Sun Haijing, an employee in the after-sales service department of CRRC Corp. Ltd., the world's largest supplier of rail transit equipment, reflected on his experiences in Brazil as he rode Line 13-Jade from Guarulhos Airport this summer. Five years ago, he was present at the line's inauguration, at which the station platform buzzed with energy, packed with people capturing the moment with cameras and camcorders.

Line 13-Jade, which debuted as South America's first airport metro line, connects downtown São Paulo to the city's Guarulhos Airport. The electric multiple unit trains, manufactured by CRRC for São Paulo's commuter rail operator, Companhia Paulista de Trens Metropolitanos (CPTM), were poised to enter service in September 2019. At that time, Sun, then just 29, was dispatched to Brazil to oversee equipment debugging and delivery.

"I formed a strong working relationship with Juliana, a quality engineer at CPTM," Sun recalled. "I cannot recall her surname, but she spoke Chinese fluently. She had just returned from China after earning her master's degree in engineering from Central South University." He explained that CRRC has organized multiple training programs in Chinese higher education institutions for Brazilian railway professionals, with over 10 groups participating to date.

"Brazil is a key overseas market for CRRC, holding significant strategic importance for our international development," a CRRC manager told Beijing Review. "Since President Lula took office in 2023, cooperation across sectors including politics, economy, and technology has strengthened, creating a favorable environment for Chinese and Brazilian businesses to collaborate."

Currently, CRRC supplies Brazil with a wide range of customized rail transit products, including electric multiple unit trains, subway trains, and high-end passenger trains. It helped address the urban transportation demands of major events like the 2016 Olympic Games and the 2014 World Cup.

Tailored services 

In addition to exporting trains, CRRC has also pioneered high-end customization in the rail transit equipment sector. According to Sun, he and his team conducted over 100 debugging sessions to ensure the electric multiple unit trains for Line 13, designed to align with the existing track and equipment specifications, precisely stop in Automatic Train Operation mode.

Moreover, to facilitate maintenance and repair, CPTM requested modifications to the original eight-car trains, transforming them into two units, with each unit featuring its own traction and braking systems. "Given Brazil's long summers of heat and heavy rainfall, we also optimized the air conditioning as well as the waterproofing and airtight capabilities," Sun added.

Every morning, Sun travels to a subway train maintenance base in the Mooca District of São Paulo, capital of São Paulo State, where he oversees daily maintenance for both Line 13 and Line 7.

On May 29, CRRC and the Government of the State of São Paulo signed a contract for the Intercidades Train (TIC) Eixo Norte project, aiming to build Brazil's fastest and most modern inter-city railway. "Strengthening investment in railways has become a national consensus in Brazil, but securing funding remains challenging," said Haroldo Ceravolo Sereza, Editor in Chief of the international news outlet Opera Mundi.

The TIC Eixo Norte project is part of the Brazilian Federal Government's New Growth Acceleration Program, an ambitious infrastructure initiative launched by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in August 2023, with an investment of $347 billion aimed at fostering economic growth, social development, urban infrastructure improvements and green transition from 2023 to 2026 and beyond.

"During the 30-year concession period, the consortium formed by CRRC and Brazilian company Comporte will invest 14.2 billion reais ($2.5 billion), undertaking project planning, design, funding, construction, and operational services, linking São Paulo, Jundiaí and Campinas," Liu Gang, Chairman of CRRC (Hong Kong) Co. Ltd., told Beijing Review.

The project will stretch 101 km and consist of three services: the inter-city train express service, the inter-metropolitan train service, and commuter rail Line 7-Ruby, achieving speeds of up to 140 km per hour from São Paulo to Campinas. "This project will create tens of thousands of jobs, but its implications extend further," Sereza stressed. "The government hopes to generate economic benefits through such investments, positioning initiatives like the TIC Eixo Norte project as pivotal for national industrial rejuvenation."

Enhancing cooperation 

Beyond commercial ventures, CRRC has embraced its social responsibilities in Brazil. It established its first overseas technology and cultural exchange center and initiated the China Bookshelf project, which creates mini-libraries to introduce China to the world. CRRC also provides training opportunities for Brazilian youth and organizes exchange programs, such as a visit to the University of São Paulo in November 2023, where students engaged in a technology seminar on high-speed rail and explored a model of the Fuxing bullet train, sparking vibrant discussions. 

"This year is the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Brazil, as well as the 31st anniversary of the China-Brazil strategic partnership. CRRC will persist in contributing Chinese expertise and wisdom to the development of Brazil's rail transit system, aiming to provide a green, intelligent, safe, convenient, and modern transportation network that better serves the Brazilian people's travel needs," the CRRC manager said. "We are dedicated to promoting the high-quality, sustainable development of Brazil's rail transit system and enhancing economic and trade cooperation between our nations."

"In the future, CRRC will actively seek alignment between the Belt and Road Initiative and Brazil's New Growth Acceleration Program, ensuring the benefits of our collaboration extend to local communities and pave the way for new areas of cooperation between China and Brazil," the manager concluded. BR

Printed edition title: A Train of Cooperation     

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon 

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