Hong Kong, which has always used British or European standards for railway construction, is planning to build the North Ring Line railway connected to the neighboring Shenzhen Huanggang Port, introducing Chinese mainland “national standards” (GB standards) for the first time. This move has raised concerns, prompting the Hong Kong government to offer explanations. The government claims that mainland China’s infrastructure and railway technology have reached a “world-leading level.” However, China has been criticized in recent years for exporting “substandard projects.”
The construction of the Hong Kong MTR North Ring Line project is in full swing, with the main line and branch line combined into a single project planned to be completed by 2034 or earlier. The government recently signed an agreement with the MTR Corporation to fully adopt mainland Chinese railway construction standards, practices, and resources to enhance efficiency and shorten the construction period.
The Deputy Director of the Railway Development Department of the Highways Department, Shi Jianheng, explained on a Hong Kong television program that the North Ring Line is a cross-border railway involving different design standards. By merging the main and branch lines, synergies can be created to reduce overall costs and simultaneously advance the mature mainline project.
Shi Jianheng stated that the North Ring Line project will adopt “national standards,” covering drilling, station construction, electrical and signaling systems. It is claimed that China’s infrastructure and railway technology have already reached a “world-leading level,” with concrete and steel structure standards widely used in Belt and Road projects.
Moreover, Shi Jianheng mentioned that the introduction of mainland standards also allows mobilization of mainland construction companies’ own workforce and technical processes, benefiting design, construction, and cost control. He assured that the MTR has unified service standards, and all new facilities must meet its operational standards to ensure that passengers “do not feel any difference” in their user experience.
The main line of the North Ring Line project, costing over HK$100 billion, along with the branch line connecting to Huanggang, was originally planned to be constructed with the main line first and the branch line later. The main line was scheduled to be operational by 2034, while the branch line was expected to open between 2036 and 2038. However, due to consecutive budget deficits in the Hong Kong government, a decision has been made to synchronize the planning of the main and branch lines and introduce Chinese railway standards. This adjustment has accelerated the project completion by two to four years, aiming to commence construction in 2027 and have both lines operational before the end of 2034.
The adoption of national standards in the Hong Kong railway project has raised safety concerns among the public. The collapse of the Myanmar audit office tower in Bangkok, Thailand, built by a Chinese state-owned company, the China Railway Tenth Bureau, serves as a stark reminder of the quality issues faced in certain Chinese infrastructure projects.
Critics have pointed out that while Hong Kong officials claim that national standards are superior to current Hong Kong standards, questions arise regarding why the prices can be lowered. The Hong Kong media acknowledged that the introduction of mainland standards may trigger unease among some individuals, emphasizing the importance of clear explanations from the government to clarify misunderstandings and avoid speculation. The article also noted that China has rarely reported major accidents related to construction quality, contrasting with past instances of shoddy work in Hong Kong’s infrastructure projects.
Nevertheless, in recent years, China’s Belt and Road initiatives have faced scrutiny for problematic projects exported to other countries. Instances such as the collapse of various Chinese-built structures in different nations have highlighted the pressing need for quality assurance and safety standards adherence in infrastructure projects undertaken by Chinese companies globally.
In mainland China, various substandard construction projects, especially in residential buildings, have sparked continuous protests and rights protection movements, underscoring the importance of ensuring high quality in all infrastructure developments.