Chinese bidders on a roll with Asia rail projects
With China's achievements as a model, manufacturers and construction firms are fanning out across the region in the hunt for contract billions
Chinese companies are seeking to win a share of the billions of dollars of upcoming rail contracts in Asia, including a metro line project in Manila.
The companies had expressed interest in winning transport contracts in the Philippines, said Rene Limcaoco, undersecretary of the Philippine Department of Transportation and Communications, at the recent Asia Pacific Rail conference in Hong Kong.
Some Chinese companies, in particular, were looking at the project to extend Manila's metro Line 1 by 12 kilometres, which would cost US$1.48 billion, Limcaoco said. The financial tender for the project would start in a few months, and the extension was scheduled to be completed in 2017, he said.
Chinese companies were also interested in supplying train coaches to transport projects in the country, he said, without naming the projects.
Other projects in the Philippines include a 4.2km extension of Manila's metro Line 2, costing US$238 million with an expected completion in 2016, and the supply of 48 railway cars to Manila's metro Line 3, at US$109.8 million. Delivery is expected in 18 months.
Ties between China and the Philippines have been tested by arbitration in Hong Kong between the Philippine government and state-owned China National Machinery and Equipment over the aborted US$500 million North Rail project near Manila. In January, the Philippines launched arbitration at a United Nations tribunal to challenge China's claim to virtually the entire South China Sea, despite Beijing's objections.