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Earlier this month, California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) Chief Executive Officer Roelof van Ark accompanied Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on a three-country Asia Trade Mission that included stops to tour high-speed rail projects in China, Japan and Korea.

After the trip, van Ark released the following statement:

“Accompanying the governor’s trade mission to Asia, we saw high-speed rail systems that continue to grow, technology that continues to advance and private entities that continue to show strong interest in helping build, operate and invest in California’s planned system. I am more convinced than ever that private investors see the tremendous potential in California’s system and more confident that we will generate the international competition necessary to get the best deal for California taxpayers. While we are several steps in our development away from requesting such funding, I know that private investment in California’s system will materialize at the appropriate point in our project’s development. The authority is dedicated to helping California realize the promise of high-speed rail — as a source of jobs and opportunity, and as a cheaper, faster, more convenient and more environmentally sound way to travel throughout our state.”