The deadly high-speed train crash on July 23 is definitely a reminder that things still need to be done to guarantee its advanced management and identify and plug any loopholes in the development of the country's express rail network. But over-interpretation that questions the quality of all technology made in China and even the country's development model is going too far.

The progress China has made in science and technology over the past three decades is clear for all to see.

In the late 1970s, when the majority of Chinese trains were crawling along at around 60 kilometers an hour and very few people had the chance to travel by air, most Chinese would never have imagined that high-speed trains would be able to take them from Beijing to Tianjin in just half an hour and from the capital city to Shanghai in under six hours.

Nor could the rest of the world have anticipated that Chinese companies would be engaged in high-tech projects in countries all over the world. High-tech products made in China are finding their place in the world market because of their quality not because they are cheap. As Tony Anziano, a program manager at the California Department of Transportation, told the New York Times, Chinese workers have produced a very impressive bridge for California.

So is it justified in denying all that this country has achieved in the past decades simply because of a single rail accident?

The 1998 Eschede train disaster in Germany was the world's deadliest high-speed train accident, yet few doubt the standard of German efficiency and engineering.

Just as we do not judge a country an unsafe destination simply because of a single murder or traffic accident, there is no reason to jump to a general conclusion about China's development model or the quality of its products based on one tragic incident.

While the accident might have been caused by loopholes in the management system or a problem with the signaling system, unforgivable as these are, they are growing pains that will be rectified.

The railways, and other sectors, need to learn that they must adopt and put into practice management that meets the standards required and allows for no dereliction of duty.

In the past decades, China has been an avid learner and it is trying to catch up with its developed counterparts. On that basis, it has been trying to improve its capability for innovation and has made remarkable progress in an increasing number of areas, such as space and high-speed rail technology.

Instead of sapping the country's enthusiasm for high-speed railways, this accident should be a wake-up call to help identify and solve any operating problems. An investigation has been authorized by the State Council to probe the causes, hopefully any areas that need further development will be identified and addressed.

(China Daily 08/01/2011 page8)