CRRC expands global footprint by participating in BRI

Over the past 10 years, CRRC Corporation Limited (CRRC), a Chinese leading company in the field of rail transit equipment, has expanded its global footprint by actively participating in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

It has provided products and services for more than 110 countries and regions, with the export of its rail transit equipment changing from single products to entire production factors, showcasing China's manufacturing prowess.

CRRC, as a representative of China's advanced technology and high-quality manufacturing, has continued to deepen cooperation on scientific and technological innovation with BRI partner countries, bringing more convenient and comfortable travel experiences to local people.

On Sept. 13, 2023, Indonesian President Joko Widodo took a ride on the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR), a flagship project under the BRI, and described the experience as smooth and comfortable.

This photo taken on Oct. 16, 2023 shows a high-speed electrical multiple unit (EMU) train running on the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway in Padalarang, Indonesia. (Photo/Xinhua)

The Jakarta-Bandung HSR is the first such overseas Chinese project with its entire system, production factors and industrial chain supplied by China, fully utilizing Chinese technology, standards and equipment.

CRRC-made high-speed trains, known as Electric Multiple Units (EMUs), are used for the Jakarta-Bandung HSR project. Relying on the advanced technology of China's Fuxing bullet train, the high-speed EMUs must be adapted to the local operating environment in Indonesia, said Zhang Fangtao, chief designer of the EMUs for the project, adding that customizing was the core principle for the design of the EMUs.

The EMUs adopt a high-standard corrosion-resistant design, advanced protection technology, and intelligent sensing technology. They are equipped with 2,500 monitoring points for timely detection, early warning and diagnosis of all key systems.

On June 22, the Jakarta-Bandung HSR reached the designed speed of 350 km per hour during the joint commissioning and testing phase. Zhang, who experienced the exciting moment, said Chinese HSR led Indonesia to an era of high-speed railway and demonstrated the strength of Chinese manufacturing to the world again.

CRRC's tailor-made products have been used to build roads of development and happiness along the Belt and Road. For example, its Lane Xang EMUs, also known as Lancang, run on the China-Laos Railway, and its heat-resistant trains run on the Ethiopia-Djibouti Railway, a transport artery in East Africa.

By leveraging innovation and high tech, CRRC has successively exported a large number of innovative high-end products which reflect the development trend of clean energy to overseas markets.

The world's first hydrogen-powered smart tram, independently developed by CRRC, was formally unveiled in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, on Sept. 6. The tram has a longer driving range and shorter refueling time, as well as energy saving and environmental protection.

CRRC's 2.5 MW permanent-magnet direct-drive wind-driven generators have been exported to 13 countries like Sri Lanka, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, and South Africa, and its new energy light rail trains have been exported to Argentina.

This photo taken on June 6, 2023 shows the first new-energy light rail train made by CRRC Tangshan Co Ltd for Argentina in Tangshan, north China's Hebei Province. (Photo/Xinhua)

Aside from technologies and equipment, management and operations, industry cultivation and others have become CRRC's calling cards to the world.

Since the proposal of the BRI, CRRC has not only endeavored to provide high-quality rail transit products for BRI partner countries, but also promoted in-depth integration with these countries in areas such as product brands, marketing models, capital operation, manufacturing, R&D, and talent cultivation through investments, the establishment of R&D centers, and the construction of manufacturing bases, aiming to seek shared benefits through collaboration.

In July 2022, rubber-tired subway trains developed by CRRC rolled off the assembly line, which were exported to Mexico City for a modernization project of the city's Metro Line 1. It marked the export of rubber-tired subway trains independently developed by a Chinese enterprise for the first time.

The Mexico City Metro Line 1 modernization project undertaken by CRRC also marked its first "system+" project abroad. The project involved new vehicle manufacturing, comprehensive upgrading of the metro line, modernization of its control systems, and maintenance services, among others, representing a breakthrough in Chinese companies' capability to provide systematic solutions in the international market.

The project can create 1,400 direct jobs and 700 indirect jobs for locals, and was shortlisted among the top classic PPP projects in the world by the United Nations Development Programme.

Over the past decade, CRRC has established "4S stores" for train maintenance in many countries and regions like Singapore, Malaysia, Turkey, South Africa, and Argentina.

CRRC has explored an overseas development model involving localized manufacturing, procurement, employment, maintenance and management, contributing to the development of the rail transit industry chain in cities or even countries through its projects. For instance, after years of CRRC's efforts, Malaysia became the first ASEAN country with the ability to manufacture rail transit equipment.

As of June 2023, CRRC had recruited over 6,000 overseas employees and had established manufacturing bases in more than 10 countries, greatly boosting the development of local rail transit and clean energy industries.