Narrator: IN THE FAR EAST, ONE COUNTRY IS GROWING
AT A BREAKNECK PACE, CHINA.
AND THE NATION IS RACING TO KEEP UP WITH DEMAND.
FROM JAM-PACKED HARBORS TO RAPIDLY GROWING CITIES,
CHANGE IS EVERYWHERE.
IN THIS AERIAL JOURNEY, WE’LL SEE CHINA
FROM AN ENTIRELY NEW PERSPECTIVE.
AS ITS PEOPLE WORK TO KEEP UP WITH AN EXPLODING ECONOMY.
THIS IS A COUNTRY PUSHING THE LIMITS OF TECHNOLOGY
AND INNOVATION.
IT’S ALSO A PLACE GRAPPLING WITH
THE WORLD’S BIGGEST POPULATION.
AFTER CENTURIES IN SECLUSION,
THIS IS CHINA FROM ABOVE.
♪
CHINA, HOME TO A 5,000 YEAR OLD CIVILIZATION
THAT’S HURTLING TOWARDS THE FUTURE.
OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS, IT’S ROCKETED TO THE
SECOND-LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD THANKS TO GLOBAL TRADE
THAT SPARKED DRAMATIC CHANGE NATIONWIDE,
INCLUDING HERE IN ONE OF ITS BIGGEST CITIES, SHANGHAI.
SINCE 2000, THIS MEGACITY HAS EXPANDED NEARLY 50 PERCENT.
IT’S NOW CHINA’S FINANCIAL HUB,
AND THE BUSIEST PORT IN THE WORLD,
KNOWN AS "THE CITY ABOVE THE SEA."
24 MILLION PEOPLE LIVE HERE
MORE THAN IN NEW YORK CITY.
AS A RESULT,
EVERYTHING IN SHANGHAI IS GETTING MORE CROWDED -
INCLUDING ITS SKYLINE.
THE CITY IS IN THE MIDST OF A GROWTH SPURT,
AND ONE MAN HAS MADE IT HIS MISSION TO RECORD
THE TRANSFORMATION.
Zheng Xiangzhang: TO ME CITYSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY
IS A JOB AS WELL AS A PASSION.
IT EXPRESSES MY AFFINITY FOR THE CITY.
Narrator: ZHENG ZIANZHANG HAS SPENT 20 YEARS DOCUMENTING
SHANGHAI’S RAPID GROWTH.
IN 1993, HE TOOK THIS PHOTO WITH FEW SKYSCRAPERS IN SIGHT.
SINCE THEN, HIS LENS HAS CAPTURED A CITY’S COMING-OF-AGE.
Zheng Xiangzhang: STANDING HERE,
YOU CAN SEE THE CITY’S DEVELOPMENT
AND ITS CULTURE AND HISTORY.
ON THIS SIDE ARE THE NEW BUILDINGS.
OVER THERE, ARE CENTURY-OLD BUILDINGS.
FROM HERE, WHAT YOU ARE SEEING ARE THE CONTRASTS
WITHIN A CITY.
IT MAY BE GROWING, BUT IT IS ALSO PRESERVING
ITS HERITAGE VERY WELL.
ALL THE PICTURES I TAKE TODAY WILL ONE DAY
BE A HISTORICAL RECORD.
THAT IS VERY MEANINGFUL FOR ME.
♪
Narrator: BUT SHANGHAI IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE
OF A RAPIDLY CHANGING NATION.
MILLIONS OF CHINESE ARE MOVING FROM RURAL AREAS
TO URBAN ONES.
IN AN EXODUS THAT’S EXPECTED TO RIVAL
THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.
TO KEEP PACE, CHINA IS BUILDING WHAT AMOUNTS
TO AN AREA THE SIZE OF CHICAGO EACH YEAR.
BUT ALONG WITH GROWTH COME GROWING PAINS.
THEY’RE FELT MOST WHEN MODERN-DAY CITIZENS ATTEMPT
TO PRESERVE ANCIENT TRADITIONS.
EVERY APRIL BRINGS A NATIONAL HOLIDAY
CALLED "TOMB SWEEPING DAY" - IN WHICH FAMILIES HONOR THE DEAD.
AROUND THREE MILLION PEOPLE LEAVE URBAN CENTERS
LIKE SHANGHAI TO VISIT RURAL CEMETERIES.
Xu Zhi Hao: TODAY IS QINGMING FESTIVAL.
WE’RE ALL FILLED WITH DEEP EMOTIONS IN OUR HEARTS
AS WE HEAD TO FU SHUO GARDEN TO PAY RESPECTS
TO OUR DECEASED ANCESTORS.
Narrator: EACH YEAR, THE LEE FAMILY MAKES
THE LONG JOURNEY TOGETHER
IN A RENTED VAN.
AS TRAFFIC HELICOPTERS CIRCLE OVERHEAD,
PEOPLE CLOG THE STREETS OUT OF SHANGHAI
IN A MASS EXODUS TO THE COUNTRY.
IT’S AN ADDED CHALLENGE FOR CITY POLICE
WHO ALREADY STRUGGLE TO PATROL SOME OF THE WORST TRAFFIC
IN CHINA.
Inspector Wu: DURING THIS TIME EACH YEAR,
WE DISPATCH POLICE CHOPPERS TO THE VARIOUS CEMETERIES
SO WE CAN MONITOR THE TRAFFIC.
AND RELAY INFORMATION TO THE GROUND TRAFFIC POLICE.
Man: I’M AT SECTOR S32 CEMETERY SITE RIGHT NOW.
THE LEVEL OF TRAFFIC CONGESTION IS CRITICAL.
Narrator: TOMB SWEEPING BEGAN 2,500 YEARS AGO
AS ELABORATE CEREMONIES TO HONOR THE DEAD.
TODAY, IT’S A TIME TO RESTORE FAMILY GRAVESTONES
AND SPEND TIME WITH LOVED ONES.
Xu Zhi Hao: THE IDEA OF FILIAL PIETY AND PAYING YOUR RESPECTS
HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT PART OF CHINA’S CONFUCIAN SOCIETY
SINCE THE ANCIENT TIMES.
PEOPLE ARE USUALLY TOO BUSY SO IT IS GREAT
WE HAVE A PUBLIC HOLIDAY
AS IT ALLOWS THEM TO PAY REMEMBRANCE TO THEIR ELDERS.
Narrator: PEOPLE ARRIVE AT MASSIVE CEMETERIES
AND GARDENS LIKE THESE.
ON THEIR JOURNEY, MANY VISITORS CARRY GIFTS
FOR THEIR ANCESTORS.
A CENTURIES-OLD TRADITION.
THE HOPE IS THE OFFERINGS WILL BRING BLESSINGS
TO THE LIVING AND THEIR FAMILIES.
PEOPLE NAVIGATE THE MASSIVE ROWS OF CAREFULLY KEPT MEMORIALS
TO FIND THEIR FAMILY PLOT.
Xu Zhi Hao: WE ARE BUYING FLOWERS TO PUT ON THE TOMBS
AS A SIGN OF REMEMBRANCE AND ALSO TO SHOW OUR SINCERITY.
I REMEMBER THAT MY GRANDPARENTS LOVED CHRYSANTHEMUMS
AND LILIES.
THESE FLOWERS ALSO SYMBOLIZE THE LIVING’S RESPECT
FOR THEIR ANCESTORS AND FILIAL PIETY.
♪
WE BROUGHT OUR ANCESTORS’ FAVORITE FOOD AS OFFERINGS
SO THEY CAN ENJOY THEM IN THE AFTERLIFE.
Inspector Wu: WE CANNOT FORGET OUR ROOTS.
OUR ANCESTORS GAVE US A PHYSICAL BODY,
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, A SOUL.
SUCH A TRADITION ALLOWS GOOD VALUES TO BE PASSED DOWN
TO FUTURE GENERATIONS.
Narrator: DESPITE CHINA’S HECTIC PACE,
TOMB SWEEPING IS PRACTICED ACROSS THE COUNTRY
BY NEARLY ALL ITS ETHNIC GROUPS.
IT’S A RARE MOMENT AS THIS FAST-PACED NATION PAUSES
TO OBSERVE THE PAST.
EACH SPRING, CHINA CELEBRATES ITS BIGGEST HOLIDAY,
THE CHINESE NEW YEAR.
200 MILLION PEOPLE LEAVE THE CITIES IN THE WORLD’S
BIGGEST HUMAN MIGRATION.
COMPARABLE TO CHRISTMAS IN THE WEST,
THIS IS A TIME FOR FAMILIES TO REUNITE,
REGARDLESS OF THE CROWDS.
ONE YEAR, SNOW DELAYS STRANDED 100,000 PEOPLE
IN A SINGLE TRAIN STATION.
WHEN THE WEATHER IS MORE COOPERATIVE,
MANY TREK HOME ON THE MOST ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
IN THE WORLD.
THE HIGH-SPEED RAIL WAS BUILT IN 2007 AND KEEPS GROWING.
AT 6,000 MILES, IT’S NOW THE LONGEST BULLET TRAIN NETWORK
IN THE WORLD.
BEFORE THE TRAIN, AN 800 MILE TRIP FROM SHANGHAI TO BEIJING
USED TO TAKE 14 HOURS.
TODAY, TRAVELERS CAN GET THERE IN JUST OVER FIVE HOURS
BY TRAVELING SPEEDS OF 180 MILES AN HOUR.
FOR FAMILIES LIKE THE WANGS, THIS CUTTING-EDGE
TRANSPORTATION IS A LIFE SAVER.
EVERY YEAR, THEY TRAVEL NEARLY A THOUSAND MILES
ON THE CHINESE NEW YEAR,
A TRIP THAT ONCE TOOK A DAY AND A HALF.
TODAY, THE BULLET TRAIN ZIPS THEM ALONG
A HIGH-TECH ELECTRIFIED TRACK.
THE TRAINS CONNECT 200 CHINESE CITIES,
AND CARRY AROUND 2.5 MILLION RIDERS.
ENGINEERS DESIGNED THE TRAINS OUT OF LIGHTWEIGHT
COMPOSITE MATERIAL SO THEY CAN REACH TOP SPEEDS.
♪
She Peng: AS AN ENGINEER, I HAVE BEEN WITH CHINA’S HIGH SPEED
RAIL DEVELOPMENT FROM 2004 UNTIL TODAY.
IT HAS BEEN AN EXCITING JOURNEY.
IT PROVIDES AN ALTERNATIVE TO ROAD AND AIR TRAVEL.
THROUGH THIS DEVELOPMENT, OUR WORK HAS TRANSFORMED
HOW WE CHINESE COMMUTE.
Narrator: THE TRAIN HAS CUT THE WANGS’ ANNUAL TRIP
FROM 36 HOURS TO 15.
Mr. Wang: THIS JOURNEY MAY HAVE BEEN LONG,
BUT IT FEELS SHORT IN MY HEART.
SEEING THE SNOW OUTSIDE REMINDS ME OF THE TIMES
I SPENT WITH MY PARENTS CELEBRATING NEW YEAR.
IT IS A VERY HAPPY FEELING.
♪
Wang Zhi You: ME AND HIS MOTHER,
AND EVEN HIS AUNT REALLY MISS THEM.
THEY HAVE BEEN GONE FOR TOO LONG.
NOW THAT THEY ARE BACK FOR THE NEW YEAR,
WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO BE TOGETHER AS ONE FAMILY AGAIN.
Narrator: THE DAY ENDS WITH FIREWORKS.
AN ANCIENT TRADITION BELIEVED TO SCARE AWAY EVIL SPIRITS.
THEY’LL GO OFF ACROSS CHINA THIS FESTIVE WEEK
AS MILLIONS OF OTHER FAMILIES ARRIVE HOME.
THE CHINESE RELISH OLD TRADITIONS,
BUT THEY’RE ALSO STARTING NEW ONES.
HERE IN CENTRAL CHINA, HUNDREDS OF MILES FROM THE COAST
IS A MASSIVE COMPLEX THAT BRINGS A TRIP TO THE BEACH INLAND.
♪
THIS IS KNOWN AS CHINA’S DEAD SEA, A MANMADE
SALTWATER RESORT WITH A CAPACITY OF 10,000.
RECREATIONAL AREAS LIKE THIS ARE POPPING UP ACROSS CHINA
THANKS TO A GROWING MIDDLE CLASS.
Ye Ming: WE’RE FRIENDS, AND WE OFTEN TRAVEL TOGETHER.
Shu Ping: OTHER FRIENDS RECOMMENDED THIS PLACE TO US.
WE DID MORE RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND OUT
THE WATER HERE IS GOOD FOR OUR BODY AND SKIN.
WOMEN OUR AGE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR SKIN.
Narrator: PARK DESIGNERS TAPPED INTO THE RICH
SALT RESOURCES IN THE REGION TO CREATE THE RESORT.
BECAUSE OF THE HIGH SALINE CONTENT, SWIMMERS FREELY FLOAT,
JUST AS THEY DO ON THE DEAD SEA.
ALL THAT IS A BIG DRAW FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS
WHICH HAS QUADRUPLED HERE SINCE 2000,
AND TURNED CHINA INTO A CONSUMER GIANT.
WITH MORE MONEY AND MORE LEISURE TIME,
PEOPLE HAVE THE MEANS FOR RECREATION,
LIKE THIS GIANT WAVE POOL, ITS NICKNAME IS DUMPLING SOUP.
Ye Ming: THAT WAS TOO EXCITING.
Shu Ping: WE HAVEN’T DONE ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN DECADES.
Ye Ming: IT’S LIKE GOING BACK TO THE TIME WHEN I WAS IN MY 20’S.
THIS PLACE IS A PLAYGROUND.
Shu Ping: IT REALLY ALLOWS US TO RELIVE OUR CHILDHOOD.
Narrator: THE GROWING MIDDLE CLASS IS LOOKING
FOR THINGS TO DO AND THINGS TO WATCH.
CHINA’S MOVIE MARKET IS NOW THE SECOND-LARGEST IN THE WORLD.
AND HOMEGROWN FILMMAKING IS BOOMING.
THE INDUSTRY HAS FUELED THE CONSTRUCTION
OF THIS ENTIRE AREA, CHINA’S VERSION OF HOLLYWOOD.
OFFICIALLY, THIS IS HENGIDAN WORLD STUDIOS,
BUT IT’S BETTER KNOWN AS CHINAWOOD.
ITS SETS SPAN 2,500 ACRES AND FEATURE EVERYTHING
FROM ANCIENT TEMPLES TO MODERN CITY STREETS.
IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT IN THE 90’S, THIS WAS FARMLAND.
TODAY, IT’S THE BIGGEST FILM STUDIO IN THE WORLD,
THE SIZE OF PARAMOUNT AND UNIVERSAL COMBINED.
AND THE ENTIRE THING WAS THE VISION OF A FARMER
WHO SLOWLY BEGAN CONVERTING THE LAND INTO MOVIE SETS.
GRADUALLY, CREWS STARTED COMING AND THE LOCAL ECONOMY
BEGAN TO BOOM.
MANY ARRIVE IN CHINAWOOD WITH A DREAM.
THIS DIRECTOR LEFT HIS LIFE AS A KUNG-FU MONK
TO PURSUE HIS TRUE PASSION, FILMMAKING.
Wang Ying: I FIRST STARTED IN MARTIAL ARTS SCHOOL
BEFORE ENLISTING AT SHAOLIN TEMPLE.
I WAS TOO YOUNG.
I WENT BECAUSE MY FAMILY TOLD ME TO GO.
IT WAS TOUGH AND I WANTED TO GO HOME,
BUT AFTER TRAINING FOR A FEW YEARS AND GOING
FOR COMPETITIONS, I DEVELOPED A PASSION THAT ENDURES
UNTIL TODAY.
Narrator: CHINAWOOD SETS HAVE SERVED AS BACKDROPS
FOR MORE THAN A THOUSAND MOVIES AND TV SHOWS.
THE 2002 EPIC MARTIAL ARTS MOVIE "HERO" WAS FILMED HERE,
ALONG WITH "CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON."
THE FILMS REQUIRE COMPLEX PROPS AND PLANNING.
Wang Ying: WE WILL FIRST FILM THE ACTOR’S CLOSEUPS,
BUT THE FIGHT SEQUENCES WILL BE DONE BY OUR STUNTMEN.
OUR STUNTMEN WILL WEAR THIS HARNESS,
AND THEY’LL BE HAULED UP INTO THE AIR.
THIS REQUIRES PROFESSIONAL TRAINING,
LIKE HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR POSTURE AMONG OTHERS.
♪
THE CHALLENGE IS COORDINATION.
IF THE COORDINATION IS OFF,
OUR STUNTMAN MAY FALL AND INJURE HIMSELF.
Narrator: AMAZINGLY, THE SETS HERE ARE FREE TO CREWS.
CHINAWOOD MAKES MONEY FROM HOTELS, RESTAURANTS
AND PRODUCTION VENUES ALONG WITH 11 MILLION TOURISTS
WHO COME ANNUALLY TO WATCH THE ARTISTS AT WORK.
Wang Ying: I WOULD LIKE TO CREATE SOMETHING
EVEN MORE EXQUISITE SO THAT WHEN AUDIENCES WATCH IT
THEY WILL FEEL THAT IT IS VERY BEAUTIFUL.
I WANT TO CREATE THAT FEELING FOR THEM.
Narrator: HOLLYWOOD STILL DOMINATES THE MOVIE MARKET,
BUT CHINAWOOD IS GAINING GROUND.
THE QUALITY OF FILMS KEEPS IMPROVING,
AND PEOPLE HAVE NOTICED.
13 NEW FILMS PREMIERE IN THEATERS EVERYDAY.
CHINA’S CITIES ALONG WITH ITS ECONOMY ARE BOOMING.
THE POPULATION NOW STANDS AT 1.4 BILLION.
FOUR TIMES THAT OF THE U.S. IN AN AREA
THAT’S ABOUT THE SAME SIZE.
BUT ALL THOSE PEOPLE ARE STRAINING
THE NATION’S INFRASTRUCTURE,
ESPECIALLY ITS ELECTRICAL GRIDS.
IN SOUTHEAST CHINA, THE NATION HAS LAUNCHED
AN AMBITIOUS ENGINEERING PROJECT,
INSTALLING WHAT’S CALLED AN ULTRA HIGH VOLTAGE CABLE NETWORK
OR UHV.
Xu Xiaoming: I HAVE BEEN WORKING IN THIS FIELD FOR NINE YEARS.
IT CAN BE DANGEROUS DUE TO THE HEIGHTS WE HAVE TO SCALE.
DURING RAINY DAYS, THE CABLES CAN GET VERY SLIPPERY.
STRONG WINDS CAN ALSO BLOW US OFF.
Narrator: THE HIGH-TECH NETWORK CAN EFFICIENTLY
TRANSMIT ELECTRICITY OVER THOUSANDS OF MILES.
WITH THIS HIGH-WIRE ACT, PRECISION IS KEY.
Xu Xiaoming: IF THIS SPACER IS NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY
AND A TYPHOON HITS, THE CABLES MAY COLLIDE
AND CUT EACH OTHER OFF, CAUSING THE STEEL TOWERS
TO COLLAPSE.
THIS IS BECAUSE THE CABLES PROVIDE A TRACTION
THAT KEEPS THE TOWERS IN BALANCE.
IF THE CABLES SNAP, THE TOWERS WILL NOT BE ABLE
TO WITHSTAND THE RESULTING TENSION.
Narrator: BUT WITH BIG RISKS,
CHINA HOPES TO REAP BIG REWARDS.
THE UHV WILL TRANSMIT ELECTRICITY FIVE TIMES FASTER
THAN THE OLD GRID.
AND IS FAR BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
THEY’LL ALSO MOVE SURPLUS ELECTRICITY FROM ONE REGION
TO ANOTHER.
OVERALL, THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE EXPECTED TO COST
ABOUT 4 BILLION IN U.S. DOLLARS.
WHEN IT’S FINISHED IN 2020, THIS SYSTEM WILL STRETCH
MORE THAN 12,000 MILES, HALF THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE EARTH.
AS CHINA WORKS TO POWER ITS PEOPLE,
IT’S ALSO LOOKING FOR WAYS TO CUT BACK ON POLLUTION.
FOR DECADES, COAL AND CARS HAVE COUGHED OUT TOXINS,
DAMAGING THE ENVIRONMENT.
NOW CITIES LIKE SHANGHAI AND BEIJING ARE
IN A PERMANENT TWILIGHT.
ON THE WORST DAYS, PEOPLE ARE TOLD NOT TO GO OUTSIDE.
NOW CHINA IS SCRAMBLING FOR WAYS TO GENERATE CLEAN ENERGY.
THIS CONTAINER SHIP IS TRANSPORTING LIQUID NATURAL GAS,
OR LNG.
LNG WAS DEVELOPED IN 1964 AS A BETTER WAY TO TRANSPORT GAS.
THE GAS IS LIQUEFIED, WHICH MAKES IT 1/600TH OF THE VOLUME.
THEN, PUT INTO CONTAINER SHIPS LIKE THIS ONE.
LNG IS THE FASTEST GROWING MAJOR ENERGY MARKET
AND CHINA IS ITS BIGGEST CONSUMER.
MUCH OF CHINA’S LNG COMES FROM THE UNITED STATES,
ITS BIGGEST EXPORTER.
ONCE THE PRODUCT ARRIVES IN CHINA, IT’S REGASSIFIED
AND DELIVERED TO THE MASSES.
THE SHIPS THAT TRANSPORT IT ARE COMPLEX PIECES OF MACHINERY
RUN BY SPECIALIZED CREWS.
THEY USE SPACE-AGE INSTALLATIONS,
CRYOGENIC PIPELINES
AND GIANT VAPOR STRUCTURES TO MOVE THE GAS FREELY
AND EFFICIENTLY.
AT A DIFFERENT SHIPYARD, ENGINEERS
HAVE THE DIFFICULT TASK
OF CONSTRUCTING A BRAND-NEW LNG SHIP.
THE ESTIMATED COST FOR ONE THESE SHIPS IS $230 MILLION.
AND CHINA IS BUILDING DOZENS OF THEM.
THEY HOPE THE NEW FLEET WILL BOTH CUT DOWN
ON CARBON EMISSIONS AND BOOST THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY HERE.
De Quan: LNG VESSELS ARE COMMONLY KNOWN TO BE THE MOST
DIFFICULT VESSELS TO BUILD.
PRECISION, RELIABILITY, AND SYSTEMS ARE
THE MOST IMPORTANT CRITERIA.
AND WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT EVERY STEP
IN THE BUILDING PROCESS MEETS THESE STANDARDS.
THE SLIGHTEST OF ERRORS WILL RESULT IN GREAT LOSSES.
Narrator: WHEN IT’S FINISHED, THE SHIP WILL BE ABLE
TO HAUL ENOUGH GAS TO FILL 64 OLYMPIC POOLS.
THE LNG INDUSTRY IS ONLY EXPECTED TO KEEP GROWING.
CHINA, ALONE, PLANS TO PUT ANOTHER $10 BILLION
INTO THE INDUSTRY.
THAT INVESTMENT WILL BOOST TRADE ON AN INTERNATIONAL SCALE.
♪
TO MEET ASIA’S DEMAND, LNG PLANTS ARE ALSO PLANNED
FOR THE U.S., AUSTRALIA, AND RUSSIA.
De Quan: THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOW ABLE
TO BUILD AN LNG CARRIER,
ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST COMPLEX SHIPS,
PROVES WE HAVE REACHED A GLOBAL MILESTONE IN ENGINEERING.
Narrator: CHINA IS ALSO WORKING TO HARNESS
THE POWER OF THE WIND.
HERE IN THE NORTHWEST, ONE WIND FARM HAS 300 TURBINES
SPREAD ACROSS 50 MILES.
OVERALL, CHINA CAN NOW POWER 110 MILLION HOMES
PURELY WITH WIND POWER.
♪
IN FIVE YEARS, THE COUNTRY PLANS TO DOUBLE THAT,
PART OF THE NATIONWIDE PUSH TO COMBAT DECADES OF POLLUTION.
WITH WIDESPREAD WIND FARM PRODUCTION,
THE COUNTRY IS SCRAMBLING TO MAKE UP FOR LOST TIME.
Gao Yang: CHINA MAY HAVE STARTED LATE
WHEN IT COMES TO WIND ENERGY,
BUT SINCE 2006, OUR PRODUCTION CAPABILITY
HAS BEEN INCREASING RAPIDLY.
Narrator: THE WEATHER ON THE FARM IS MILD TODAY,
BUT THESE GIANT WINDMILLS ARE BUILT TO WITHSTAND
NEARLY ANYTHING NATURE THROWS AT THEM.
EACH STRUCTURE IS MADE OF SPACE-AGE COMPOSITE MATERIAL
ABLE TO WITHSTAND TEMPERATURE SWINGS OF 130 DEGREES.
AND EVEN THOUGH THE BLADES ARE 200 FEET LONG,
THEY’RE BUILT TO WEATHER HURRICANE FORCE WINDS,
ALONG WITH THE TEST OF TIME.
THE FACILITY TRANSPORTS EACH BLADE ACROSS THEIR CAMPUS
TO PUT IT THROUGH RIGOROUS TESTING.
Gao Yang: WE ARE CURRENTLY CONDUCTING THE FATIGUE TEST.
THE FATIGUE TEST STIMULATES THE EQUIVALENT
OF 20 YEARS OF USAGE ON THE WIND BLADE
TO ASSESS ITS DURABILITY.
Narrator: ONCE THE BLADES ARE TESTED,
THEY’RE READY TO BE INSTALLED.
AN EPIC FEAT IN AND OF ITSELF.
SPECIALIZED TRUCKS TRANSPORT THREE BLADES
ACROSS THE WIND FARM TO THE BASE
OF THE ALREADY ERECTED TOWER.
♪
NEAR THE GROUND, THE WORKERS MUST INSERT THE BLADES
INTO THE ROTOR.
AND A SINGLE BLADE WEIGHS SIX TONS.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE SAME WIND THAT WILL POWER THE WINDMILLS
MAKES ASSEMBLING THEM A HERCULEAN CHALLENGE.
Sun Jiang: THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR THE INSTALLATION
IS THE WEATHER.
WE ARE IN AN AREA WHERE WIND SPEEDS ARE VERY HIGH.
UNDER SUCH CONDITIONS, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT
TO FINISH THE INSTALLATIONS, ESPECIALLY OF THE WIND BLADES.
Narrator: DESPITE THE GUSTS, THE CREW MOVES
THE THIRD BLADE INTO POSITION.
STANDING INSIDE THE ROTOR, THEY LOCK IT INTO PLACE.
NEXT, THE CREW WORKS TOGETHER FROM THE AIR AND THE GROUND
TO GUIDE THE ENTIRE MECHANISM 230 FEET INTO THE AIR.
IT WEIGHS 32 TONS.
♪
ONCE IN PLACE, WIND WILL TURN THE BLADES AROUND
THE CENTRAL ROTOR.
THE ROTOR, IN TURN, WILL SPIN A GENERATOR
INSIDE THE TOWERING SHAFT TO CREATE ELECTRICITY.
TWO MEN STAND INSIDE THE DOCKING HEAD TO GUIDE
THE ROTOR INTO PLACE.
A JIGSAW PUZZLE AT SKYSCRAPER HEIGHT.
IT’S ANOTHER REMARKABLE FEAT OF ENGINEERING
IN A COUNTRY ALWAYS LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE.
2,000 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE WINDMILLS
IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF FARM,
ONE THAT’S FOCUSED ON SEAFOOD.
THIS HARBOR TOWN IS A MAJOR FISH EXPORTER
FOR THE REST OF CHINA.
THE DAILY CATCHES COME FROM THE ANCIENT FLOATING VILLAGE
OF SANDU-AO.
HERE, PEOPLE HAVE USED BAMBOO AND WOOD TO CREATE FISH FARMS
IN THE OPEN WATER.
THOUGHT IT’S SMALL, HOME TO ONLY 8,000 PEOPLE,
THIS IS THE LARGEST COMMUNITY ON THE SEA IN CHINA.
ON THE WATER, THE VILLAGE HAS THE HALLMARKS OF ANY TOWN.
A POST OFFICE, POLICE STATION, MEDICAL CENTER AND MORE.
THE VILLAGE SITS IN A HUGE BAY, SO IT’S PROTECTED
FROM HARSH CONDITIONS.
IT’S ALSO THE DEEPEST ICE-FREE HARBOR IN THE WORLD,
MAKING IT IDEAL FOR MARINE LIFE.
THIS MAN’S FAMILY HAS BEEN BREEDING FISH HERE
FOR SIX GENERATIONS.
Sang: MY FATHER USED TO TEACH US FISHING TECHNIQUES
AND WHAT FISH TO CATCH.
FISHING OUT ON THE SEA WAS TOUGH,
SO MY FATHER DECIDED TO REAR FISH INSTEAD.
THIS IS THE GROUPER, CURRENTLY OUR MOST VALUABLE FISH.
MY CHILDREN LIKE REARING SEAFOOD.
THEY, TOO, PREFER BREEDING STOCK THAN FISHING
OUT ON THE SEA.
Narrator: CHINA IS ALSO ATTEMPTING TO USE
THE POWER OF THE SUN.
THIS SOLAR FARM IS IN SOUTHWESTERN CHINA,
ON WHAT’S KNOWN AS THE TIBETAN PLATEAU,
A REGION OF MOUNTAINS AND UPLANDS REACHING 15,000 FEET.
AT THIS ALTITUDE, THE SUN IS INTENSE,
MAKING IT AN IDEAL SPOT FOR A SEA OF SOLAR PANELS.
THEY GENERATE ENOUGH ENERGY TO POWER AN AVERAGE-SIZED CITY.
CHINA IS ALSO WORKING ON THE BIGGEST SOLAR ENERGY
PRODUCTION BASE IN THE WORLD.
AND THIS IS ITS HEADQUARTERS.
Man: SOLAR ARCHITECTURE, OR RENEWABLE ENERGY BUILDINGS
WILL BECOME A POPULAR TREND IN THE FUTURE.
THE CONCEPT WILL BE TAKEN UP BY EVERY COUNTRY AND CULTURE.
THE DESIGN PRINCIPLES OF THESE BUILDINGS
WILL BECOME A WORLD TREND.
Narrator: DEVELOPERS HOPE THIS WILL BECOME A WORLD HUB
OF CLEAN TECH MANUFACTURING.
♪
ONE OF THE MOST STRIKING EXAMPLES OF CHINA’S
EXPLOSIVE GROWTH IS THE CITY OF SHENZHEN NEAR HONG KONG.
40 YEARS AGO, THIS WAS A TOWN OF 300,000.
TODAY, IT’S KNOWN AS CHINA’S SILICON VALLEY,
HOME TO 12 MILLION.
PEOPLE HAVE FLOCKED HERE FOR JOBS IN TECHNOLOGY
AND DESIGN,
PUSHING THE CITY TO EXPAND UP WITH DOZENS
OF NEW SKYSCRAPERS.
BUT ALONG WITH PEOPLE COME CARS,
WHICH HAVE CLOGGED THE CITY’S ROADS AND POLLUTED ITS SKIES.
Wang Yan Man: CARS ARE THE MAIN SOURCE OF POLLUTION IN SHENZHEN
AS THERE ARE VERY FEW FACTORIES.
IF THE CITY CAN SOLVE THE CAR PROBLEM,
IT CAN SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF EMISSIONS.
Narrator: TO CURB THE POLLUTION, THE CITY HAS BUILT
A FLEET OF ELECTRIC BUSES.
THE TECHNOLOGY ISN’T NEW,
BUT THE SCALE OF IMPLEMENTATION IS.
Zhao Jingbo: I CAME HERE IN 2006,
BACK THEN THERE WEREN’T AS MANY CARS,
AND TRAFFIC WASN’T AS CONGESTED.
NOW, MAYBE BECAUSE OF THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT,
EVERYONE WANTS TO BUY A CAR.
BUT TRAFFIC JAMS ARE AN EVERYDAY FACT OF LIFE,
IT’S JUST LIKE FOOD, YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT.
Narrator: 3,000 OF THESE ZERO-EMISSIONS BUSES
NOW OPERATE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
FULLY CHARGED, THEY CAN RUN FOR 150 MILES.
THE DRIVERS REPORT TO A COMMAND CENTER,
WHERE A CENTRAL COMPUTER KEEPS TRACK OF EACH BUS.
Yan Guangxia: THIS ROOM IS THE CENTRAL MONITORING STATION
FOR ALL OUR ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
WE HAVE 74 CHARGING DEPOTS ACROSS SHENZHEN.
ON THIS SCREEN, EACH BLUE DOT REPRESENTS A VEHICLE.
WE CAN MONITOR EVERY SINGLE BUS AND DEPOT.
Narrator: BY THE END OF 2017, THE CITY PLANS
TO HAVE A BUS FLEET THAT’S ENTIRELY ELECTRIC.
AS THEY LOOK TO THE FUTURE,
THE CHINESE PEOPLE ARE ALSO SHIFTING THEIR GAZE SKYWARD.
♪
NEAR BEIJING, THEY’VE BUILT WHAT’S CALLED
THE "LARGE SKY AREA MULTI-OBJECT FIBER
SPECTROSCOPIC TELESCOPE" - ALSO KNOWN AS LAMOST.
OVER FIVE YEARS, IT WILL MAP 10 MILLION STARS
IN THE MILKY WAY ALONG WITH A MILLION GALAXIES
BEYOND OUR OWN.
BUT THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE TOOLS CHINA IS USING
TO STUDY SPACE.
ANOTHER EVEN BIGGER TELESCOPE LIES A THOUSAND MILES AWAY.
WITH A DIAMETER OF 1,600 FEET, THIS WILL BE
THE WORLD’S BIGGEST TELESCOPE WHEN IT’S COMPLETE.
CHINESE SCIENTISTS BELIEVE IT WILL BE A LINK
BETWEEN THEIR ANCIENT ASTRONOMERS
AND THE COUNTRY’S FUTURE
Nan Rendong: DURING THE SONG DYNASTY IN THE YEAR 1054,
CHINESE ASTRONOMERS DISCOVERED A STAR THAT WENT SUPERNOVA
IN A FLASH OF WHITE LIGHT.
WHEN THIS TELESCOPE IS COMPLETE, MAYBE OUR FIRST TARGET
IS TO LOOK AT THAT STAR AGAIN.
IT WILL BE A WAY OF CONNECTING OUR FUTURE, PRESENT,
AND ANCIENT PAST.
Narrator: TO WORK PROPERLY, THE TELESCOPE HAD
TO BE CONSTRUCTED IN A REMOTE AREA
WITHOUT ELECTRONIC INTERFERENCE OR NOISE POLLUTION.
ULTIMATELY, IT WILL BE CAPABLE OF SEEING
EXTRAPLANETARY TRANSMISSIONS A THOUSAND LIGHT-YEARS AWAY.
Zhang Quoqiang: WE ARE LIKE TINY SPIDERS TRYING TO WEAVE
A 500 METER WIDE WEB.
THIS WEB HAS OVER 6,000 JOINTS, AND WEIGHS OVER 1,500 TONS.
IF A SINGLE JOINT ISN’T INSTALLED IN PLACE PROPERLY,
WE WON’T BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THE SHAPE WE NEED.
THE BIGGEST RISK IS THAT I HAVE OVER 100 WORKERS
AT A HEIGHT OF 200 FEET AND ABOVE.
IT’S AN UNIMAGINABLE RISK.
YOU MAY THINK TIGHTROPE WALKERS HAVE A RISKY JOB,
BUT MY WORKERS ARE TREADING TIGHTROPES EVERYDAY.
WE ENGINEERS DON’T LIKE TO BUILD PROJECTS THAT ARE TOO BIG
AS THEY ARE VERY DIFFICULT.
BUT WHEN FACED WITH NATURAL CONDITIONS THAT FORCE US
TO BUILD SOMETHING THIS BIG, WE’RE WILLING TO DO IT.
BECAUSE WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING TO CHALLENGE OURSELVES.
WE WANT TO FIND OUT WHETHER WE CAN DO IT,
AND HOW WELL WE CAN DO IT.
Narrator: CHINA IS A COUNTRY FOCUSED FORWARD
BUT GROUNDED IN THE PAST.
ONCE RURAL AREAS ARE REDEFINING THEMSELVES.
SOMETIMES WITH THEATRICS.
OTHER TIMES WITH INNOVATION.
THIS IS A COUNTRY CHALLENGING ITSELF TO BE BIGGER,
BETTER, AND BOLDER.
IT’S ALSO A NATION THAT’S GRAPPLING WITH ITS OWN SUCCESS.
MODERN-DAY CHINA, A GROWING WORLD POWER SPEEDING,
STUMBLING, AND SOARING TOWARDS THE NEXT CENTURY.