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CHINA 18 March 2015 Last updated at 22:32 Wang Jing: The man behind the Nicaragua canal project The Chinese billionaire who intends to build a shipping canal through Nicaragua connecting the Atlantic and the Pacific has dismissed the project's critics. Speaking to the BBC in a rare broadcast interview, Wang Jing said that having Chinese companies leading the project will help ensure its success. Mr Wang's company HKND began initial site work in Nicaragua last December but the canal project is scheduled to begin in earnest after publication of the environmental assessment next month. With no experience in infrastructure, a background in traditional Chinese medicine, and a fortune made in telecoms, the 42year old Chinese billionaire is embarking on what is arguably the world's biggest construction project. "I feel great pressure because no matter how well we prepare, new problems will inevitably crop up," Mr Wang said. "We can't think of everything in advance. But we can try to solve each problem as it emerges." The problems are on an epic scale. The Nicaraguan canal will be more than three times as long as the Panama Canal to the south. It will also be much wider and deeper to fit the next generation of vast container ships. Wang Jing's company HKND estimates that the canal will cost $50bn (£34bn) and take five years to build. He faces a host of opponents and sceptics ranging from local residents to engineers and environmentalists concerned about the impact on Central America's largest lake. But when I put a range of concerns to Mr Wang, he rejected them all. "Actions speak louder than words," he said. "We'll convince everybody with the facts. We'll convince them by succeeding. "The biggest pressure comes from having to win recognition from the world. I cannot let this project become an international joke." 'Quick results' Wang Jing didn't strike me as much of a joker. He spoke slowly, choosing his words with care. He sat very still and wasted no energy on gestures, small talk or emotion. We met in the Beijing headquarters of his telecoms company Xinwei. Behind him on the wall of his conference room was the slogan "Serve the Country" and he wore a lapel pin with the national flag. Carrie Gracie China editor More from Carrie Follow Carrie on Twitter

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  • 3/20/2015 BBCNewsWangJing:ThemanbehindtheNicaraguacanalproject

    http://www.bbc.com/news/worldasiachina31936549?OCID=fbasia 1/3

    CHINA18March2015Lastupdatedat22:32

    WangJing:ThemanbehindtheNicaraguacanalproject

    TheChinesebillionairewhointendstobuildashippingcanalthroughNicaraguaconnectingtheAtlanticandthePacifichasdismissedtheproject'scritics.

    SpeakingtotheBBCinararebroadcastinterview,WangJingsaidthathavingChinesecompaniesleadingtheprojectwillhelpensureitssuccess.

    MrWang'scompanyHKNDbeganinitialsiteworkinNicaragualastDecemberbutthecanalprojectisscheduledtobegininearnestafterpublicationoftheenvironmentalassessmentnextmonth.

    Withnoexperienceininfrastructure,abackgroundintraditionalChinesemedicine,andafortunemadeintelecoms,the42yearoldChinesebillionaireisembarkingonwhatisarguablytheworld'sbiggestconstructionproject.

    "Ifeelgreatpressurebecausenomatterhowwellweprepare,newproblemswillinevitablycropup,"MrWangsaid.

    "Wecan'tthinkofeverythinginadvance.Butwecantrytosolveeachproblemasitemerges."

    Theproblemsareonanepicscale.

    TheNicaraguancanalwillbemorethanthreetimesaslongasthePanamaCanaltothesouth.Itwillalsobemuchwideranddeepertofitthenextgenerationofvastcontainerships.

    WangJing'scompanyHKNDestimatesthatthecanalwillcost$50bn(34bn)andtakefiveyearstobuild.

    HefacesahostofopponentsandscepticsrangingfromlocalresidentstoengineersandenvironmentalistsconcernedabouttheimpactonCentralAmerica'slargestlake.

    ButwhenIputarangeofconcernstoMrWang,herejectedthemall.

    "Actionsspeaklouderthanwords,"hesaid."We'llconvinceeverybodywiththefacts.We'llconvincethembysucceeding.

    "Thebiggestpressurecomesfromhavingtowinrecognitionfromtheworld.Icannotletthisprojectbecomeaninternationaljoke."

    'Quickresults'WangJingdidn'tstrikemeasmuchofajoker.Hespokeslowly,choosinghiswordswithcare.Hesatverystillandwastednoenergyongestures,smalltalkoremotion.

    WemetintheBeijingheadquartersofhistelecomscompanyXinwei.

    Behindhimonthewallofhisconferenceroomwastheslogan"ServetheCountry"andheworealapelpinwiththenationalflag.

    CarrieGracieChinaeditorMorefromCarrie FollowCarrieonTwitter

  • 3/20/2015 BBCNewsWangJing:ThemanbehindtheNicaraguacanalproject

    http://www.bbc.com/news/worldasiachina31936549?OCID=fbasia 2/3

    Hisstafftreatedhimwithdeference.Andbeforeheenteredtheroom,theywentdownbothsidesoftheconferencetablewithapieceofstring,meticulouslyaligningcups,pencilsandwaterbottles.

    Outsideinthecorridorweresignsreading"protectingstatesecretsistoppriority"andinthereceptionarea,exhortationsto"enjoyhardworkandfighthard".

    'Commerciallyviable'MrWangexpectsquickresultsfromallthishardwork.

    Between2010and2014,histelecomscompanywentfromlossmakertostarstockmarketperformer.

    Andonthecanalproject,hetoldmehedidn'tpaymuchattentiontoscepticswhoquestionedhisfiveyeartimetable"whilesittingindoorslookingatamap".

    Hebasedhisconfidenceontheexpertiseofthecompanieshehasrecruited.

    "Fordecadesnow,Chinesefirmshavebuiltupawealthofexperienceandexpertisewithlargeinfrastructureprojects.

    "SohavingChinesecompaniesleadingthisprojectaddsenormouslytoitsprospectsofsuccess.Thisisourstrength."

    Hewassimilarlydismissiveofthosewhovoicedcommercialreservationsabouttheprojectedrevenuefromthecanal,observingthatshippingwasbeinghitbyrailfreightandtheindustrialcentresoftheworldmaybemovingawayfromAsia.

    "Ninetypercentofworldtradeisbysea.Shippingischeaperandmoreconvenientthantransportbyrail.

    "Itdoesn'tmatterwhereindustriesarelocatedbecausethiscanalisconnectingEastandWest.It'sdefinitelycommerciallyviableotherwisewewouldn'tbeinvestinginit."

    However,thefinancingoftheprojectisstillshroudedinmysteryandconstructionwillnotstartinearnestuntilpublicationoftheenvironmentalimpactassessment,whichisduenextmonth.

    MrWangsaidtherewouldbefulldisclosurewhenthetimewasright.

    "Weareintalkswithlocalpeople,evenopponentsoftheplan.Wewanttoproduceathoroughreportbutthattakestime.

    "Thisisnotwithholdinginformation,it'sbeingresponsible.Wewanttobeseenasheroesmakinghistorynotvillains,soweneedtime."

    Nicaraguaisoneofthepoorestcountriesintheworld,withonlyrudimentaryinfrastructure.

    BeforeHKNDcanstartworkonthecanalproper,thecompanywillhavetobuildportsandroadsfitforheavyconstructionequipment.

    Oncecompletein2020,thecontractenvisagesfreetradezones,internationalports,touristresortsandaninternationalairport.

    HKNDwillmanagethecanalfor100years.ButWangJinghimselfisarelativenewcomertoCentralAmerica,makinghisfirstvisitin2012attheinvitationofPresidentDanielOrtega.

    Whatwerehisfirstimpressions?

    "Ithoughtthiscountryreallyneededthiscanal.Nicaraguaisabeautifulcountrywithalonghistoryandrichculture,butmanypeoplethereliveinpoverty.

    Ifthecanalcanbebuiltsuccessfully,itwilltransformtheeconomyandpeople'slives."

    'Belongtomyself'MrWang'stelecomscompanyhasalsowonabigcontractinNicaragua.

    HeishappytodescribehimselfasaChinesepatriot.AndatXinwei'sBeijingheadquarters,hehashostedvisitsfromseniorgovernmentandCommunistPartyleaders.

  • 3/20/2015 BBCNewsWangJing:ThemanbehindtheNicaraguacanalproject

    http://www.bbc.com/news/worldasiachina31936549?OCID=fbasia 3/3

    ButheinsiststhatheisaprivatecitizenrunningaprivatecompanyandthatanytalkoftheNicaraguacanalasaChinesestrategicpushintotheUS"backyard"ismeaningless.

    "Nowtheglobaleconomyissodeveloped,youcan'tsayanythingisanybody'sbackyard,"hesaid."ThiscanalwillbenefittheUSeconomy.IthinkAmericanswillbehappytoseeit."

    WangJingrarelygivesmediainterviewsandourshadtakenweekstosetup.

    Butifthismammothcanalprojectdoesgoahead,hewillfindhimselfunderthespotlightforthenextfiveyears.Butdoeshelikethelimelight?

    "Idon'tlikeitatall.Ihopepeoplewillpaymoreattentiontotheproject,andlessattentiontome.

    "Theprojectbelongstotheworld,andIbelongtomyself."

    CarrieGracieChinaeditorMorefromCarrie FollowCarrieonTwitter

    20March2015FromdreamsabouttheChineseparliamenttothehuntforcorruptofficialsabroad,BBCChinaEditorCarrieGracieonwhat'smadenewsthisweek.Readfullarticle

    Chinaweek:Huntingcorrupt'foxes'

    Copyright2015BBC.TheBBCisnotresponsibleforthecontentofexternalsites.Readmore.


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