New | Chinese cities in race for high-speed railway stations
Residents raise the stakes for local officials by threatening to have them sacked if they failed to win approval for the stations
Chinese cities have been competing to have high-speed railway lines built in order to win an advantage over their neighbouring cities in the battle to improve their economy.
A petition started last month asking the Hunan provincial government and Shaoyang city government to build a railway station in the city has garnered support from 100,000 residents, Xinhua reported.
“Today we can’t lose another chance. In the high-speed rail era, cities along the rail line will develop faster than those without, in terms of urban construction, economy and tourism development,” the petition read.
“So we, Shaoyang residents can’t lose the Baotou-Haikou railway line. We strongly require [our municipal government leaders] to act passionately and together bring our voice to the provincial government, demanding that this line must pass through Shaoyang – the most populous city in Hunan.”
Shaoyang already has a high-speed railway station along the Shanghai-Kunming line, but it is unpopular with residents as it is situated in a remote town that is a two-hour drive from the downtown area.
Internet users have even threatened to have the city’s mayor and party boss sacked if they failed to win approval for the rail line to pass through the city.
Experts say the Shaoyang case is not rare in China, resulting in some officials competing for rail stations not only in the public’s interest but also to save their own careers. Winning a station would leave an enviable legacy while failing to win one would cost them their reputations and residents’ support, if not their jobs.
