International Railroad Discussion > Laos opens Chinese rail line

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2226147/laos-opens-chinese-built-railway-line

 

Wonder if Laos will be able to service this debt.This Belt & Road thing is getting a lot of third world countries in some strife.
Regards,DK

If the "third world" countries thought the old colonial powers were bad wait until they fall behind in their debt repayments to the Chinese.
The Chinese government is very hard nosed when it comes to debt repayment.

Ask Sri Lanka about what happens when you miss debt payments on a sparkling new container and freight seaport.

The Chinese repossess it. Literally.

Posted from Android

Ah, the Chinitos as they´re referred to here in Chile.  Five or so years ago China Rail proposed a huge project here including HSR from Santiago to Valparaiso as well as  new double stack- capacity freight lines to both Valpo and the port of San Antonio.  Things were looking good until  the Transport Ministry reviewed the contract documents.  The  proposed projects quietly disappeared, never to be heard from since.   And unlike our neighbor Argentina,  no rolling stock or locomotives have been sourced from China.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/21 02:32 by masterphots.

Say what you will about the Chiners they built this line in 5 years through some pretty demanding terrain. I doubt the US in it's present state could complete such a project. Our biggest engineering companies all seem to be in a terminal state of decline. California has spent almost two decades and ten of billions trying to construct a high speed line from nowhere to nowherre over mostly flat ground with very little to show for all the labor and treasure spent so far. 

Imagine Laos does not have anywhere near the environmental requirements and people friendly quirks or inflated economy as California does..

tomstp Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Imagine Laos does not have anywhere near the
> environmental requirements and people friendly
> quirks or inflated economy as California does..

California can afford it, however idiotic the project might be.  $31 billion budget surplus at the moment.  Not to mention 21% GDP growth 2017-2021;  average market cap of top ten firms based in CA of $1.43 trillion;  GDP growth per capita 2010-19 of 28%,  on and on.  Stats from the Bloomberg Economic Evaluation of the States at 6/30/21.  Every state should have such problems.

masterphots Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> tomstp Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Imagine Laos does not have anywhere near the
> > environmental requirements and people friendly
> > quirks or inflated economy as California does..
>
> California can afford it, however idiotic the
> project might be.  $31 billion budget surplus at
> the moment.  Not to mention 21% GDP growth
> 2017-2021;  average market cap of top ten firms
> based in CA of $1.43 trillion;  GDP growth per
> capita 2010-19 of 28%,  on and on.  Stats from
> the Bloomberg Economic Evaluation of the States at
> 6/30/21.  Every state should have such problems.

People dealt with the lock downs by doing "retail therapy" and buying LOTS of stuff on line. So the sales tax revenues were far higher then forecast.

PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> masterphots Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > tomstp Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Imagine Laos does not have anywhere near the
> > > environmental requirements and people
> friendly
> > > quirks or inflated economy as California
> does..
> >
> > California can afford it, however idiotic the
> > project might be.  $31 billion budget surplus
> at
> > the moment.  Not to mention 21% GDP growth
> > 2017-2021;  average market cap of top ten
> firms
> > based in CA of $1.43 trillion;  GDP growth per
> > capita 2010-19 of 28%,  on and on.  Stats
> from
> > the Bloomberg Economic Evaluation of the States
> at
> > 6/30/21.  Every state should have such
> problems.
>
> People dealt with the lock downs by doing "retail
> therapy" and buying LOTS of stuff on line. So the
> sales tax revenues were far higher then forecast.

A drop in the bucket as compared to capital gains taxe revenue and general growth over the past few years,  plus budgetary decisions made by Jerry Brown while he was governor.   Most sales tax revenues accrue to the local cities/counties where the sales take place and don´t contribute to the state budget.   As always,  CA has been doing very well and will continue to do so.  



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/07/21 05:28 by masterphots.

GettingShort Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Say what you will about the Chiners they built
> this line in 5 years through some pretty demanding
> terrain. I doubt the US in it's present state
> could complete such a project. Our biggest
> engineering companies all seem to be in a terminal
> state of decline. California has spent almost two
> decades and ten of billions trying to construct a
> high speed line from nowhere to nowherre over
> mostly flat ground with very little to show for
> all the labor and treasure spent so far. 

The difference is in comparing a major infrastructure project built by a communist country that is well know for exploiting everything to a democratic country led by lawyers and politicians who's primary objective is to pad their own pockets.