By Brett Daniel Shehadey
Special Contributor for In Homeland Security
Whether a matter of national pride or something else, China is contemplating the construction of a high-speed underwater train that consist of 8,079 miles of track and connect Beijing to the US together.
It is an interesting time to plan the “China-Russia-Canada-America” railway as Russia and the US face off in Ukraine and elsewhere and China and the US face off in the Pacific. Connecting everyone together seems not only a massive feat of engineering that makes the US look as dead as the British Empire.
The US has not produced one high-speed train and all projects to do so in various states have been unsuccessful due to cost and opposition (e.g. California High-Speed Rail). In 2012 Amtrak had a $151 billion proposal for east coast high-speed train lines in the 2040 time frame. The US High-Speed Rail Map projects a 2030 timeframe with 17,000 miles of track.
Security and safety concerns for trains is a problem; especially the easy access to the rail lines which makes them extremely vulnerable and choice soft terrorist and criminal targets. High-speed trains make this scenario even scarier, especially as they approach in the direction towards major cities. Sensor technology and automated robotic patrols might make this much less of an issue in the future.
Plans to connect the US with Mexico via the first ever to high-speed train between the two countries is expected to be completed by 2018.
Europe has high-speed trains. Russia has several lines. China has longest high-speed rail over 6,000 miles.
The trip from China to the US would take about 2 days at 217 miles per hour, according to The Beijing Times.
Even if they are not simply trying to show off and the project was genuine and not just a farcical dream, the Chinese are building an empire with large-scale foreign construction projects and the fact that they want to be the ones to accomplish great things through peaceful construction projects is better than other places their efforts. If they feel they can do it, it would be nice to see them try.
If the Chinese want to build another Great Wall, why not let them? In other words, the US should encourage the most massive Chinese projects and help sponsor them diplomatically while China fits the enormous bill. This will help redirect Chinese construction efforts away from their military sector. China wins because it can show off and supply a massive the labor force with jobs.
The US should encourage China flexing its muscles in a civil construction direction and condemn and counter aggressive actions and decisions strategically and innovatively.
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