One Japanese, One Chinese

[Randy W]

A tale of two metro lines - in the SCMP

 

VIETNAM’S TALE OF TWO METROS, ONE BUILT BY THE JAPANESE AND THE OTHER BY THE CHINESE

Delays and cost overruns are to be expected as the nation tries to recreate the transportion systems of its two largest cities, but accidents and mistakes on the Chinese-led project are feeding into some longstanding prejudices

 

For the first time in their histories, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi are both in the middle of desperately needed major metro-system projects that aim to transform their cities. Both are facing delays, but a series of high-profile accidents has already cast a larger shadow over the Chinese-led effort in the capital.

In contrast, the metro project led by Japanese conglomerates in Ho Chi Minh City has been accident-free. This feeds into longstanding assumptions in Vietnam about the perceived superiority of Japanese workmanship and engineering.

. . .

The line in Ho Chi Minh City is largely backed by funding and expertise from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), as well as Sumitomo Corporation and Shimizu-Maeda, two huge Japanese conglomerates. French, Italian and Korean companies are also involved in the project.

The inaugural Hanoi line, on the other hand, relies on major support from a consortium of Chinese companies headed by the China Railways Sixth Group. The construction processes pursued by these different investors has led to very different outcomes.

. . .

Other experts are more sanguine about the impact of these issues. “It is unfortunate that the general public is against most Chinese investment, good or bad,” Dr Phu Viet Le, senior researcher at the Lower Mekong Public Policy Initiative – a think tank funded by the US Agency for International Development – said.

“Some people may be pointing [out] that the line in Hanoi is built by China, so it must be of inferior quality relative to [the] Japanese one elsewhere. I find this preposterous,” he added. “I don’t think people will be afraid of using public transport if it is convenient.”