The train collision that happened days ago in east China was a great disaster and has given a heavy blow to China's high-speed railway system. China's state-run media have given much coverage on it. Let's see how foreign media view the accident.
AP
The accident is the latest blow to China's bullet train ambitions. Designed to show off the country's rising wealth and technological prowess, the national prestige attached to the high-speed rail project is on a par with China's space program.
China's trains are based on Japanese, French and German technology, but the manufacturers are trying to sell to Latin America and the Middle East. That has prompted complaints that Beijing is violating the spirit of licenses with foreign providers by reselling technology that was meant to be used only in China.
Financial Times
The government embarked on a massive spending drive five years ago to build the world’s largest high-speed rail network in record time. But what was meant as a source of national pride and efficiency has instead become one of embarrassment and concern.
China has recently poured money into a further expansion of the network but the huge investments have spurred allegations of corruption and raised concerns over costs and whether corners were being cut on rail safety.
AFP
Foreign companies participating in the development of high-speed rail in China have also accused Chinese state-owned companies of stealing some of their technology or forcing them to transfer their know-how -- charges China denies.
Los Angeles Times
China's high-speed rail system, the largest in the world, has attracted controversy for years because its engineering is alleged to have been copied from European and Japanese technology and because the national track network was laid in record time.
Officials have touted the country's rail technology as the world's most advanced and have eyed foreign markets including California.
