As California Burns Billions To Fail At High-Speed Rail, China Laid Enough Track To Circle America Three Times

August 31, 2026 1:32 PM ET Nearly two decades after California and China started their high-speed rail race, China has laid enough high-speed rail to circle the globe — while California’s bullet train has yet to carry a single passenger.The stark contrast comes as Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday another $2.7 billion for more than 150 transportation projects across the state while touting progress on California’s high-speed rail system. None of the $2.7 billion announced Friday was identified as funding for the bullet train, which separately secured a $1 billion annual commitment through 2045 from the state’s Cap-and-Invest program.The Newsom administration did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment. California High-Speed R