west of the capital Algiers. The port will have 23 docks and the capability to process 6.5 million 20-foot containers and 26 million tons of goods per year. The project is to be completed within seven years and managed by China's Shanghai Ports Group. Algerian Transport Minister Boudjemaa Talai said he hopes international shipping from Asia and elsewhere will use Algerian highway and railway networks to carry shipments into Africa. "The Algerian government selected Chinese companies to build this project regarding the traditional friendship between the two nations and strong bilateral relationship in political, economic and cultural fields," said a CSCEC representative, the official PLA Daily reports.

January 18:

According to the public security bureau in Liangzhou district, Gansu, three journalists have been "detained in Wuwei city on January 9 for blackmailing local government and individuals during interviews," Ming Pao reports. The detention of the three journalists from Lanzhou Chenbao, Lanzhou Wanbao, and Xibu Shangbao were related to their investigative reports on the "chocolate girl" incident, the suicide of a thirteen year-old girl after she was berated for stealing chocolate in a supermarket. Several thousand people gathered in front of the supermarket and condemned its managers for causing her death. After they were forced to leave by police, an even larger crowd returned. After party and municipal leaders showed up to calm the crowd, rumors circulated that he was cut on the cheek by an angry protestor.

January 21:

Indonesian President Joko Widodo and China’s State Councilor Wang Yong announced Southeast Asia’s first ever high-speed railway project in Walini, West Java Province. Running at 350 km per hour, the new high-speed railway would link the capital Jakarta to Bandung. It would be roughly 150 km long and cut the travel time between the two cities from three hours to 36 minutes. The official China Railway Co. Ltd signed a deal last October with Indonesian state-owned enterprises to form a joint venture in constructing and operating the railway. "China hopes to take the project as an opportunity to actively participate in the development of Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway economic belt, and enhance the bilateral cooperation in various areas including investment, production capacity, electricity, finance, in an effort to promote common development and prosperity of the two countries," said Wang, reports China Military Online.

January 22:

China State Construction Engineering Corp. (CSCEC) announced a three-year $2.7 billion contract to build Egypt's new administrative capital, including a national conference center, parliament house, exhibition center and office buildings for 12 government departments, the official People’s Daily reports.

January 29:

After the groundbreaking ceremony held last week, construction on the Jakarta–Bandung high-speed train has been stalled, the Jakarta Post reports. The developer, PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC), did not submit the required documents so the Transportation Ministry did not issue the permit and concession agreement. Moreover, Indonesia’s Finance Minister warned that the government will not guarantee the $5.5 billion project. "There is no allocation from the state budget in the deal, including government guarantees," he said. Lawmakers have urged the Air Force not to give up its land for the project, the Jakarta Post reports. One of the railway’s stations would be located on land within Halim airbase, which houses a jet fighter squadron, military Airbus and the presidential airplane. “A military airbase is a vital facility and part of our defense system for Jakarta. The base is also part of an integrated defense system. The military airbase and its compound require a security belt, so the presence of hotels and shopping malls nearby would entail security risks to our weaponry and our personnel,” one lawmaker said.