Beyond Speed: How Railways Connect People to Modernization

Editor's Note: In the second part of the series, Wirun Phichaiwongphakdee reflects on the transformative power of infrastructure. Drawing from his journey on the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway, he argues that the true value of connectivity lies not just in reduced travel time, but in creating new opportunities for talent, industry, and shared modernization across the Asia-Pacific.

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What does a railway bring to a country? The answer is much bigger than speed.

I once took the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway together with Indonesian scholar Veronika. The trip between Jakarta and Bandung used to take more than three hours. Today, it takes only about 40 minutes. As I sat on the train, however, I found myself thinking not about its speed, but about this larger question.

The railway has brought Bandung into Jakarta’s one-hour travel radius. It has made it easier for people to move, helped build technological expertise and local talent, and created new opportunities for development along the line. So I have long believed that what matters about high-speed rail is not simply how fast it runs, but how many people it can carry toward new opportunities.

Today, the China-Laos Railway is bringing China and Laos ever closer together, and the China-Thailand High-Speed Railway project continues to make progress. One day, when Kunming, Vientiane, and Bangkok are more closely linked by rail, the connection will extend far beyond three cities. It will bring together the people and markets of China and Southeast Asia, connect tourism and logistics, strengthen industrial and supply chains, and create new possibilities for shared modernization across our region.

Standing at the historic site of the Bandung Conference, I once found myself reflecting on these words quoted by President Xi Jinping: “The interests to be considered should be the interests of all.”

The real value of cooperation cannot be judged only by the immediate gains it produces. What matters just as much is whether it develops talent, helps industries grow, creates jobs, and gives more ordinary people a genuine opportunity to take part in modernization. This, in my view, is one of the most important meanings of Belt and Road cooperation. Connectivity allows more developing countries to participate in globalization and benefit from global trade and modernization.

Connectivity may link places, but ultimately, it links people and their futures. The more closely our railways, trade, industrial chains, and supply chains are connected, the stronger the foundation for shared development becomes. This is also what building a community with a shared future for mankind looks like in practice.

(If you have specific expertise, or would like to share your thoughts, please send us your writings at CAobservation@outlook.com)