China Railway Construction Corp has confirmed that it will bid again for Mexico’s $3.75 billion high-speed rail project. The firm said it was confident of being awarded the contract again, as it had an advantage over other bidders in terms of technology, experience and costs.Â
"We think in terms of technology, management experience and costs, we have an advantage," A spokesperson for the company told reporters. "In the realm of high-speed rail, we are not afraid of any other company. We are still full of confidence."Â
Mexico’s Department of Transportation said in a statement on 4 January that it would publish terms for the project on 14 January. The tender, which will be open for 180 days, will be similar to the original one, the agency said.Â
The original contract caused a sensation when it was abruptly cancelled in November, following criticism of the fact that only one firm was in the race, coupled with revelations that the president’s wife was buying a house from a Mexican firm that was part of the winning consortium. Â
The CRCC spokesman declined to comment on whether there would be changes to the consortium, but the Mexican government said it did not expect Grupo Higa, the firm which owned the house at the centre of the scandal, to participate. Â
According to The Washington Post, French engineering group Alstom and Canada’s Bombardier have said they are considering taking part in the new tender.Â
Photograph: A Chinese bullet train in Beijing. Will it ever be leaving from Mexico City? (Source: Wikimedia Commons)