Recently, according to the South China Morning Post, a well-known international media in Hong Kong, some foreign media reported on the Bali Metro Light Rail project in Indonesia, deliberately claiming that the light rail is almost entirely the responsibility of Chinese companies, and alluding to Indonesia's excessive dependence on China in rail transit.
In this regard, observers complained mercilessly:
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Bali Metro Project: China's Approach to Modern Transportation
In recent years, as Bali's reputation as a tourist destination has continued to grow, traffic congestion has become an urgent problem for tourists and locals alike. To alleviate this dilemma, the Indonesian government decided to spend $20 billion to launch the Bali Urban Subway project.
This project not only symbolizes an important step towards the modernization of Indonesia's public transport infrastructure, but also demonstrates the wisdom of the Indonesian government's choice of Chinese companies when seeking the best partners.
The project, which is managed by PT Sarana Bali Dwipa Jaya (SBDJ), will be jointly built by China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) and Indonesian local company Indotek, among others.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, SBDJ President Ari Askhara made it clear that CRCC was chosen because of its experience in building more than 200,000 kilometers of railways in more than 100 countries as a global leader in rail construction.
Obviously, the Indonesian government has fully considered the cost-effectiveness of the project and the construction experience when choosing a partner, which is not the so-called "over-reliance", but the result of Indonesia's own decision-making.
The involvement of Chinese companies is not accidental. Since the opening of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail project in 2015, China's efficient construction, technological advantages and friendly financing terms have been highly recognized in Indonesia.
In contrast, Japan's high-speed rail proposal failed to win the Indonesian bid due to harsh financing conditions and insufficient technology transfer. It can be seen that Indonesia's choice to cooperate with China is more based on practical interests rather than the so-called "dependence" or "debt trap" arguments from the outside world.
Indonesia's close cooperation with China on infrastructure projects has often been the subject of criticism from some foreign media, especially Western media, who often portray such cooperation as "over-dependent" on China.
However, as many observers have pointed out, the Indonesian government and people are well placed to make rational choices based on their own needs. As one observer put it, if other countries could offer lower costs, faster construction periods, and more reliable technology, Indonesia would naturally not hesitate to choose those partners.
In fact, China Railway Construction Company is not only one of the contractors of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, but also the core contractor of the Bali Metro project. Behind this cooperation is not the so-called "economic dependence", but the recognition of the Indonesian government's ability of Chinese companies in the field of railway construction.
China not only offers the most cost-effective solution compared to Western countries or other competitors, but also is able to deliver projects faster, which is undoubtedly the best option for Indonesia, which is in dire need of infrastructure upgrades.
As transportation scholar Bhima Yudhistira said, this cooperation not only reflects the Indonesian government's autonomy in international cooperation, but also reflects the deepening mutual trust and cooperation between China and Indonesia in the field of public transportation. This kind of cooperation is not a dependence alone, but a wise decision made by Indonesia based on real needs.
Although the Bali Metro project has great prospects, it cannot be ignored that Bali's unique culture and spatial planning poses a huge challenge to the project's advancement.
Bali is known for its long religious culture, and buildings cannot exceed the height of coconut trees (about 15 meters), so the subway construction must be 30 meters deep underground to avoid affecting local culture and religious ceremonies.
In addition, Bali's roads are narrow and the public transportation system is not yet developed, which also increases the risk of traffic congestion during the construction of the project.
However, this is not a problem of Chinese companies or Chinese technology, in fact, no matter which country is involved in the construction of the project, it will face the same transportation problems. Therefore, it is clearly misleading to associate the problem of traffic congestion with Chinese companies.
Overall, the launch of the Bali Metro project not only reflects the advantages of Chinese enterprises in the field of international railway construction, but also demonstrates the deep mutual trust between China and Indonesia in infrastructure cooperation. China's involvement will not lead to Indonesia's "over-dependence", but will provide Indonesia with a reliable and efficient infrastructure solution.
The Bali Metro project is an important step in Indonesia's modern transportation and reflects the independence and flexibility of the Indonesian government in the choice of partners.
As many observers have pointed out, Chinese companies have won the favor of the Indonesian government with lower costs and faster construction speeds, which is not a so-called "dependency", but the best option for economic reality.
I believe that the cooperation between China and Indonesia is mutually beneficial, which is not only conducive to promoting Indonesia's economic development, but also further enhancing the competitiveness of Chinese enterprises in the international market.
In-depth analysis and future outlook of the Bali Metro project
In an in-depth analysis of the Bali Metro project, much of the criticism has focused on Indonesia's alleged "dependence" on Chinese contractors. These criticisms often stem from a bias against China's cooperation with Indonesia, especially in some Western media.
However, the truth is quite different. As many observers have pointed out, the Indonesian government is well positioned to make the most favorable decisions for itself. If there are other countries that can offer lower prices, faster construction, and more reliable technology, Indonesia will certainly choose those countries.
Therefore, the choice of China Railway Construction Company (CRCC) as the core contractor is not "over-dependent", but a wise decision based on cost-effectiveness and project quality in Indonesia.
A case in point is the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail project. Although Japan had completed a feasibility study for the project, Indonesia chose the Chinese option due to its stringent financing terms and insufficient technology transfer.
Clearly, the Indonesian government prefers partners who can deliver the best results in the shortest possible time. This is completely contrary to the "China debt trap" argument advocated by the Western media.
In addition, there is a similar situation with regard to the questioning of the Bali Metro project. Although Korea submitted a feasibility study for the project, China ultimately won the opportunity to cooperate.
Observers believe that this is not due to pure economic dependence, but rather to Indonesia's trust in the construction capabilities and cost control that Chinese companies have demonstrated on a global scale. This trust stems from the performance of Chinese companies in infrastructure projects over the years, rather than the "hegemonic control" that some media portray.
Bali is known for its unique cultural and religious traditions, especially the protection of temples and strict restrictions on the height of buildings, making the progress of the Bali Metro project challenging.
According to local regulations, the height of the building must not exceed 15 meters, which means that the subway must be built deep underground. CRCC and the Indonesian partners demonstrated a high degree of adaptability to this particular request and fully respected the local culture during the planning process. This is inseparable from the experience of Chinese companies in other infrastructure projects around the world.
It is important to note that cultural and spatial challenges are not unique to Bali, and it is inevitable that any country will encounter similar problems in its infrastructure development. For example, traffic congestion is a perennial problem in Bali, and it is not exacerbated by the involvement of companies in one country. To simply blame the involvement of Chinese companies for these problems is a clear misreading of the actual situation.
In fact, as many observers have pointed out, any country that undertakes a subway project will face similar space constraints and cultural preservation requirements. Therefore, the Bali Metro project is more about finding a balance between cultural preservation and modernisation, rather than simply attributing the problem to external contractors.
With the advancement of the Bali Metro project, China's influence in Indonesia's infrastructure market is growing. In recent years, the Indonesian government has become more and more cooperative with China in public transportation, airports, ports, etc., especially under the promotion of the "Belt and Road" initiative, the economic cooperation between China and Indonesia has become more extensive.
However, this collaboration is not without its challenges. As some commentators have noted, Indonesia's infrastructure development requires diverse partners to ensure that it can have greater autonomy in the future.
However, it must be admitted that Chinese companies still have an incomparable advantage in the Indonesian market. First, China offers more flexible and competitive financing options, and is able to offer more friendly terms than Western countries or other Asian competitors.
In addition, the speed of construction and technical reliability of Chinese companies in railway and public transport projects are also widely recognized in Indonesia. For a country like Indonesia, which is accelerating its development, time and cost are of the essence, and China is able to provide such a solution.
Although Indonesia will need to seek diversified partners in the future to reduce its over-dependence on one country, China's presence in the Indonesian market is undoubtedly strong and long-lasting.
This cooperation is not limited to financial and technical aspects, but also to the establishment of a strong relationship of mutual trust between the two countries. This mutual trust will continue to drive in-depth cooperation between the two sides in future infrastructure projects.
A little summary
Overall, the Bali Metro project is not only another important case of cooperation between China and Indonesia in the field of public transport, but also a manifestation of mutual benefit and win-win results for both sides.
Chinese companies have helped Indonesia achieve its goal of modernizing its infrastructure with its superior technology and cost-effective solutions. At the same time, the Indonesian government's autonomy and rational decision-making in the selection of projects have also made this cooperation more solid and transparent.
For future cooperation, China and India are expected to continue to deepen cooperation in more areas. Chinese companies should not only demonstrate their leadership in global infrastructure development, but also respect local culture and promote localization.
Through such cooperation, China and India will be able to face the challenges of the future together and set an example of win-win cooperation on a global scale.
This will be a new milestone in China-India relations and another important example of the successful implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative in Southeast Asia.