BOSTON (AP) — Gov. Deval Patrick says a Chinese company in the running to build new cars for the MBTA’s Red and Orange Lines has been “thoroughly vetted.”
The T’s board of directors is scheduled on Wednesday to discuss authorization of a $566 million initial contract to Changchun Railway Vehicles Co., a subsidiary of the Chinese-owned CNR Corp.
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Changchun has announced plans to build the Red and Orange Lines cars at a new $50 million factory in Springfield.
Patrick said Monday that he met with the firm during a trade visit to Hong Kong, and that a condition of the deal is that the cars be assembled in Massachusetts.
The governor said the bidding process was rigorous and transparent.
Some critics have said China’s human rights record should be weighed before the contract is awarded.
