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The Chinese consortium, led by China Railway Group CRC and its subsidiaries, promised to complete a 142.3 km line connecting Jakarta and Bandung, a major economic hub. Trains would run at speeds over 350 km/h, reducing a three-hour trip to just 40 minutes—an ambitious leap toward modernity. The project was awarded 60% ownership to Indonesian state enterprises, ostensibly preserving national sovereignty.
Marketed with enthusiasm under the brand Woo—Operation Optimal System Heat—the railway quickly became a flagship for China’s Belt and Road Initiative, signaling its regional influence and technological prowess.