【英语中国】中国否认强迫外企转让高铁技术

China's powerful Ministry of Railways dismissed foreign concerns about the transfer of technology from foreign companies participating in its enormous high-speed rail building binge, saying that the country doesn't force such transfers and that it is developing its own technology.

The comments Wednesday, by a senior official during a rare news conference by the normally secretive ministry, came as the World Bank issued a report praising China's high-speed rail plans but also warning that they will be difficult to pay for.

China plans to spend two trillion yuan, or around $295 billion, by 2020 to build a high-speed rail network totaling 16,000 kilometers (10,000 miles) that connects all its major cities. The World Bank report called the project, begun in 2007, 'perhaps the biggest single planned program of passenger-rail investment there has ever been in one country,' and said it could help China's economy grow by speeding up passenger traffic, freeing up overloaded freight routes and reducing dependency on automobiles.

China's rail plans have meant billions of dollars of contracts for foreign companies such as Bombardier Inc. (BDRBF, BBD.A.T), Siemens AG (SI SIE.XE), and Alstom SA (ALO.FR). But foreign companies were allowed to enter China's market only as joint-venture partners after China abandoned efforts to develop its own independent super-fast trains in 2003, and foreign executives say their companies were required to transfer technology as part of those ventures in order to gain market access. Some foreign executives say China's new homemade high-speed trains, among the fastest in the world, have borrowed heavily from foreign technology.

He Huawu, chief engineer at the Ministry of Railways, acknowledged at Wednesday's news conference that China's trains are based on foreign technology, but said they had been greatly modified by Chinese engineers to increase speeds from 200 kilometers an hour to 350 kilometers. Calling China's policies 'forced' technology transfer 'is inaccurate,' He said.

'Indeed, China applied the results of world-wide human development of high-speed railways,' He said. 'We did lots of innovation and improvement, and this product can also be shared with the world.' He said China chose to 'first introduce technology from abroad, produce in joint ventures, and then develop Chinese brands.'

Foreign executives and analysts have raised particular concerns about the technology transfers because they fear the transfers could be helping Chinese rivals develop into global competitors. He said the Railways Ministry is looking at projects in Russia, Brazil, the U.S., Myanmar and Laos, among others.

The World Bank's report noted that the 'transfer of technology and know-how, together with the experience of building and operating several thousand route-kilometers of high-speed railway, will make China's one of the most advanced railway industries in the world. This should position the country to compete internationally when other countries adopt high-speed railways.'

The World Bank report, while lauding the benefits of China's high-speed rail plan for the country's economy, warned that in the past, such trains have struggled to pay off their high construction bills because steep ticket prices kept passenger volumes below forecasts.

China's densely urban corridors could be better suited for the fast trains, but 'even in China, the sustainability of railway debt arising from the program as it proceeds will need to be closely monitored and payback periods will not be short,' the report said.

就外国对参与中国大规模高速铁路建设大潮的外资企业的技术转让存在的担忧，中国势力强大的铁道部进行了反驳，称中国不强迫进行此类技术转让，并在开发自己的技术。

Associated Press中国中部城市湖北武汉，一种高速铁路火车的维护设备。通常行事秘密的铁道部周三少有地召开了一场新闻发布会。会上，一位高级官员发表了上述言论。世界银行(World Bank)日前刚刚公布了一份报告，赞扬中国的高速铁路计划，但也告诫说高速铁路的费用难以承担。

中国计划在2020年前斥资人民币2万亿元（约合2,950亿美元），修建一个总里程达16,000公里的高速铁路网，将各大城市连接起来。世界银行的报告称这个2007年开始实施的计划或许是有史以来一个国家规划的最大规模客运列车投资项目。世界银行说，这有望加快客流量、释放过载的运输线路、减少对汽车的依赖，进而帮助中国经济增长。

中国的铁路计划对庞巴迪(Bombardier Inc.)、西门子(Siemens AG)和阿尔斯通(Alstom SA)等外资企业意味着数十亿美元的合同。不过，在2003年中国放弃自主开发高速铁路之后，外资企业只可以作为成立合资企业的合作伙伴进入中国市场，外企高管说，它们必须把转让技术作为合资企业的一部分，以便获得市场准入。一些外企高管说，中国自己生产的新高速列车大量借鉴了外国技术。中国的高速列车属于全球最快之列。

铁道部总工程师何华武在周三的新闻发布会上承认，中国引进了国外200公里级的高速铁路技术，在这个基础上进行实质性的创新，提高到了350公里。他说，如果说“强行转让”，这个词“不准确”。

他说，“确确实实，中国应用了世界高速铁路人类文明的成果，同时在这个程度上进行了大幅度的提升和创新，这一成果也是供世界使用”。他说，“中国走的是引进先进技术、联合设计生产、打造中国品牌”。

外企高管和分析人士对技术转让表示尤其担忧，因为他们担心技术转让可能会帮助中国竞争对手发展成为全球竞争对手。何华武说，铁道部在评估俄罗斯、巴西、美国、缅甸和老挝等国的项目。

世界银行的报告指出，技术和实践知识的转让，加上修建和运营数千公里长高速铁路的经验，这将使中国的铁路业跻身全球最先进行列。当其他国家修建高速铁路时，这应该会使中国具备参与全球竞争的实力。

尽管世界银行的报告赞扬了中国高速铁路计划给中国经济带来了好处，但同时也告诫说，过去高速列车难以支付高额建设费用，因为高票价使客流量低于预期。

报告说，中国密集的城市群可能更适合高速铁路，不过，即使是在中国，高速铁路计划推进过程中所带来的持久高额债务也需要受到密切的监控，投资回收期不会短。