JAKARTA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi has said the construction of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway is seeing a crucial year as it is scheduled to open this June.

During a tour with Chinese and Indonesian journalists at the construction site, the Indonesian official expressed hope that workers from Indonesia and China will continue to collaborate closely and ensure the on-time launch of the high speed railway.

He also noted that the railway project will serve as a "lab" to cultivate more Indonesian technicians.

The high-speed line, a landmark project under the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, connects Indonesia's capital Jakarta and another major city Bandung.

With a design speed of 350 km per hour, the railway will cut the journey between Jakarta and Bandung from over three hours to around 40 minutes.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service