Preparation work for the high-speed railway linking Malaysia and Singapore has entered the final stage and will solicit bids next year. China is very welcome to bid because China's technology is the most advanced, and it includes the best technologies of all countries, said Malaysia's Minister of Transport, Liow Tiong Lai on June 20.

"I'm confident in China's high-speed rail technology,” Liow Tiong Lai told reporters of China Business Journal after attending the Modern Railways 2016 exhibition in Beijing. 

When making a response regarding China's advantages in high-speed rail, Liow Tiong Lai said China has the most advanced technology in safety, speed and security, and he appreciates greatly the rapid development of China's railways. 

China has introduced the world's leading technology in high-speed rail and on this basis, China absorbed, innovated and made quick progress, Liow Tiong Lai pointed out. "We believe the technical and safety indicators are very important, but we will not only value these two factors. High-speed rail projects involve comprehensive consideration, for example, bidder's efforts for economic development that parallels," said the transport minister. 

The high-speed railway connecting Malaysia and Singapore is about 350 km long and the project is expected to cost around $10 billion to $15 billion. With a design speed of 350 km per hour, it will operate through the Klang Valley, Negeri Sembilan, Malacca and Johor. After being put into service, it will shorten the travel time between Singapore and Kula Lumpur from six hours to only 90 minutes. 

Although many countries may compete for the high-speed rail bid, insiders speculate that the competition will be focused between China and Japan.