Indonesian ministry signs cooperation with China on high speed train operation

Indonesian Transportation Ministry has signed a cooperation document on human resources research and development with KCIC, the China-Indonesia joint firm to operate Jakarta-Bandung High Speed Railway (HSR) train, related to operation of HSR train in the country.

Signing of the cooperation was ultimately intended to prepare Indonesian workers in the operation and maintenance of Jakarta-Bandung HSR train.

"We want to assure that level of service and level of safety provided by the HSR train are excellent. We will learn a lot," Indonesia Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said in a statement released on Friday.

The minister stressed that the learning process in HSR operation is a key task to assure the train's excellence of service and safety.

The signing of the cooperation was witnessed by the minister, conducted by the ministry's secretary general, Djoko Sasono, and KCIC Managing Director Chandra Dwiputra in the ministry's premises on Thursday.

The cooperation document with a validity period of five years would cover various cooperation in fields of training and education program for professional workers assigned to operate and maintain the Jakarta-Bandung HSR trains, research and development in train transport sector, information changing on knowledge and technology development of train transport, provision and exchange of related experts, usage of HSR facility and infrastructure and other terms approved by the two sides.

To follow suit the cooperation, the minister said teams from the ministry's institution to supervise train transport would be sent to China and several other countries to learn operation of HSR train in those respective countries.

Projects to settle the Jakarta-Bandung HSR train transport system that spans 142 kilometers between the two cities are now underway. The HSR train is scheduled to commence its commercial operation in 2021. Once operational, it will shorten the travel time from the currently three hours with regular train or cars to just 40 minutes.

The Jakarta-Bandung HSR train is a flagship project under the Belt and Road Initiatives, and is highly promoted by Chinese and Indonesian leaders.