Tuan-Tuan Mesti Baca : Did You Know That Since Five Years Ago There Are Daily Train Arrivals From China To Europe And London?

 Tuan-Tuan there is something called the real world. The real world is very different from what you read in the newspapers and watch on TV.

In the news media there is "high tension" between India and China.  But in the real world the trade between China and India exceeded USD 100 Billion in 2020.  China was India's second largest trading partner (after the US).  They will likely become India's largest trade partner soon because the India-China trade figures are increasing.  

On TV there is "high tension" between the United States and Russia. The Americans have imposed 'economic sanctions' against Russia.  There is going to be war between America and Russia.  But did you know that for the past 20 years or more (until today) almost ALL American rockets launched into space have been using rocket engines Made in Russia?  

The Americans use the super powerful, super reliable and cost efficient Russian made RD 180 rocket engine. 

America's (err Russia's) RD 180 Rocket Engine

If "war breaks out" between America and Russia, the Americans will use their latest F35 Stealth fighter (below) to attack Russia.

But did you know that to make one F35 fighter jet the Americans need 15 tons of titanium.  Without titanium the Americans cannot make any of their fighter jets or jet engines. 

But listen to this : each year America imports 79% of all the titanium it consumes from Russia.  No Russia, no titanium, no F35 fighter jet.

So folks, do you seriously expect the US to bomb the country (Russia) that supplies 79% of the titanium needed to make the bombers and fighter planes in the first place?

I was listening to Russian President Vladimir Putin saying words to the effect that, 'they can impose all the economic sanctions they want, as long as they keep trading with us'.

So what economic sanctions against Russia are they talking about? This is just another 'orang kaya wayang' going on to enrich the rich people.

Similarly America is 'containing' China. That is just another excuse to pay the weapons manufacturers. That is why they spent 20 years in Afghanistan and spent US$2 Trillion of US taxpayers money to occupy Afghanistan. Ostensibly to "contain China". 

But in 2020 total US-China trade was above USD$550 BILLION !! That is over half a TRILLION US Dollars !!

And here is a 10 year chart of US - China trade :

So what economic sanctions are they talking about? The Tesla Model Y is also Made In China. No China no Tesla Model Y. 

(By the way the Tesla Model Y WILL NOT SELL for RM250,000 here in Malaysia. Jangan mimpi lah. My guess is it will be in the RM500,000 price range. Malaysia Boleh sebab Malaysians Bodoh.)  

Anyway here is something else that is going on in the real world. These are very brief YouTube videos. You must watch these. 

The Covid pandemic has massively disrupted cargo freight by sea. The marine freight rates have gone up tremendously because factories, truck operations, ports, warehouses etc have been shut down all over the world, causing major delays and congestions at ports as well.  (Ships cannot be loaded quickly. And then when they arrive at destination, the ships cannot be unloaded also. Ports are shut down). These delays cause costs to go up. 

But over the past FIVE YEARS or more China has developed train services direct from China into Vietnam, Laos (latest), Teheran (Iran), Russia, Germany, Belgium (at Liege) and also direct to London and up to Leeds in the UK. Chinese trains now reach 123 Eurpean cities.

In this Covid crisis in 2021 alone (so far), China has shipped almost 1.0 MILLION containers by train to Europe.  Between January to August 2021 over 10,000 freight trains have reached Europe from China. 

Sea freight from China to Europe takes 30 - 40 days. The trains can arrive from China to London in 18 days - cutting travel time by half. And here is the other major savings - the delivery is almost door to door because the trains travel on land and go straight into the major population centers like London and Liege.

Everyday now trains from China arrive all over Europe on a daily basis. Dont worry about economic sanctions or about containing China or Russia. That is all bullshit. 

Here is a very short video. 

Here is an old video - which shows the very first freight train arriving in London from China. Listen to the woman saying precisely why the China Trains are changing her world for the better.  

London Train

The following video shows the first China Train arriving in Teheran - also five years ago: 

So tuan-tuan, we must build that bridge from Melaka across the Straits of Melaka into Sumatera. We must become part of this global supply network that connects China, Central Asia down through Indo-China to Singapore and Indonesia.

Trains can only travel when they have goods to transport. Kita perlu buat barang untuk di isi dalam keretapi. Untuk buat barang kita mesti buat kilang. Tak ada kilang, tak ada barang, keretapi pun tak akan sampai ke mana.

Because after the trains come from China they cannot go back empty. There will always be opportunities for our economy to provide goods and products which they can take back.

There is a slight problem that we must rectify quickly.  

In Malaysia our railway track size is the old meter gauge. This is only 39 inches wide. Too narrow, the trains are too small and the speed is limited. 

Most other countries in the world (China, India, Central Asia, Europe) use the Standard Gauge size railway tracks of 4ft 8 1/2 inches width.  

All High Speed Trains also depend on the Standard Gauge tracks.

To be able to accommodate trains from China and the rest of the world we must move to the Standard Gauge sized railway tracks.

Our ERL (Express Rail Link) that runs between Brickfields and KLIA is the first Standard Gauge Track in the country.  

Tuan-tuan we need more factories.  

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.