China, Japan, France may bid for Australian rail  

(ECNS) -- China, Japan, and France may compete for the construction of an Australian high-speed rail, according to Japan's Kyodo News Agency.

Australia is planning to build a railway network linking Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne, at a total length of 1,700 kilometers.

Construction businesses in China, Japan, and Fance intend to bid for the project, which will cost 114 billion Australian dollars.

Part of the project will be completed in 2035, and the whole railway will be in operation by 2060.

Gen Okajima, general manager of the Sydney office of JR East Japan Railway Co, said if his company decided to bid for the project, Japan's shinkansen technology featuring low noise and low energy consumption would be the selling points.

China and France would each emphasize "low cost" and "speed", respectively, an analyst said.