“中国速度”惊到“歪果仁”Foreign netizens astonished by "China Speed"

Many foreign netizens expressed their astonishment(震惊 zhènjīng) of "China Speed" after Xinhua published a video showing a bridge being demolished(拆除 chāichú) and cleared up(清理 qīnglǐ) in only two and a half hours.

The construction site of the bridge demolishing work in Jiangyin section of the Beijing-Shanghai Expressway [Photo: Xinhua]

The video, posted on an overseas social media platform, shows a 50-meter long bridge(桥 qiáo) on the Beijing-Shanghai Expressway being demolished overnight.

The Jiangyin section of the expressway(高速路 gāosù lù) was closed at 10 pm on May 25. Later, 50 pieces of large equipment gathered at the construction site(建筑工地 jiànzhú gōngdì). Only two and a half hours later, the whole bridge was demolished and all residues were cleared up before 6 am. In the early morning of the next day, the road was open to traffic again.

Many local residents cried: "It seems nothing has happened overnight. Just a bridge has disappeared(消失 xiāoshī)."

Overseas netizens also showed their astonishment. A netizen commented: "Wow, extremely fast(快 kuài)! Just watching one movie, everything is done."

The construction site of the bridge demolishing work in Jiangyin section of the Beijing-Shanghai Expressway [Photo: Xinhua]

Another netizen replied: "There is a speed standard(标准 biāozhǔn) for infrastructure(基础设施 jīchǔ shèshī) called China Speed. No matter you like China or not, the fact is most people agree that China is No.1 in infrastructure around the world and is a so-called 'Infrastructure Monster'."

Other netizens made comments on their own country's construction speed. One netizen from India said: "In the case of India, no need for demolishing like this, we will use the bridge until it collapses by default with many casualties." One netizen from the United States wrote: "The same thing will take 2.5 weeks in America. After it's done there will be donut bags and coffee cups littered everywhere."

重点词汇 Key Word:

惊 <动词 v.>

• Start; get alarmed
  E.g. Kàn dào tā, tā chīle yī jīng.
  看到她，他吃了一惊。
  He started on seeing her.

• Startle; shock
  E.g. Zhège xiāoxī jīngdòngle quán chéng.
  这个消息惊动了全城。
  The whole city was startled by the news.