Two American vloggers visited and filmed the assembly and experimental unit of China’s infrastructure for the first time in June 2024 respectively in Zhengzhou, Henan, and Chengdu, Sichuan.
The visit is part of the Bridge of the Future: China-US Youth Exchange Program. Joining a group of American youth in Zhengzhou, Jack, an American vlogger with around 150,000 followers on Facebook, visited the CRHIC TBM Assembly Workshop and the State Key Laboratory of Tunnel Boring Machine and Intelligent Operations of China Railway Tunnel Group. They took a closer look at how intelligent technology assists in tunnel construction.
With guidance from Chinese Railway engineers, Jack got to understand the TBM’s structure, operational methods, applications, and supporting technology.
“The Tunnel Boring Machine is all designed, produced, and assembled in China, using proprietary technology, with over a hundred units exported internationally,” said Han Bo, a chief Engineer from the railway construction company.
In Chengdu, Alysa, an American Internet influencer, visited the construction site of the first phase of the Chengdu Metro Line 13, part of the civil engineering project by China Railway No. 5 Engineering Group Co., Ltd.. The American vlogger and its group partners learned about the project’s details and tunnel boring construction processes at the construction site, and interacted with the construction workers. At the China Railway Intelligent Construction Research and Development Center and the Digital Laboratory of China Railway Academy, Alysa also experienced the implementation of intelligent and digital technologies in infrastructure development and management. Alysa said she was excited to see the mutual benefits and collaborative spirit of the exchange between the U.S. and China.
Students from the Colorado School of Mines, through a talk with Alysa, were impressed by China’s application of artificial intelligence in infrastructure construction, and called for increased collaboration between China and the U.S. in this field.
In the videos by Jack and Alysa, they shared opinions on China’s approach to infrastructure innovation. They documented the modernization of China’s infrastructure and the ingenuity of its people, showcasing the dedication to construction and the potential of the youth. Their content has attracted nearly a million views across various social platforms.
