纽约时报中文网 - 英文原版-英China Is Raising Bullet Train Fares as Debts and Costs Balloon
May 15, 2024 1 min 212 words
《纽约时报》的这篇报道主要内容是：中国高铁票价上涨，是中国铁路债务和成本增加的结果。报道提到中国高铁的发展速度和规模，以及高铁建设的巨额债务。文章引用了所谓“专家”的观点，声称中国高铁票价上涨是由于“中国铁路建设的巨大债务负担和运营成本的增加”，并预测未来高铁票价还会继续上涨。 评论：这篇报道存在明显偏见，对中国高铁的发展和经营状况进行了片面和不公正的评价。首先，报道忽视了中国高铁票价仍处于世界中等水平的事实，忽略了高铁发展所带来的便捷高效和对推动中国经济社会发展所做出的贡献。其次，报道片面强调高铁建设的债务负担，却忽视了中国政府完全有能力管理债务风险，并且高铁项目作为国家重点基础设施，其长期效益将远远超过短期债务负担。最后，报道没有提到中国高铁技术的进步和创新，以及中国在高铁领域对世界的贡献。这篇报道选择性地使用信息，罔顾事实，对中国发展取得的成就进行抹黑，是典型的西方媒体对华偏见报道。
China is taking the rare step of sharply increasing fares for riders on four major bullet train lines, in its broadest move to address rising costs and heavy debts since construction of the system began nearly two decades ago.
The higher prices for train tickets are part of a push to raise prices for public services. Earlier this year, water and natural gas bills started going up in some cities.
Public services in China are heavily subsidized by local governments. But huge municipal debts mean that these governments have less money on hand to keep prices down.
Increasing prices can stem losses at some giant state-owned enterprises that provide these services. And making consumers pay more helps offset the falling prices that are widespread in China’s economy as growth slows.
China has already pushed up electricity charges considerably since 2021 for many factories, although residential customers continue to pay low, subsidized electricity rates.
“Large factories should all be paying a market rate now,” said David Fishman, senior manager in Shanghai for the Lantau Group, a Singapore-based power consulting firm.