made of wire, by Shi Jindian, who studied at the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, and currently lives and works in Chengdu.

Shi Jindian’s works are based on destruction and reconstruction of real objects. His works, such as “Beijing Jeep BJ-212”, are based on industrial products with particular significance in social, political and cultural life, as well as symbols of the times.

https://are2.tumblr.com/post/22202927120
https://shijindian.wordpress.com/page/2/

This newly opened bridge in China is 2,050 feet above the river, is 10,000 feet long, has a main span of 5,000 feet, and cuts two hours of travel drive time down to two minutes

 https://www.fox6now.com/news/worlds-tallest-bridge-cuts-2-hour-mountain-trip-just-2-minutes

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/watch-worlds-tallest-bridge-opens-in-china-cuts-travel-time-from-2-hour-to-2-minutes-9362794

abandoned underground steam locomotive repair facility with machine shop, in China

 

skip to 11:30 in the video to get to where they come to the locomotive

This underground train repair facility in China was completed in 1972, and it abruptly ceased operations in 2008 due the restriction of locomotives on certain tracks. 

Since then, this underground workshop has been frozen in time.

Over the course of 35 years, it repaired over 1500 locomotives

In the late 1960s, a nationwide war preparation effort against the Soviet Union was launched. A proposal was made to construct a combat ready locomotive repair factory to safeguard against enemy bombings and ensure maximum safety. 

Construction was completed in 1972, and officially opened a year later with the annual overhaul capacity of 50 locomotives 

Initially the factory opened under semi-military management. There was a dedicated military unit within the factory responsible for patrolling and protecting the facility. 

In the 1980s the factory was declassified and began providing maintenance services for train locomotives. 

The nighttime movements of bizarre panel-clad vehicles have some thinking that new armor is being prepared for unveiling at an upcoming military parade.

A column of unidentified vehicles, each of them covered by a large, box-like structure, passing through Beijing, poses something of a mystery.

https://www.twz.com/land/what-are-these-mystery-vehicles-rolling-through-beijing

China’s almost finished building the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in Guizhou, which will be the world’s highest bridge when it opens in June 2025. (thank you George!)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/world-s-tallest-bridge-to-open-at-a-dizzying-2-000-feet-above-the-ground/ar-AA1CPaPi

train driver Han Junjia, and the trains he's run over 26 years. A world of difference

https://www.facebook.com/officialroenetwork/posts/transformation-of-chinese-trainsthe-same-person-train-driver-han-junjiathis-happ/1033149310566934/

1,134 fraudulent engines, on 42 pallets, were seized by customs due to improper documentation

The engines, which came from China, had an appraised value of $1.34 million.

https://knsiradio.com/2025/01/29/customs-and-border-protection-officers-in-minneapolis-seize-1134-fraudulent-gas-engines-worth-1-34-million/

holy shit, this was made by Porsche

The C88 sedan was one of a few concepts Porsche had in mind for the proposal, including a three-door hatchback and another concept that could realize as a wagon, sedan, or pickup truck. The C88 was the only one of these that actually realized as a prototype, chosen perhaps for being the largest and most suitable for the family-oriented goal.

https://carbuzz.com/porsches-only-attempt-at-a-cheap-economy-car-never-materialized

Canadian officials announced plans to introduce tariffs on Chinese imports this summer, a 100 percent tariff on imported Chinese EVs

https://fordauthority.com/2024/11/ford-ev-rival-byd-holds-off-on-expanding-into-canada/

a proposed rule from the U.S. Commerce Department is aiming to eliminate certain American vehicles produced in China and imported into the U.S., such as the Lincoln Nautilus, because of key Chinese software and hardware

Canadian officials are also asking for a similar ban, Canada’s Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said “We do have real security concerns.”

Freeland added that Canada is “absolutely” considering a similar ban, adding “that is something we talked about in imposing the tariffs on EVs and something that came out very, very clearly in the consultation."

 the Lincoln Nautilus, is built at the Changan Ford Hangzhou Assembly plant

https://fordauthority.com/2024/10/lincoln-nautilus-could-also-be-banned-in-canada/

the massive terminal at Beijing Daxing International Airport

https://www.islands.com/1678826/largest-airport-terminal-world-architectural-masterpiece-unique-layout-beijing-daxing/

Hong Kong is investigating tenants in social housing with luxury cars, because Beijing wants to make sure affordable homes are allocated to those who need them

Hong Kong is cracking down on richer tenants living in highly sought-after subsidized public housing, as the Chinese territory faces increased pressure from Beijing to widen access to affordable homes in one of the world’s most expensive property markets. 

 Authorities are targeting households whose assets exceed government limits. The monthly income ceiling for an application for a four-person family is HK$30,950 (US$3,970), and they should have net assets no greater than HK$590,000. 

Tenants are required to vacate their units if monthly income rises above HK$154,750 or net assets exceed HK$3.1mn. 

Average rents for social housing properties are HK$2,297. 

 The government has hired retired police officers to investigate tenants — some of whom have been seen driving Mercedes-Benz and BMW luxury vehicles — and are planning to offer bounties for tip-offs.

 “Possession of expensive vehicles, especially shortly after commencement of public housing tenancy, is one of the important clues in detecting abuse,” a housing department spokesperson told the Financial Times last month, adding that officials had been inspecting housing estate car parks in response to complaints. In some cases, tenants were evicted after it was confirmed they had made false income or asset declarations.

Hong Kong, one of the world’s most unequal cities, has one of the most unaffordable housing markets. The ratio of the median home price to median household income was nearly 19, according to data last year from the Urban Reform Institute think-tank, far higher than in Singapore, the UK and the US. Beijing has claimed that tensions over the high cost of living contributed to citywide pro-democracy protests in 2019.

More than a quarter of the territory’s 7.5 million people live in subsidized public housing. Apartments vary in size, but the Hong Kong government recommends that flats for more than two people should be at least 280 sq ft. Waiting times for homes are almost six years.

In addition to social housing, more than 200,000 people in Hong Kong live in subdivided units known as “coffin flats”. Most are 140 sq ft or smaller, with average monthly rents of about HK$5,000.

Public housing in Hong Kong “acts as a key stabilizer” and safety net for low-income workers in a very expensive city, said Heron Lim, a Moody’s Analytics economist.

Hong Kong has also come under increasing economic strains as demand for land — the sale of which has accounted for about a fifth of annual government income — has fallen amid slowing growth and a property sector crisis in China.

Declining government revenues and rising construction costs have hit the territory’s ability to provide social housing, and authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing have put pressure on tycoons and developers to provide more affordable housing.

House prices in Hong Kong have fallen more than 20 per cent since the US Federal Reserve began raising interest rates in 2022, prompting banks in the territory — whose currency is pegged to the US dollar — to raise mortgage rates, depressing demand.

But house prices still remain high relative to income. The average price of a 430 sq ft apartment in Hong Kong is about HK$5mn.

Over the past two years, authorities have also reclaimed about 5,000 flats from tenants. “These [rich] people should simply not be allocated public housing in the first place,” said a public housing tenant in his 50s after officials inspected his housing estate.

 https://www.ft.com/content/22c71a6e-76fc-462d-bf68-7f21e49802f2

I think this is similar to the prevalent attitude in the USA about poor people having expensive items, like cars, trucks, and SUVs

One side of the four-lane highway collapsed near the city of Meizhou in southeastern China, at 2am, resulting in 48 deaths on Thursday, in a treacherous and mountainous area.

Twenty-three vehicles fell down a steep slope, some sending up flames as they caught fire.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/death-toll-in-southern-china-highway-collapse-climbs-to-48-as-search-continues_n_6633fd02e4b00b1eab52a8db

the world's oldest open-spandrel segmental arch bridge of stone construction, made by Li Chun in the years 595–605

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anji_Bridge

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=745515807761523&set=a.532321245747648

Vertical parking in the city of Shenzhen China

last year Mercedes-Benz sold 37% of its cars in China

 https://tywkiwdbi.blogspot.com/2023/09/the-decline-of-china.html

both Ford and Rivian are losing big money on every EV each is selling these days (30k per unit), those companies aren’t alone, as Chinese EV maker Nio loses 35k on each car

Nio – which sold around 8,000 EVs each month in April through June of this year – has thus far invested heavily in its expanding operations, employing 11,000 people in research and development while also sinking big money into a plant capable of churning out 300,000 EV motors annually. For these reasons, the company lost $835 million in Q2, or around $35,000 on each car that it sold over that time period. Regardless, it manages to stay afloat thanks to financial assistance from the Chinese government and other local investors, which invested $2.6 billion total in the company when it ran out of money back in 2020.

 By comparison, Rivian lost $33,000 on every vehicle it sold in the second quarter of 2023, but still has plentiful cash reserves of around $9 billion, and has managed to significantly ramp up production in recent months, inching closer to breaking even as it works to lower costs on the parts it purchases from suppliers.

https://fordauthority.com/2023/10/ford-ev-rival-nio-loses-35k-on-every-car-sold/

Have you heard of a Ford Beyond outlet? No, probably not. Unless you're in China

The Ford Beyond store itself is tailored and designed to look like a “glass jewelry box” on the outside, while making extensive use of wood and stone inside, with a decidedly nature-focused theme. The space contains a vehicle display area, a new car delivery area, a maintenance zone, a dedicated modification area, a lifestyle merchandise area, and a community club where like-minded fans can meet up.

The very first Ford Beyond storefront just opened in Chongqing, China, and it’s decidedly outdoor-focused, with the automaker noting that the intention here is to create a “one-stop outdoor off-road ecosystem” for its customers. Aside from displaying products including the Ranger, Bronco, and F-150 Raptor, these stores will also offer a wide array of parts and accessories for those vehicles, along with merchandise, customized test drives and even “professional experiential programs,” which cater specifically to off-road enthusiasts.

https://fordauthority.com/2023/10/worlds-first-ford-beyond-store-opens-in-china/

Meanwhile, in China, someone has perfected an autonomous car mover that is about the size of a creeper, with arms that lock and lift all 4 wheels of a vehicle, and then like a repo or tow truck, move that vehicle

see the video at   https://twitter.com/technologyw0rld/status/1693252542355112321

great for moving vehciles around a shop, right? Or factory. But, if car thieves get these? Not so cool

An excavator was used without authorization from China, to make a shortcut through the Great Wall, where an existing cleft was, instead of wasting time driving around the barrier wasting hours. Frankly, China should build bridges over it

 

The suspects admitted under questioning that they had used a digger to create a shortcut in the wall in an attempt to reduce local travel time.

Construction of the Great Wall, which is split into sections that in total stretch for 12 thousand miles,  began in the third century BC and continued for centuries.

The affected section, situated about a six-hour drive west of central Beijing, dates back to the 14th through to the 17th centuries.

CCTV reported on Monday that the suspects had caused “irreversible damage” to the Ming-era wall, which was described as a “relatively intact” section.

Images show the dusty road cut through a long, raised section of ground that appear to be the remnants of the ancient barrier.

While the better-known parts of the Great Wall consist of beautifully built structures dotted with ancient watchtowers, other parts of the structure are crumbling or have disappeared altogether. Its 12000 miles and has never been completely maintained in centuries

A 2016 report from newspaper Beijing Times suggests more than 30% of the Ming Great Wall has disappeared entirely

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/05/two-people-detained-digging-shortcut-great-wall-china

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-66714547

https://www.npr.org/2023/09/05/1197609433/chinese-construction-workers-accused-of-plowing-a-hole-through-the-great-wall