Why should Nordic countries build fast train?

By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

STOCKHOLM, June 27(Greenpost)– Nordic Ministers for Transport and Infrastructures have met to discuss financing the infrastructure especially crossing borders recently.

This is a gesture in the right track.  I strongly recommend Nordic countries invest in fast train track and operation. Why?

When I came to Sweden in 2006, I thought Swedish train was quite good. But when I went back to China three years later, that was in 2009, China began to operate the fast train in Northeast China, the Concord Train was more than 250 kilometers per hour and I noticed that Swedish journalists were very positive about it too.

But soon people played down this idea to say that it was too expansive, Sweden doesn\t have that amount of people.  This was also said in China. We don\t have a lot of money. We have a lot of people, but people were poorer.  But after the fast train went into operation, they were full very soon.  A lot of young couples took the fast train instead of driving a car or took the slow train.

Traveling time was substantially shortened. People are happy and people are proud. People take the chance to do business.

I think the fast train has three advantages:

First, it shortens the travelling time. It means there will be more travelling and more business chances and more meeting time.  More meeting time will give more ideas. It is good for communication.

Second, Sweden has fewer people, but if the transporting time is halved, it means there will be more chance to do business.

Thirdly,  people have to think in the long run, the same as you think of the tunnel bana in the 1940s.  Man must be forward-looking.

If Nordic countries can make joint efforts to invest in fast train and build it from Oslo to Gothenburg and to Stockholm or from Karlstad and then build it to Malmo and to Copenhagen, then it will substantially shorten the travelling between countries. It will be a project benefiting the future of nordic countries.

Anyway, people are willing to pay a certain amount to improve the railway conditions, but if you pay a little more and build the fast train with Chinese speed between 250 -300 kilometers per hour, it will greatly promote Nordic market.

I encourage the Nordic ministers to talk more about it and take action as soon as possible.  I am sure it will promote nordic economy substantially.

Nordic ministers discussed infrastructure financing

STOCKHOLM, June 26(Greenpost) — Infrastructure financing is undergoing a fundamental change, where relying on public budgetary resources alone is not a sustainable option. It is important to find new financial instruments and practices to enable efficient infrastructure development on a long-term basis, according to a statement from Finland.

Such new instruments were explored in the seminar “Rethinking Infrastructure Financing in the Nordics”.

The participants included the Finnish Minister of Transport and Communications Anne Berner, Norwegian Minister of Transport and Communications Ketil Solvik-Olsen, Icelandic Minister of Transport and Local Government and Nordic Cooperation Sigurdur Ingi Jóhannsson, and Director-General Ola Nordlander from the Swedish Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation.

“A well-functioning and up-to-date infrastructure is a prerequisite for competitiveness. Any delays or failures in the projects may cause substantial economic and social costs. It is most natural for us to work together to find the best practices,” says Minister of Transport and Communications of Finland Anne Berner.

“Infrastructures in the Nordic countries have a lot in common. Being able to share our ideas and solutions is important to maximize the possibilities and utility from future projects. Getting the most out of the funds we invest in infrastructure is the key to building a transport system that fits future needs,” says Ketil Solvik-Olsen, Minister of Transport and Communications of Norway.

“It is very important not only to discuss the investment itself but also how to finance operation and maintenance. I am looking forward to learn about the views and experiences of the other Nordic Countries. Communications and transport are merging and the future is interesting,” says Sigurdur Ingi Jóhannsson, Minister of Transport and Local Government and Nordic Cooperation, Iceland.

What next?Discussion about the financial instruments continues among the Nordic countries. There are significant benefits to be gained in infrastructure financing especially from transboundary investments and coordinated transport policies.

Editor  Xuefei Chen Axelsson

今日头条:瑞典对墨西哥3:0进入八分之一决赛

北欧绿色邮报网报道(记者陈雪霏)–前天,一位墨西哥记者和一位瑞典退伍军人在谈论世界杯。瑞典人说,我们一定能赢墨西哥,我们必须赢。那口气十分自信,也好像是必须的。

确实,如果瑞典不能赢墨西哥,那就该退出了。因此,瑞典必须赢墨西哥。

今天的比赛确实出彩,笔者从国王大街一路走来,几乎每个饭店酒吧门口都挤满了人,都在看世界杯,都在看瑞典对墨西哥的比赛。

当走到家门口的莱温斯基酒吧的时候,发现那里已经水泄不通,整个步行街街口都挤满了人,都在看足球赛。

到家里,发现男主人也是眼睛盯着电脑屏幕在看世界杯。不一会儿,瑞典进球啦!尽管一个人,也呼声很高。再过一会儿又进一个,最终,瑞典对墨西哥3:0进入八分之一决赛。瑞典球迷欢呼雀跃!

前两天跟德国比赛输了两个球,非常沮丧,这回终于赢回了自己的自尊。

今日头条:山西省外事侨务办梁淑娟副主任一行访问瑞典

北欧绿色邮报网北欧中华网联合报道(瑞典斯德哥尔摩华助中心供稿 撰稿:丘潇卉;摄影:丘潇卉、单振华)6月26日由山西省人民政府外事侨务办公室副主任梁淑娟率领的代表团访问瑞典,代表团其他成员包括晋城市人民政府副市长冯志亮、太原市人民政府外事侨务办公室主任潘保欢、山西省人民政府外事侨务办公室处长曹海胜、晋城市旅游发展委员会科长赵姝丽和山西省人民政府外事侨务办公室副处长师晓华。

代表团一行6人走访了中国驻瑞典大使馆、斯德哥尔摩华助中心、北欧国际交流协会等华人华侨社团,受到使馆和侨领侨胞们的热烈欢迎。

6月26日下午16点,代表团来到斯德哥尔摩华助中心会所,与中国驻瑞典大使馆商务参赞韩晓东、经商处一等秘书郭颖、斯德哥尔摩大学商学院房晓辉教授、斯德哥尔摩华助中心主任王建荣、华助中心常务副主任/北欧国际交流协会会长季展有等华侨华人社团侨领和侨胞代表们进行座谈。

参加座谈会的还有使馆商经处臧红朝三秘、瑞典华人工商联合总会副会长/北欧国际交流协会监事会主席夏海龙、瑞典华人工商联合总会副会长/瑞典中国烹饪文化推广服务中心主任周岳酉、瑞典华人工商联合总会秘书长刘晨、华助中心办公室主任王建华、北欧国际交流协会秘书长丘潇卉、北欧国际交流协会副会长单振华和学者沈伟。

华助中心主任王建荣致欢迎辞,他代表侨胞和华助中心热烈欢迎山西省外侨办梁淑娟副主任一行/使馆商经处领导来到瑞典华助中心考察/指导工作。王建荣主任就国侨办授牌斯德哥尔摩“华助中心”、华助中心正式揭牌成立以及以后如何开展工作等相关事宜做了简单介绍,并讲述了华侨华人在北欧/瑞典的奋斗历史和现状、以及未来的发展。“华助中心”是在国侨办和大使馆大力支持下,由侨胞自办、立足华社、面向全侨、各方参与、依法运营、政府支持的民间非营利性为侨服务机构,旨在发挥“帮扶(敬老、扶弱、救急)、关爱(回馈社会、扶助友族)和融入(生活、就业、法律服务)”功能,为广大侨胞服务。

山西省外事侨务团走访斯德哥尔摩华助中心: 山西省外侨办副主任梁淑娟(中)、中国驻瑞典大使馆经济商务参赞处韩晓东参赞(左三)、斯德哥尔摩华助中心主任王建荣(右三)、华助中心常务副主任/北欧国际交流协会会长季展有(右二)、斯德哥尔摩大学商学院房晓辉教授(左二)、晋城市人民政府副市长冯志亮(左一)、瑞典华人工商联合总会副会长/北欧国际交流协会监事会主席夏海龙(右一)。

山西省外侨办梁淑娟副主任简要介绍了山西的基本情况,她说,山西是中华民族的主要发源地之一,拥有悠久的历史和绚烂的文化。山西有面食、晋剧、老陈醋等优秀传统文化,还有乔家大院、平遥古城、云冈石窟、华严寺等著名历史文化景点。山西资源丰富特别是煤矿产资源,梁副主任风趣地说,北京夜景里每三盏灯中就有一盏是山西煤点亮的。但山西也需要向瑞典这样的高科技国家学习、传统经济需要积极转型发展。这是山西外侨办首次来到瑞典访问考察,希望此行能了解瑞典和北欧的侨务情况、侨胞们更多了解山西的历史和文化、扩大山西影响、推进山西和瑞典在文化、教育、旅游等方面的进一步沟通和了解,也希望通过华侨华人帮助山西省扩大对外交流合作、寻求合作机遇。

中国驻瑞典大使馆经济商务参赞处韩晓东参赞讲话。

中国驻瑞典大使馆经济商务参赞处韩晓东参赞讲话。韩参赞代表使馆经济商务参赞处热烈欢迎山西外侨办代表团。他希望山西省与瑞典华侨华人社团以后多来往和互相了解、适当时候创造更多交流合作机会。瑞典创新能力在欧洲甚至世界名列前茅,希望华助中心和北欧国际交流协会团结当地侨社、发挥作用、务实合作、资源共享、推动国内与瑞典的双边经济文化科技发展。韩参赞认为国内与北欧建立友好合作关系的一个很好途径是建立友好城市关系,依托华侨华人社团和侨胞们优势和实力、搭建好经济文化科技友好合作的大平台。

斯德哥尔摩大学商学院房晓辉教授做瑞典国情专题报告。

斯德哥尔摩大学商学院房晓辉教授做了关于瑞典国情的专题报告。房晓辉教授主要从事跨文化谈判与沟通、北欧文化及管理风格、中国文化及谈判风格、中国传统哲学和智能对未来社会政治等研究。房教授用图文并茂的PPT生动有趣地讲述了瑞典的国情、瑞典的科技创新技术、瑞典人的生活环境以及低调行事的关系,激发了山西外办代表团想要更多了解北欧的兴趣;对北欧他总结出来的北欧五怪,引来与会嘉宾们的阵阵笑声。

山西省外侨办曹海胜处长与华助中心常务副主任/北欧国际交流协会季展有会长签署委托协议

经山西省外侨办与斯德哥尔摩华助中心共同协商,达成了在瑞典斯德哥尔摩联系单位委托协议。委托方-山西省人民政府外事侨务办公室、受托方-瑞典斯德哥尔摩华助中心。山西省外侨办曹海胜处长与华助中心常务副主任/北欧国际交流协会季展有会长签署在瑞典斯德哥尔摩联系单位委托协议。委托协议的主要内容有:

山西省外侨办委托瑞典斯德哥尔摩华助中心为其在瑞典斯德哥尔摩的联系单位。希望斯德哥尔摩华助中心积极协助山西省外侨办与瑞典各界、各地区增进联系、开展交往,帮助山西扩大宣传,促进山西对外贸易,协助山西引进国外资金、人才,推动与受托方所在国在经贸、科技、文化、教育、旅游等方面的交流与合作;协助山西省和山西省辖市、县与受托方所在国有关地区建立友好省际(城市)关系,开展前期考察、牵线搭桥、签署协议、后续推进等工作;协助山西省外侨办做好与瑞典政府代表团、重点侨领团组赴山西访问的联络等工作;协助做好山西省公务团组赴瑞典访问的联络及接待等工作;联系瑞典华侨华人、重点人士为山西经济建设和社会发展献计献策,成为“一带一路”倡议的积极参与者。

山西省侨办梁淑娟副主任与华助中心主任王建荣互相交换纪念品

华助中心常务副主任/北欧国际交流协会会长季展有表示,一定不辜负山西外侨办和山西人民的期望,充分发挥好海外侨团和侨胞们的独特作用,借用海外侨商、侨企、侨资的人才和资源优势,借力侨资、侨智和侨力,拓展工作渠道,尽职尽责做好工作,以实际行动为山西经济建设和发展献计献策。

座谈会结束后全体到会人员转到市中心蒙古饭店宴请代表团和与会嘉宾。参加欢迎晚宴的还有瑞典Vinge律师事务所资深顾问顾群律师、瑞典华人工商联合总会顾问袁放生、瑞典上海联谊会副会长/秘书长谈继东、瑞典华人工商联合总会副会长黄炳旺、瑞典华人工商联合总会副秘书长郭晓璐。

座谈会由华助中心常务副主任/北欧国际交流协会会长季展有主持。

编辑 陈雪霏