Q: "You went from being a minister to a general manager. What's different?" On the 3rd, Sheng Guangzu, general manager of China Railway Corporation who had just completed one year in his new post, had just finished the plenary session of the Jiangsu delegation to the Second Session of the 12th National People's Congress when he was surrounded by reporters asking about his feelings on the past year.

 

　　"It's just that the division of work is different. When I was a minister I was a government official; now I'm the head of an enterprise. Either way, it's all about working hard." Sheng Guangzu replied.

 

　　Last year, the Ministry of Railways was abolished and China Railway Corporation was established, and Sheng Guangzu's title changed from "minister" to "general manager."

 

　　The new identity means a shift in responsibilities. The reporters' questions were also mostly related to the functional transformation "from government to enterprise."

 

　　At the work conference of China Railway Corporation earlier this year, this newly established "big enterprise" took stock of the full year for the first time: the railway corporation was established, railway operating mileage exceeded 100,000 kilometers, and high-speed rail operating mileage exceeded 10,000 kilometers; passenger and freight transport reform was actively advanced, with passenger volume exceeding 2 billion person-trips and freight volume reaching 3.2 billion tons.

 

　　But the outside world was curious about various aspects of China Railway Corporation's operations in its first year of "launch."

 

　　A reporter asked, "I heard that the high-speed rail cooperation between China and Thailand has been terminated. Is that true?"

 

　　"No. We are still making efforts for Chinese high-speed rail to 'go global.'" Sheng Guangzu said.

 

　　"Is it true that China Railway Corporation has frequently gone to the State Council to apply for a waiver of 2.6 trillion yuan in debt?"

 

　　"No."

 

　　As he spoke, Sheng Guangzu, with several accompanying staff "clearing the way," broke through the crowd and squeezed into the elevator, leaving the reporters with half-asked questions.