China's overland Silk Road and Maritime Silk Road Thread

vesicles

Colonel
LOTS and lots of orruption to seed through still and in most of the countries.

China (or anyone else) would ahve to deal wth that, and it is a hard thing to deal with in order for the people themselves to start benefitting from the prgress and then sustain it.

Typically what happens is that warlords and tribnes rise up and take control and filter all the priofits away...until a civil war or underground rebeliion comes along and squanders any hope of a chance in rivers of blood.

Sad thing, but the truth in Africa for hundreds of years.

Not saying it annot happen...just poining out the truth of what goes on there in most countries.

Typically only very oppressive and strong regimes have been able to force any stability...but then there goes all of the "prosperty" fr the people.

True! However, usually poverty encourages tyrannical control, which then leads to armed conflicts. This is a vicious cycle, which makes the country poorer and poorer. This is because in a poor country, the only way to make tons of money is through war, hence the rise of warlords.

Even when you become a warlord, you can't afford to divert your investment into anything else but your military and weapons because you always worry that someone else might kill you and take over. So literally no one dares to spend their money on anything else. And the war continues on...

This vicious cycle can only be broken with some outside help. Someone invests and pumps funds into the basic infrastructures. Once infrastructure is built, business will follow. Then the warlords will see that they can make money in easier and safer ways: doing business. To safeguard their new way of living, they will want to keep peace among different warlords and find ways to collaborate. Then peace would follow.

This is sort of like how different mafia families want to keep peace among themselves because they can make way more money in peace. then it becomes even more important for the warlords to maintain a peaceful environment because they begin to see huge bucks, the kind of money that they wouldn't even dream of during war time. Slowly, the money will trickle down to common people when business booms in the country. Then prosperity becomes possible.
 

Hendrik_2000

Lieutenant General
Meanwhile in West Africa China is building the first leg of Nigerian rail transport system
Let face it Rail line is the cheapest form of transportation. And without transportation nothing move. No trade vegetable, farm product will go bad and consumer good is expensive because of high cost

 

taxiya

Brigadier
Registered Member
LOTS and lots of orruption to seed through still and in most of the countries.

China (or anyone else) would ahve to deal wth that, and it is a hard thing to deal with in order for the people themselves to start benefitting from the prgress and then sustain it.

Typically what happens is that warlords and tribnes rise up and take control and filter all the priofits away...until a civil war or underground rebeliion comes along and squanders any hope of a chance in rivers of blood.

Sad thing, but the truth in Africa for hundreds of years.

Not saying it annot happen...just poining out the truth of what goes on there in most countries.

Typically only very oppressive and strong regimes have been able to force any stability...but then there goes all of the "prosperty" fr the people.
All true in Africa and in other part of the world at some point of time, China included.

China since 1850s to 1911, corrupted and incompetent government and countless rebellions and one devastating civil wall. From 1911 to 1949, virtually no central government and numerous warlords and bandits, devastating WWII and two civil wars. From 1949 to 1978, efficient and iron fist government but somewhat "brutal" and restrictive. But we have seen China's change. Yes, Africa is different from China, historically and culturally. But one can always find a way to improve ones future, China did it, so Africa may be able find their own way too.

Some good example in Africa that I have a higher confidence and will be watching includes, on the left (Socialist tradition) Ethiopia and Tanzania, on the right (western tradition) Kenya. We shall see.
 

taxiya

Brigadier
Registered Member
An article in my Dutch newspaper I referred to above mentioned that there is such a passenger line but that as yet few people take the opportunity.
The passenger service will begin in early 2017 with top speed 160kmph compared to 120kmph for freight. Ethiopian Railway Co President said "it is not bullet but it is fast and affordable for today's Ethiopian".
 

taxiya

Brigadier
Registered Member
Staff of Ethiopian railway in the Chinese railway style uniform. The difference is the cockade. This is the Ethiopian one.
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Training of the Ethiopian engineer. Cockade looks like Chinese one, can't be sure 100%.
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Chinese head of the crew serving the passengers.
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Chinese trainer and her Ethiopian staff.
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Chinese standard in every detail. Now the trainer is wearing the Ethiopian cockade.
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to be continued
 

solarz

Brigadier
Great pictures!

My experiences in China has shown me just how amazing of a difference good transportation makes in a developing country.

I still remember taking a ship (ferry?) for 8 hours to get to Nantong from Shanghai in order to visit my uncle and cousin. Nowadays, it's 2-3 hours by bus.

It still amazes me that I can get to Hangzhou in 45 minutes. It used to be a 4 hour train ride. What was once a faraway city is now practically a suburb!
 

delft

Brigadier
Great pictures!

My experiences in China has shown me just how amazing of a difference good transportation makes in a developing country.

I still remember taking a ship (ferry?) for 8 hours to get to Nantong from Shanghai in order to visit my uncle and cousin. Nowadays, it's 2-3 hours by bus.

It still amazes me that I can get to Hangzhou in 45 minutes. It used to be a 4 hour train ride. What was once a faraway city is now practically a suburb!
China is transforming Africa with their standard gauge railways in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Angola &c.
 

Hendrik_2000

Lieutenant General
This line is not run of the mill railway but it is electric railway as well, cheap and clean. Here is another video of the official opening
with title Chinese railway to boost trade

Railway provide connectivity trade and promote cooperation between neighbor In short promote peace
 
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