Indonesia Embraces China's Belt and Road with Whoosh High-Speed Railway

Indonesia has inaugurated its first high-speed railway, named Whoosh, connecting Jakarta to Bandung, with speeds of up to 350km/h. The $7.3bn project, backed by China under its Belt and Road Initiative, aims to ease severe traffic congestion and improve economic productivity. The railway, operated by PT KCIC, is powered by electricity, reducing the country's carbon footprint. However, critics raise concerns about the project's profitability and its impact on Indonesia's strained public finances. Ticket prices have not been finalized, but some citizens express skepticism about the affordability and practicality of the high-speed train.