I means, in Vietnam.
I like your thinking, you are a good PDF member.
Because what you saying seem showing the truth, you looked like not a blind folded.
Is China a market-oriented-economy? the govt made big affect to the market really not good.
If so many feel comfortable with slow train, don't terminate it and "bei gaosu".
IN Vietnam, high ranked officials always bring to front many huge projects, we guess they could pocket 15-30% of total budget, if those come into effective ... so we tried to protest as many wasteful projects as possible. How about situation in your country, @
Genesis
China is both market and not market, it's not really in the middle it's both. Some industries are more government controlled, some are not really controlled. Some industries have heavy subsidies others are based on customer demand.
For example, solar power, heavy government involvement, smart phones, electronics not really. I mean, maybe spy agencies do have access to them, but so does NSA and CIA.
I'm not sure what bei gaosu is. "Slow" train is about as fast as other country's fast trains, yet very cheap. Over short distances, or students or migrant workers usually take these.
I think seat tickets are 20+ bucks on slow trains, and sleepers range from 90 to more. It's been a while. So you can see 10 times difference for a few hours really. Leg room and space is a little smaller on slow trains, but not unbearable, HSR leg room is way bigger than a plane.
City office workers, or more recently skilled laborers, and long travelers, vacationers, people who can't buy a ticket for the slow trains, usually take it. Business trips is also common.
Both have their use, just because someone has a car, doesn't mean he throw away his bike or cut off his leg. Everything has a role.
IS there corruption or even unecessary projects, of course, is it high in number? It's not low. But the thing is, it sort of benefits the city anyways, like in my home city, trees and flowers are replanted as a mayor comes in, to add to his resume, waste of money? Yea, but the city is nice and clean.
Here's the thing though, we are not America, our infrastructure is not developed, even Americans are corrupt in projects. So unless we want nothing done, you got to take the good with the bad.
When we finish it all, then it makes more sense to do something, but if we do it now, our development is done. Just like growing muscle and cut weight and grow six pack. I always tell people cut weight first then, add muscle, or else you will lose muscle while cutting, or add weight while muscle building.
Same deal here, one at a time.