Source: The New York Times               Date: August 17, 2011

The accident on China's rails last July will not impeded projects currently in development, reported the New York Times. While promising an increase in safety priorities, China's leadership does not plan for any delays. Some fear China is brazenly continuing operations in the face of tragedies that suggest more care is needed.

China's State Council suspended the approval of a new rail lines for additional safety reviews, but work will continue as planned on previously approved projects. China's rail ministry has fallen behind on rail projects from three to four years ago, said industry experts. Thus it is possible China is still in a hurry to catch up on these works.

The Chinese government's speaks about prioritizing safety, but its actions say otherwise. This behavior mirrors China's actions after the threat of nuclear disaster following Japan's Tsunami crisis last spring. Streaming lining projects in China is nothing new and beginning construction at a nuclear power plant before receiving official approval is the norm in China. This was the case at China's largest electric utility, where the foundation and office buildings were built months before approval for the project.

“There’s such demand in China for energy, and nuclear power has such a central role in their plans that nothing is going to get in the way of it,” said nuclear power specialist Michael Friedlander told the New York Times.

Back to the rail industry, The State Council announced it will only allow high-speed rails to reach a top-speed of 300 kilometer per hour, supposedly in response to the Wuhan accident. In reality, this decision was made as far back as last spring.