“When people talk of watches, they think of Switzerland. When they think of small electronics, they think of Japan. When they think of space, they think of America, and talking about machinery, they think of Germany. Now when they think of high-speed rail, China becomes the brand name.”
Wang Mengshu
Global Times
LPAC—Wang Mengshu, quoted extensively in the newly released EIR Special Report "The New Silk Road Becomes the World Landbridge" discussing China ambitious rail projects, was interviewed by the New York Times on Dec. 18, promoting the Bering Strait Tunnel and US-Canada-Russia-China cooperation.
Described by the Times as "one of China’s top railway construction engineers and a scholar with the Chinese Academy of Engineering specializing in tunnel and underground projects," Wang told the Times that the Bering Strait tunnel was "a wish and a dream of not only China’s railway experts but also railway engineers in Russia, Canada and the U.S. whom I have spoken to."
He continued:
"The technology developments in recent years in high-speed railway and underwater tunnels make it possible. It is a dream, but one that is within reach. The Chinese central government is not seriously considering it, not yet. But why not? We have the technology, and it is a good thing to do. It would benefit generations to come, and the environment.
"As railway engineers, we think it would be a great legacy to leave for future generations. It would connect continents. It would be a grand structure of human engineering."
On the technical feasibility, Wang said:
"It is merely a little over 200 kilometers. We have the technology. It is technically feasible. The Bohai Bay tunnel, 125 kilometers between Dalian and Yantai [on which Wang is the senior engineer], has already passed the scientific feasibility debate and entered the 13th Five-Year Plan. Building tunnels is not about the length. It has more to do with how deep it is in the sea than length."
He added that it is now entirely a political question:
"It depends on whether governments of the four countries can work together, make this dream come true and leave this amazing legacy for our children. And that depends on how the governments of the four countries prioritize. Some governments like to spend their resources on fighting wars. I think building a railway is far more meaningful than fighting wars. I believe the priority of the Chinese government is to serve the people. If other governments can also make serving the people a priority, this railroad will become a reality."
