165 Major Projects! See China from Here

165 Major Projects! See China from Here

In December 2014, construction began on the Chengdu-Ya'an section, which officially went into operation four years later. This November, construction started on the Ya'an-Linzhi section. A “heavenly road” that will boost Tibet’s economic and social development and foster unity among all Chinese ethnic groups is now within reach!

However, in the future we’ll have even more opportunities to get closer to it, as it’s soon to be “encircled” by a railway. In 2018, construction began on the Hotan–Ruoqiang Railway. Once operational, the Hotan–Ruoqiang Railway will connect with other lines such as the Kashgar–Hotan Railway and the Golmud–Korla Railway, forming a circular railway network around the Tarim Basin. This will become the world’s first circular railway line encircling a desert.

Image source: Department of Natural Resources of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region

Are these two major engineering projects difficult? Very much so!

But you think that’s it? No!

Looking across all of China, on a land area of over 9.6 million square kilometers, there are a total of 165 major engineering projects—such as the Sichuan-Tibet Railway and the He-Ruo Railway—that are currently under construction. The full implementation and realization of these projects took place over the five-year period of the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020).

01 From Project 156 to Project 165: from being aided to independent construction

The “Five-Year Plan (Program),” which is a planning framework that outlines the future direction of economic and social development over a five-year cycle.

For the Chinese people, the “Five-Year Plans” serve as milestones marking the nation’s progress and as vessels preserving the collective dreams of the nation. From 1953 to 2020—from the First Five-Year Plan to the Thirteenth Five-Year Plan—each five-year period has left its unique historical imprint on different eras.

But did you know? In the “Five-Year Plans,” there have only been two instances where major projects were named after numbers—156 projects in the “First Five-Year Plan” and 165 projects in the “Thirteenth Five-Year Plan.” What’s the significance behind this?

The answer is: the bull's nose.

The First Five-Year Plan was launched, at a time when China was impoverished and had nothing—everything lay in ruins, waiting to be rebuilt. In 1957, the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge was completed and opened to traffic, giving birth to what became known as “the First Bridge across the Yangtze River.”

On May 4, 1957, a celebration ceremony marking the completion of the steel beams of the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge was held at the bridge’s approach (Xinhua News Agency photo).

From then on, “a single bridge soars across north and south, turning a natural barrier into a smooth thoroughfare”—the Chinese people’s centuries-old dream of building a bridge across the Yangtze River has finally come true. Many of us may not know that this massive project was completed with the support of the Soviet Union.

The rivers and streams remain silent, yet they bear witness to the ebb and flow of history.

Sixty-one years later, in southern China, a “superproject” spanning the Lingdingyang Sea has drawn worldwide attention. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge—the world’s longest cross-sea bridge, with a total length of 55 kilometers—has been completed and opened to traffic.

On October 24, 2018, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge officially opened to traffic (photographed by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liang Xu).

From the First Five-Year Plan to the Thirteenth Five-Year Plan, from relying on foreign aid and assistance to independent construction, and from achieving breakthroughs from scratch to reaching the pinnacle of the world—these major projects have marked milestone after milestone in China’s journey toward modernization.

02 From focusing on heavy industry to spreading across numerous sectors

The 156 projects under the “First Five-Year Plan” were concentrated in the heavy industry sector, covering areas such as iron and steel, metallurgy, coal mining, petroleum refining, heavy machinery, automobiles, chemical industry, and electric power.

By the late 1950s, these major projects that had been completed laid the foundation for China's industrialization and transformed the initial post-establishment situation, in which heavy industrial products were virtually nonexistent.

The first seamless steel pipe plant in China—the Ansteel Seamless Steel Pipe Plant—is seen here with large numbers of newly manufactured seamless steel pipes being lifted and transported out of the plant (a photo from 1953). Photo by Xinhua News Agency.

One of the “156 Projects,” the first-phase project of the Dashiqiao Magnesia Brick Factory of Ansteel, went into production in 1957. From raw material extraction to finished product manufacturing, the entire process was mechanized and automated, making it a state-of-the-art high-grade refractory materials plant at the time. Photo by Xinhua News Agency.

The 165 projects under the 13th Five-Year Plan cover the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries, transforming every aspect of our lives. The land we call home is now being interconnected by countless steel beams and reinforced concrete.

From high-altitude, frigid snow mountains to vast, fertile fields stretching for thousands of miles;

From vast grasslands to bustling cities;

From tropical oceans to blooming flower fields.

A test high-speed train on the Lanzhou-Xinjiang Railway speeds along the foothills of the Qilian Mountains at an altitude of about 3,300 meters. Photo by Cai Zengle, Xinhua News Agency.

A high-speed train passes through the section of the Gui-Guang High-Speed Railway near Sili Village, Chengcun Township, Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County (drone photo). Photo by Gong Pukang, Xinhua.

The Hainan Island Ring-Island High-Speed Railway is the world’s first coastal high-speed railway that circles an entire island. The train passes near the Lingshui Station in the eastern section. (Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Yang Guanyu)

March 4, 2020, Guiyang-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway, near Congjiang Station in Guizhou. (Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Yang Wenbin)

(1) Railway

More than a century ago, the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway shattered the long-held belief that Chinese people were incapable of building their own railways. In 2019, the Beijing-Zhangjiakou High-Speed Railway was inaugurated. As China’s first smart high-speed railway, it will connect Beijing and Zhangjiakou—the two host cities of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics—and boost development along its route.

A Fuxing high-speed train passes through the Juyongguan Tunnel on the Beijing-Zhangjiakou High-Speed Railway (Xinhua News Agency).

Looking at China, a high-speed railway network—the largest of its kind globally—whose framework is based on the “Eight Vertical and Eight Horizontal” corridors, is taking shape. With an operational mileage of approximately 38,000 kilometers, it has already exceeded the target set in the 13th Five-Year Plan.

(2) Energy

Not only are high-speed trains whizzing through lush green hills and clear waters, but a host of major energy projects are also rising up across the magnificent mountains and rivers.

This is a 3D rendering of the Wudongde Hydropower Station on the Jinsha River, China’s fourth-largest hydropower station. Photo by Xinhua News Agency (Image source: China Three Gorges Corporation).

At the border between Yunnan and Sichuan provinces lies a major project under the “West-to-East Power Transmission” initiative—the Wudongde Hydropower Station, which is the world’s seventh-largest and China’s fourth-largest hydropower station. After nearly five years of construction, the first batch of generating units officially began operation and started generating electricity in June 2020. The hydropower station is expected to achieve its goal of full operational capacity by 2021.

This is a panoramic view of the Wudongde Hydropower Station under construction, captured by a drone in 2019 (photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Chen Yehua).

The green electricity generated by the Wudongde Hydropower Station is expected to replace 12.2 million tons of standard coal annually, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 30.5 million tons and sulfur dioxide emissions by 104,000 tons—equivalent to planting 85,000 hectares of broadleaf forests.

(3) Investment and Manufacturing

Looking back over 60 years ago, the 156 projects under the First Five-Year Plan largely relied on state investment. Today, however, the 165 projects under the Thirteenth Five-Year Plan fully mobilize the strength of the entire society. For many of these projects, both central and local governments contribute relatively little funding; instead, social capital plays a much larger role, with broad participation from various sectors. In some cases, enterprises have become the primary entities responsible for carrying out these projects.

BOE’s 10.5-generation TFT-LCD production line in Hefei is the world’s first of its kind—the highest-generation production line to date. According to data from market research firm Omdia, in 2019, BOE Hefei’s 65-inch and 75-inch LCD displays each achieved a global market share exceeding 30%, ranking first worldwide.

BOE’s 10.5-generation TFT-LCD production line in Hefei (Image source: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.)

In other words, for every three large-size displays sold globally on average, one is produced by BOE’s Hefei 10.5-generation production line.

Like the production lines of BOE, the benefits of the “13th Five-Year Plan” 165 Project are comprehensive. The projects were not initiated solely to address a single issue; rather, their significance lies in the ripple effects and driving impact they can generate.

The Project 165 is not just about the project itself; it represents an investment on the order of tens of trillions of yuan, with immeasurable ripple effects on investment, employment, industrial development, and technological breakthroughs throughout the upstream and downstream sectors.

03 “Old buddies,” please give this transcript a thumbs-up!

Even in the established high-tech sector, our understanding is being frequently refreshed.

On December 17, 2020, Chang'e-5 concluded its “soil-digging” mission and returned home triumphantly, bringing back the moon’s “special treasures.”

On December 4, the China National Space Administration released photos showing the Chinese national flag deployed on the lunar surface by the Chang'e-5 probe as part of the Lunar Exploration Program. Photo by Xinhua News Agency.

(Image source: China National Space Administration)

Nine days to grasp the moon, explore, land, and station; sixteen autumns circling the moon, returning home.

“Chang'e-5” marks the concluding phase of China’s lunar exploration program’s three-step strategy—“orbit, land, and return”—and is also one of the most complex and challenging missions ever undertaken by China’s aerospace sector.

However, every “first” she created stemmed from the continued efforts of the “older sisters”:

As of now, the “Yutu-2” rover is still operational, continuously sending back information about the far side of the Moon to Earth. From “heading to the Moon” to “reaching for the Moon,” Chang’e’s lunar exploration missions have achieved five consecutive victories—without exceeding budgets, lowering targets, or running behind schedule—delivering an outstanding performance.

In the future, Chang'e’s lunar exploration missions will include No. 6, No. 7, No. 8... I believe we’re not far from achieving a manned lunar landing.

Here is a list of major scientific and technological breakthroughs over the past month that are “first,” “initial,” or “leading”:

From the highest mountains to the deepest oceans, from the reddest stars to the most beautiful moons, during the 13th Five-Year Plan period, China’s scientific and technological innovation has already transcended mountains and rivers, crossed oceans and seas, and soared through the cosmos and stars. The explosive momentum has left people unable to help but jokingly remark: “The speed at which we’re hitting ‘like’ buttons can’t keep up with the pace of breakthroughs!”

On the list, each gem gleams at the pinnacle of technological innovation. Beyond the list lie cutting-edge scientific explorations, strategically pioneering special projects, and major scientific engineering endeavors—these are precisely what have laid a solid foundation of innovation for the pyramid, and it is they that will lift up tomorrow’s “rising stars” to an even brighter future.

04 Some projects are very “small.”

In fact, major projects aren't just large-scale undertakings like building structures that reach into the sky and underground, or tunnels that pass through mountains and under seas—there are also many “small” projects that you and I may not easily notice.

To ensure that “food-loving enthusiasts” can fill their bellies, in recent years, the country has been building approximately 80 million mu of high-standard farmland each year. They’re all just fields—so why is this particular one called “high-standard,” and exactly what makes its standards “high”?

Please take a look at a set of data:

The grain production capacity of high-standard farmland has increased by an average of 10% to 20%, with per-mu grain yields rising by approximately 100 kilograms. In 85.5% of the sampled project areas, the stability of grain production capacity during years of severe meteorological disasters was higher than in non-project areas.

With farmland like this, not only are we “food enthusiasts” fortunate, but farmers are smiling too—each mu of land can see its comprehensive income increase by roughly 500 yuan.

High-standard farmland near Xieying Village, Gaomiao Town, Wancheng District, Nanyang City, Henan Province (drone photo)

(Photographed by Xinhua News Agency reporter Feng Dapeng)

I wonder if any attentive readers have noticed that there’s a white square in the upper-right corner of the farmland and a pink, “L”-shaped house located roughly in the middle of the field. Can you guess what these are used for?

The answer is: The box in the upper right corner is a meteorological observation station, which can monitor atmospheric temperature, soil moisture, and wind speed in real time. The pink “L”-shaped building in the middle is a maintenance facility equipped with tools such as shovels, brooms, fire extinguishers, computers, and LED screens.

While you’re enjoying a full meal, why not pay more attention to the development of your hometown? Over the past few years, have you noticed:

The dirt roads in my hometown village have all been paved with cement.

After the snowy New Year, the roads for visiting relatives and friends are no longer muddy.

As soon as summer arrives, the stinky pit latrines that used to be everywhere are becoming increasingly rare.

A basketball court has been built on the abandoned wheat field, and the village’s aunts and older women have started competing with the boys for control of the “square dance” area...

Let’s remember these major projects.

Because they

Changed this country.

Benefiting 1.4 billion people

Connecting the past with the present, and the present with the future.

Over the years

What changes have occurred in the neighborhood or village where you live?