Chinese manufacturers power modernization of Brazil's public transport system

China

Chinese manufacturers power modernization of Brazil's public transport system

2024-11-20 19:58 Last Updated At：11-21 00:07

Brazil's bustling city of Belo Horizonte is set to receive new Chinese-made trains to expand the city's metro options and alleviate heavy traffic.

Belo Horizonte is home to around 2.5 million residents. Despite its size and significance, the city's public transportation system faces major challenges. The metro system, which many cities this size rely on, is minimal - serving only a few stops. Instead, buses are the primary way for people to get around, contributing to heavy traffic congestion.

"The challenge for me is the heavy traffic. We face traffic in the morning and at night, so we spend a lot of time in traffic," said Luiza Xavier Dos Santos, a local commuter.

As the region's political, economic, and cultural center, Belo Horizonte's transportation system plays a critical role in the state's development. Recognizing the city's need for better infrastructure, Chinese companies have increasingly contributed to smart city initiatives across Brazil, including efforts to improve urban transit in Belo Horizonte.

"China has long been recognized as an important benchmark. The Chinese built a network of 40,000 kilometers of high-speed trains in record time. So we are very much inspired by them," said Rafael Benini, Sao Paulo secretary for Investment Partnership.

On May 28, a significant milestone was reached in Brazil. In a high-profile signing ceremony, China's CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles signed a major contract to export 24 advanced metro trains to Belo Horizonte. These trains, capable of automatic operation and speeds of up to 80 kilometers per hour, will soon serve both the existing Line 1 and the under-construction Line 2, alleviating the city's traffic congestion.

"I think Brazil needs more trains. It's a cheap way to travel, very comfortable and very good. I would benefit a lot from it. So I am very happy with the news," said Enzo Pauline, a local commuter.

The design team at CRRC Changchun has customized metro trains specifically for Belo Horizonte's needs. With a focus on safety, reliability, and comfort, the trains feature intelligent, energy-efficient systems that are expected to operate smoothly throughout their lifespans. This export contract is not only a breakthrough for Belo Horizonte's transit system but also a promising step in the growing cooperation between China and Brazil.

China, Brazil cooperate in radio telescope project

2024-11-20 22:55 Last Updated At：23:47

Brazilian experts have praised China's role in advancing Brazil's space research capabilities through the construction of a major radio telescope.

Astrophysicist Alex Wuensche is deeply involved in one of Brazil's most important space research projects -- construction of a "Baryon Acoustic Oscillations in Neutral Gas Observations (BINGO)" telescope in the country's northeastern countryside, which will be the largest of its kind in Latin America.

China is a key partner in the project, producing a significant portion of the telescope's equipment. The BINGO project is among the latest in space collaborations that began in 1988 when Brazil and China signed an agreement on research.

Speaking to China Global Television Network (CGTN) in the National Institute for Space Research, Alex Wuensche said that the project has created jobs and promoted technology adoption, and China has played a key role in it.

"We have the expertise from China, that built the largest telescope in the world today -- FAST, which is in northwestern (southwestern) China. It's a 500-meter telescope. For this project specifically, China is the best partner, I think, we could find around," he continued.

The plan is to have the BINGO radio telescope operating by the first half of 2025, with hopes that it will be yet another successful example of Brazil-China cooperation in space research.

Another fruitful outcome of Brazil-China collaboration in space research has been the development and operation of the China-Brazil Earth Resource Satellite (CBERS) program. These Earth-monitoring resources provide crucial environmental data for Brazil and other developing nations, supporting efforts in deforestation control, water management, and urban planning.

"The CBERS program has a very important point. As far as I know, it's the first program in the world that releases free data for all people that want to get it. The CBERS data is available on the internet, and people who want to use this data can make some kind of subscription for free," said Adenilson Roberto Da Silva, a space technology coordinator.