Have you ever wondered why the United States is so concerned about China's rise? One significant reason is China's incredible infrastructure, which is transforming the country into a global superpower.

你是否曾想過為什么美國對中國的崛起如此關(guān)注？一個重要原因是中國令人難以置信的基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施，它正在將這個國家轉(zhuǎn)變?yōu)橐粋€全球強(qiáng)國。

Take its high-speed rail network, for example. It is the largest in the world, covering over 42,000 kilometers and is highly efficient, with trains capable of traversing the country at speeds up to 350 kilometers per hour. A journey from Beijing to Shanghai, approximately 1,300 kilometers, takes less than five hours. In contrast, train travel in the United States is much slower and less developed. America's primary passenger rail service, AMTRAK, has only one high-speed route, the Acela, which reaches a maximum speed of 240 kilometers per hour and spans 1,366 miles (about 2,197 kilometers).

以中國的高速鐵路網(wǎng)絡(luò)為例，它是世界上最大的，覆蓋超過42,000公里，而且效率極高，火車可以以每小時350公里的速度穿越全國。從北京到上海的旅行，大約1300公里，只需要不到5小時。相比之下，美國的列車旅行要慢得多，也不那么發(fā)達(dá)。美國的主要客運(yùn)鐵路服務(wù)AMTRAK只有一條高速路線，即Acela，它的速度最高為每小時240公里，全長1366英里（約2197公里）。

China leads not only in railways but also boasts the world's longest highway system, exceeding 160,000 kilometers. In comparison, the U.S. Interstate Highway System, impressive as it is, totals just 78,000 kilometers. China's highway network aims to connect remote regions of the country with bustling major cities, ensuring that no area is left behind in China’s modernization race. These roads are crucial for lixing industries and supporting China's vast manufacturing sector.

中國不僅在鐵路方面領(lǐng)先，它的高速公路超過160,000公里，是世界上最長的高速公路系統(tǒng)。相比之下，美國的州際高速公路系統(tǒng)雖然令人印象深刻，但總共也才78,000公里。中國的高速公路網(wǎng)絡(luò)旨在將國家的偏遠(yuǎn)地區(qū)連接到繁忙的大城市，確保沒有哪個地區(qū)在中國的現(xiàn)代化競賽中被遺忘。這些道路對于連接工業(yè)和支持中國龐大的制造業(yè)部門至關(guān)重要。


Then there are China's ports, some of the busiest and most advanced on Earth. For instance, Shanghai Port is the world's busiest container port, handling over 47 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in 2022, compared to around 10 million TEUs handled by the United States' busiest port, the Port of Los Angeles, in the same year. China's ports are critical to its role as the world's factory, effectively exporting goods to every corner of the globe. Their ability to move products quickly and efficiently is a key reason why China remains the center of global manufacturing.

然后是中國的港口，一些最繁忙和最先進(jìn)的港口在地球上。例如，上海港是世界上最繁忙的集裝箱港口，它在2022年處理了超過4700萬個標(biāo)準(zhǔn)箱，相比之下，美國最繁忙的港口洛杉磯港在同一年處理了大約1000萬個標(biāo)準(zhǔn)箱。中國的港口對于其作為世界工廠的角色至關(guān)重要，有效地將商品出口到全球各個角落。它們能夠快速高效地移動產(chǎn)品是為什么中國仍然是全球制造業(yè)中心的一個關(guān)鍵原因。

Equally impressive is China's urban planning, where the country has built entire megacities from scratch within decades. Cities like Shenzhen, once a small fishing village, now have millions of inhabitants and are filled with skyscrapers, advanced public transportation, and cutting-edge technology. Chinese city designs incorporate smart features such as facial recognition, cashless payments, and AI-driven traffic systems.

中國的城市規(guī)劃同樣令人印象深刻，這個國家在幾十年內(nèi)從零開始建造了整個大城市。像深圳這樣的城市，曾經(jīng)是一個小漁村，現(xiàn)在有數(shù)百萬人口，充滿了摩天大樓、先進(jìn)的公共交通和尖端技術(shù)。中國的城市設(shè)計具有智能功能，如面部識別、無現(xiàn)金支付和人工智能驅(qū)動的交通系統(tǒng)。

Not to be overlooked, between 2011 and 2013 alone, China used more cement than the United States did throughout the entire 20th century—about 6.6 billion tons. This is an astounding amount of building materials used to construct roads, bridges, airports, and cities, reshaping the nation's landscape.

別忘了，僅僅在2011年到2013年之間，中國使用的水泥比美國在整個20世紀(jì)使用的還要多，大約6.6億噸。這是一個驚人的建筑材料數(shù)量，用于建造道路、橋梁、機(jī)場和城市，重塑了國家的景觀。

But what truly sets China apart is its long-term vision, exemplified by the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Launched in 2013, BRI is one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects ever undertaken, aimed at creating a vast network of trade routes connecting China with countries across Asia, Europe, and Africa. Over $1 trillion has been invested in more than 2,000 projects spanning 140 countries, ranging from railways and highways to ports and power plants—all designed to enhance connectivity and promote trade. By financing and constructing these projects, China is forging economic ties that strengthen its global political and economic relationships.

但真正讓中國與眾不同的是它的長期愿景，“一帶一路”倡議就是一個很好的例子。自2013年啟動以來，BRI是有史以來最雄心勃勃的基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施項(xiàng)目之一，旨在創(chuàng)建一個龐大的貿(mào)易路線網(wǎng)絡(luò)，將中國與亞洲、歐洲和非洲的國家連接起來。超過1萬億美元已經(jīng)投資在2000多個項(xiàng)目中，跨越140多個國家，包括從鐵路和高速公路到港口和發(fā)電廠，所有這些都是為了增強(qiáng)連通性和促進(jìn)貿(mào)易。
通過資助和建設(shè)這些項(xiàng)目，中國正在創(chuàng)造加強(qiáng)其全球政治和經(jīng)濟(jì)關(guān)系的經(jīng)濟(jì)聯(lián)系。

Compared to China's rapid development, many other countries, including the United States, have developed much more slowly. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave the U.S. infrastructure a C- in its 2021 report card, highlighting outdated bridges, deteriorating roads, and congested airports as major issues. While China is rolling out 5G networks and building entire smart cities, the United States is still struggling to repair aging infrastructure and complete high-speed rail lines that have been planned for years.

相比中國的迅速發(fā)展，許多其他國家，包括美國，發(fā)展速度一直很緩慢。美國土木工程師學(xué)會在其2021年的報告卡中給了美國基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施一個C-，指出過時的橋梁、道路失修和擁擠的機(jī)場是主要問題。當(dāng)中國正在推出5G網(wǎng)絡(luò)和建造整個智能城市時，美國仍在努力修復(fù)老化的基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施和建設(shè)已經(jīng)計劃多年的高速鐵路線路。

So, the big question is, how did China become so adept at infrastructure construction in just a few decades, becoming a global infrastructure powerhouse and leaving other countries trailing far behind? It comes down to bold investment, swift execution, and a relentless focus on long-term planning.

那么，最大的問題是，中國是如何在短短幾十年內(nèi)變得如此擅長建設(shè)基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施，成為世界基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施巨頭的，并讓其他國家望塵莫及的呢？這歸結(jié)于大膽的投資、快速的執(zhí)行和對長期規(guī)劃的全力以赴。

First, China made a strategic decision to invest heavily in infrastructure early on—we're talking about hundreds of billions to trillions of dollars in investment. China allocates more than 8% of its GDP annually to infrastructure projects, compared to about 2.4% in the United States. For decades, China has been pouring funds into city building, transportation networks, and public utilities. China is not just building infrastructure for today; it is positioning the country for the future. Whether through its extensive railway network spanning the nation, modern ports keeping global trade flowing, or futuristic cities designed to accommodate millions of people, China's infrastructure is a key driver of its economic success.

首先，中國做出了一個戰(zhàn)略決定，早期就大量投資基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施，我們談?wù)摰氖菙?shù)百億數(shù)千億美元的投資。中國每年將超過8%的GDP分配給基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施項(xiàng)目，相比之下，美國只花費(fèi)大約2.4%的GDP。幾十年來，中國一直在向建設(shè)城市、交通網(wǎng)絡(luò)和公共設(shè)施投入資金。中國不僅僅是為了今天的基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施建設(shè)，更是為了定位國家的未來。無論是通過遍布全國的龐大鐵路網(wǎng)絡(luò)、保持全球貿(mào)易流動的現(xiàn)代港口，還是設(shè)計用于容納數(shù)百萬人的未來主義城市，中國的基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施是其經(jīng)濟(jì)成功的一個關(guān)鍵驅(qū)動力。

As China continues to invest heavily in infrastructure projects both domestically and internationally, it is laying the groundwork for a future where it remains a dominant force in the global economy. If China continues to develop at this pace, it may ultimately surpass the United States to become the world's largest economy.

隨著中國繼續(xù)在國內(nèi)外基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施項(xiàng)目上大量投資，它正在為一個未來奠定基礎(chǔ)，在這個世界中，它仍然是全球經(jīng)濟(jì)中的主導(dǎo)力量。如果中國以這種速度繼續(xù)發(fā)展，它最終可能會超過美國，成為世界最大的經(jīng)濟(jì)體。