I'm compelled to make some analogies.
The United States transformed it's industrial economy by disregarding patents on imported goods. Everything that came in was copied and turned into local production.
There's an age old story about Mr Toyoda buying a Mercedes, stripping in down to the finest detail and taking every good idea he saw for his new motor venture.
I'm really not sure what the solution to the above is... there's no way it is in the interest of China to give up on forcing technology transfer. How else do they build an indigenous economy?
However, I think that as you note, a serious issue is that in 5 years time the models with the most proven track record will be the ones used in East Asia, because they are the ones investing in their network at this time.
If European companies want to stay ahead of the game they are going to have to persuade their own governments to keep investing in improving rail transport.
The European TEN-T page seems to have last been updated in 2004...
Transport: TEN-T maps - European commission
The trans-European transport networks policy is not new. In fact, it has existed since the Maastricht Treaty was signed in the 1990s. After 10 years, however, it was clear that the results were falling short of the original ambitions. In 2003, barely one third of the network had been built. And only three of the 14 specific projects endorsed by the European Council at Essen in 1994 had been completed.
Yes, the European Parliament should do more on this. But where can they? The only time they can exert meaningful influence on transport funding is during the annual debate on the EU's budget. A sizeable share of that budget (the first pillar of the Common Agricultural Policy) is locked. Mandatory expenditure, as they call it. Can't be changed, can't be blocked.
Meanwhile, the major part of the financing for the budget still comes directly from the national governments.
Transport policy falls under co-decision, so the Directives and Regulations can be amended and rejected. But the right of initiative remains with the Commission, which limits the EP's ability to drive changes.
Practically speaking, the EP can only improve this at the margins.
The EP might exert more pressure on the Member States to finish their TEN-T projects if it would work more in tandem with the Commission. The EP has in general been getting more power at the cost of the Commission, not the Council. This is unfortunate, but not necessarily with regard to transport policy.
The sitting Commission has not treated transport as a priority and has not had a good transport policy to begin with. The main thing I remember is moving away from a modal shift (toward rail and water) to 'co-modality', which was stupid.
The European Parliament elections could also change the kind of Commission we get. The Commission has to be approved by the EP and the national governments will have to deal (to some extent) with the outcome. So I think it is a theme that should be big in the EP elections.
The typical Western company's notion of a good deal in the 3rd world is "Heads we win, Tails you lose."
As such, stealing things you don't understand and working them out through painful trial and error sucks, but the alternatives suck more.
If wind power was just a matter of making deals with Crazy Horse, then I'd advise China to change their ways, but if you're dealing people like Tulsi Tanti then you need to keep your own long term interests very much in mind, because they certainly will sell you down the river whenever possible.
Get it right first, then go all out.
With high-speed trains it's a bit different, as wind turbines don't carry passengers.
PS. I was grilled Friday by a major hedge fund (or as they say, Capital Market) on Tulsi Tanti's empire. "Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin
(We can discuss this personally as I will be in Edinburgh 27-29 Jan.) "Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin
You'd be welcome to stay at the Grange. When are you getting in and out? "Any economic unit can emit money. The serious problem is to get it accepted" Hyman Minsky
Well, I agree... but then I'm not a "financial engineer"... ;-)
We even invented magic ponies. Just ask Tom Friedman. Conservatives want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers. - George Carlin
