China’s HSR“Go Global”Strategy Pays off.docVIP

China’s HSR“Go Global”Strategy Pays off 　　 HSR Diplomacy 　　Recently， Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang invited leaders from 16 Central and Eastern European （CEE） nations to experience Chinese high-speed railway（HSR） firsthand on a trip from Suzhou to Shanghai. The invitation has been described as “Chinese high-speed railway diplomacy” by local media. 　　The train left Suzhou at 11：00 local time， arriving in Shanghai just 22 minutes later. The train ride is a show- case of China-CEE cooperation， which features not only high speeds but also comfort and reassurance， Li said during an annual China-CEE summit meeting in Suzhou. 　　The invitation came a day after China signed two separate deals with Hungary and Serbia on the construction and revamping of a rail link between the Serbian and Hungarian capitals. 　　Details of the two deals are not immediately available， but Li had pledged that construction work of the railway would be underway by the end of 2015 and be finished within two years. 　　The high-speed rail link could cut travel time between Budapest and Belgrade by more than half. Once complete， the railway will help create a fast lane for importing and exporting products between China and Europe. 　　The railway not only connects Serbia with Hungary， it also links with the rail network in southern Europe， Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said. 　　Bilateral trade between China and the 16 CEE countries reached over $60 in 2014 amid sluggish global economic growth， indicating tremendous trade and investment potential， Li said 　　China has actively sought to export its high-speed rail technology in recent years， with media referring to the premier as the country’s top railway salesman. 　　Undeniably， a sort of high-speed rail diplomacy has become an extra arm in the new Chinese government’s foreign affairs. 　　During several overseas trips， Premier Li has not forgotten to take each opportunity to promote China’s highspeed rail technologies， thus earning