Narrator: CHINA, IT’S A COUNTRY STEEPED
IN TRADITION AND HURTLING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE.
IN THIS AERIAL JOURNEY, WE’LL SEE
THE SPRAWLING NATION FROM A NEW PERSPECTIVE.
THIS IS A PLACE WHERE PIONEERS BRAVE THE UNKNOWN
AND MONUMENTS TO THE SPIRIT STILL STAND.
HERE THE LANDSCAPES ARE AS DIVERSE AS THE PEOPLE.
WHERE CITIES FEATURE MAGNIFICENT SKYLINES
AND INDUSTRIES HAVE TRANSFORMED
THE COUNTRY INTO A GLOBAL LEADER.
AFTER CENTURIES IN SECLUSION, CREATIVITY THRIVES.
IN A GENERATION, CHINA HAS SPRUNG FROM ITS ANCIENT PAST,
INSPIRED BY BOLD IDEAS AND RISEN TO NEW HEIGHTS.
IT’S BLENDED INNOVATION WITH TRADITION,
TAKING AIM AT THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
THAT LIE AHEAD IN THE 21ST CENTURY.
THIS IS CHINA FROM ABOVE.
CHINA’S 11,000 MILE COASTLINE
FEATURES INCREDIBLY DIVERSE ECOSYSTEMS.
FROM THE FRIGID BOHAI BAY IN THE NORTH,
TO HAINAN ISLAND IN THE FAR TROPICAL SOUTH.
THE EASTERN PROVINCES HAVE BECOME
THE PRODUCT OF CHINA’S DRAMATIC URBANIZATION,
ATTRACTING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE FROM
THE RURAL AREAS IN JUST FOUR DECADES.
NEARLY HALF THE POPULATION, OVER 600 MILLION, LIVE HERE.
THEY’RE NOW THE ECONOMIC GATEWAY TO THE REST OF THE WORLD.
AND INCREASED PROSPERITY HAS LED TO NEW CULTURAL, LEISURE,
AND ENVIRONMENTAL INTERESTS, UNTHINKABLE A FEW DECADES AGO.
AT THE HEART OF CHINA’S RAPID INDUSTRIALIZATION
ARE BILLION-DOLLAR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
CONNECTING CITIES AND REGIONS
WITH EXTENSIVE ROAD AND RAIL NETWORKS.
ON THE SOUTHEAST COAST IS ONE OF CHINA’S MOST AMBITIOUS
ENGINEERING PROJECTS, THE LONGEST SEA BRIDGE ON EARTH.
IT CONNECTS THREE MAJOR CITIES ACROSS THE VAST
31 MILE PEARL DELTA,
A SEA INLET BATTERED BY TYPHOONS,
AND HOME TO ONE OF THE BUSIEST PORTS IN THE WORLD.
HONG KONG, MACAU, AND ZHUHAI, ARE NOW
CONNECTED TO CHINA’S MANUFACTURING HEARTLAND,
GUANGDONG, HOME TO 100 MILLION PEOPLE.
THE BRIDGE CONTAINS ENOUGH STEEL TO BUILD 60 EIFFEL TOWERS,
ENOUGH CONCRETE TO FILL 400 OLYMPIC-SIZED SWIMMING POOLS,
AND IS NOW NEAR COMPLETION, DUE TO OPEN TO ROAD TRAFFIC.
SURVEYORS LI SHULIANG AND XIONG JINHAI
ARE HELPING TO OVERSEE THE COMPLETION.
Narrator: THIS 24 MILE LONG TRIPLE SPAN STRUCTURE,
20 TIMES LONGER THAN THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE, HAS TO BE
STRONG ENOUGH TO SURVIVE A HIT FROM A 300,000 TON VESSEL,
A MAGNITUDE EIGHT EARTHQUAKE, OR TYPHOON.
Narrator: THIS IS CHINA’S FIRST MAJOR
COMBINED BRIDGE AND TUNNEL SEA-CROSSING PROJECT.
SMALLER SHIPS CAN SAIL UNDER BUT TO ALLOW
GIANT CONTAINER SHIPS PASSAGE TO THE SOUTH CHINA SEA,
THE ENGINEERS CAME UP WITH AN IMAGINATIVE SOLUTION,
AN UNDERWATER ROAD TRAFFIC TUNNEL.
BUT THE ONLY WAY TO CONNECT THE TRAFFIC
FROM A ROAD BRIDGE TO A SUBMERGED TUNNEL WAS
TO BUILD TWO ARTIFICIAL ISLANDS AT EITHER END.
THESE ARE PROPPED UP BY 120 18 STORY STEEL CYLINDERS.
IN-BETWEEN IS A FOUR MILE TUNNEL COMPRISED OF 33
GIANT TUBES CONNECTED TOGETHER ON THE SEA FLOOR.
THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HOPES THAT THIS BRIDGE
WILL DRAW TOGETHER NINE SOUTHERN CITIES
INTO ONE GIANT MANUFACTURING HUB.
BUT ONLY TIME WILL TELL IF THIS
$17 BILLION BET WILL PAY OFF.
BUT NOT ALL OF CHINA IS MARCHING
TO THE BEAT OF RAPID INDUSTRIALIZATION.
IN THE NORTH-EASTERN PROVINCE OF JILIN
LIES CHAGAN LAKE, WHERE SOME ANCIENT METHODS
OF PRODUCTION ARE SO EFFECTIVE THEY REMAIN UNCHANGED.
THE FRESHWATER LAKE IS 200 SQUARE MILES,
THE LARGEST IN THE PROVINCE.
HERE, WINTER’S DEEP FREEZE MAKES
AGRICULTURE AND FISHING ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.
TEMPERATURES GET AS LOW AS MINUS 30 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,
TURNING RIVERS AND LAKES INTO FROZEN WILDERNESS.
BUT THE LOCAL PEOPLE HERE ARE STILL ABLE TO CATCH
THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF FISH IN THE DEPTHS OF WINTER.
BY USING A THOUSAND YEAR OLD ETHNIC MONGOLIAN
TECHNIQUE, THEY ARE ABLE TO CATCH THE FISH ON
AN INDUSTRIAL SCALE WITH JUST HORSE AND HUMAN POWER.
ZHANG WEN IS THE FISHING MASTER.
50 MEN WILL SPEND THE WHOLE MORNING LAYING
THE NET UNDER TWO FEET OF THICK ICE.
Narrator: THEY START BY CUTTING A SERIES
OF HOLES THEY CAN FEED THE NET THROUGH.
Narrator: THEY STILL USE HORSE POWER TO TURN
A WOODEN WINCH, GRADUALLY HAULING THE NET INTO PLACE.
Narrator: IN PAST YEARS, THEY HAVE CAUGHT OVER
175 TONS OF FISH FROM BELOW THE ICE IN THE WINTER SEASON.
AND EACH YEAR THEY HOPE TO DO BETTER.
AS DUSK APPROACHES, THE SPINDLE MAKES ITS FINAL TURN
AND THE NET IS DRAWN BACK UP THROUGH AN ICE HOLE.
IT’S BRIMMING WITH CARP AND OTHER FRESHWATER SPECIES.
Narrator: THE FISHERMEN WILL BE BACK TOMORROW
AND WILL CONTINUE FOR ANOTHER MONTH.
CHINA HAS ALWAYS RELIED ON ITS NATURAL RESOURCES
TO HELP PROVIDE FOR ITS VAST POPULATION.
IN FACT, IT IS A WORLD LEADER WHEN
IT COMES TO HARNESSING THE ELEMENTS.
CHINA NOW HAS HIGHER POWER DEMANDS
THAN ANY OTHER NATION ON EARTH.
AND MORE AND MORE OF ITS ENERGY IS COMING
FROM AN INFINITE COASTAL RESOURCE, WIND POWER.
CHINA’S COASTAL WATERS HAVE SOME
OF THE HIGHEST AVERAGE WIND SPEEDS IN THE WORLD.
JUST NORTH OF SHANGHAI IS CHINA’S LARGEST
OFFSHORE WIND FARM, RUDONG.
IT HAS ALMOST 100 TURBINES OPERATING
IN SHALLOW WATER, JUST FIVE MILES FROM THE SHORE
WITH 16 MORE TURBINES READY FOR INSTALLATION.
THE PROCESS BEGINS WITH BARGES TRANSPORTING
INDIVIDUAL SECTIONS TO SEABED LOCATIONS.
20 SPECIALLY ADAPTED VESSELS ARE USED IN
THE OPERATION, WHEN THE TIDE AND WEATHER ALLOW.
THE FIRST PHASE IS TO PLACE PILLARS ONTO
A FOUNDATION PLATFORM THAT SITS ON THE SEABED,
ONLY 16 FEET BELOW THE SURFACE.
THE FIRST SECTION OF THE 241 TON, 230 FEET LONG PILLAR,
IS LOWERED SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY BY THE CRANE OPERATOR.
BUT THEN IT HAS TO BE GUIDED ONTO SCREW THREADS BY HAND.
THE TOP HALF OF THE STRUCTURE IS USHERED INTO PLACE
WITH THE HELP OF THE ENGINEERS INSIDE THE PILLAR ITSELF.
THE MEN WILL BE ENCLOSED HERE, BUT THEY HAVE ACCESS
TO INTERNAL LADDERS TO EXIT THE STRUCTURE AT ITS BASE.
THE NEXT PHASE CONNECTS THE THREE 260 FEET LONG TURBINE
BLADES ONTO THE ROTATING HUB CALLED THE IMPELLER.
BY DAWN, IT’S TIME FOR THE FINAL STAGE,
ATTACHING THE 26 TON BLADES TO A 150 TON WHEEL HUB.
DESPITE ALL THE COMPUTER-AIDED TECHNOLOGY, HUMAN GUIDANCE
IS STILL CRUCIAL IN JOINING THESE COMPONENTS.
AFTER THREE DAYS OF WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK,
THE TURBINE IS COMPLETE.
NOW THE CREW WILL MOVE ON TO A NEW INSTALLATION
AND THE PROCESS STARTS ALL OVER AGAIN.
AS CHINA’S ECONOMY CONTINUES TO GROW, SO DOES ITS
URBAN POPULATIONS, WITH MANY PEOPLE LEAVING BEHIND
RURAL VILLAGE LIFE FOR THE LURE OF THE BIG CITY.
AND IN ONE CASE, AN ABANDONED VILLAGE IS RETURNED TO NATURE.
HOUTOUWAN WAS ONCE HOME TO A COMMUNITY
OF 2,000 FISHERMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES.
SHENGSHAN ISLAND LIES JUST 50 MILES OFF SHANGHAI’S COAST
AND IS ONE OF 400 THAT MAKE UP THE SHENGSI ARCHIPELAGO.
IT WAS A STRUGGLE TO MAINTAIN LIFE IN SUCH A REMOTE PLACE
AND 20 YEARS AGO, THE LAST OF THE RESIDENTS DEPARTED.
IT WAS ALMOST UNKNOWN TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD,
UNTIL ZHOU JIE, A 36 YEAR OLD DOCTOR FROM SHANGHAI,
STUMBLED UPON THIS CHINESE GARDEN OF EDEN.
Narrator: ZHOU JIE IS AN AVID PHOTOGRAPHER.
Narrator: HER PHOTOGRAPHS WENT VIRAL, SHOWING HOW QUICKLY
HUMAN ECOSYSTEMS CAN BE RECLAIMED BY THE NATURAL WORLD.
CROWDS FROM SHANGHAI NOW MAKE THE JOURNEY
TO EXPERIENCE THIS VILLAGE’S RETURN TO NATURE.
Narrator: ENCOURAGED BY THIS TOURISM, SOME FORMER
RESIDENTS HAVE NOW RETURNED AND CREATED A NEW OPPORTUNITY.
Narrator: THIS FAMILY WAS AMONG THE LAST
VILLAGERS TO LEAVE AND RECENTLY RETURNED TO START
A SMALL RESTAURANT FOR VISITORS.
Narrator: FOR THE BUSY HOSPITAL DOCTOR,
PHOTOGRAPHY HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN ESCAPE.
Narrator: YET DESPITE MASS MIGRATIONS TO THE CITIES,
IT’S NOT A ONE-WAY ROAD FROM RURAL TO URBAN CHINA.
HAINAN PROVINCE OFF THE SOUTHERN COAST
IS A TROPICAL ISLAND WITH A FIERY PAST.
IN THE SHADOW OF THE ISLAND’S HAIKOU VOLCANO CLUSTERS,
LOCAL YONGXING FARMERS HAVE STRUGGLED WITH
THE ROCKY VOLCANIC SOIL FOR GENERATIONS.
THE ONLY THING THAT GREW HERE WAS THE LYCHEE FRUIT.
AND MAKING A LIVING WAS DIFFICULT.
(GENTLE MUSIC)
CHEN TONGKUI’S FAMILY FARMED LYCHEE HERE
FOR GENERATIONS WHICH THEY SOLD CHEAPLY TO LOCAL MARKETS.
AFTER WORKING AS A JOURNALIST IN SHANGHAI,
HE RETURNED TO HIS HOME VILLAGE WITH A PLAN, TO GO ORGANIC
AND MARKET THE LYCHEE TO CITY DWELLERS AT A PREMIUM PRICE.
Narrator: AND TONGKUI’S BROTHER WAS ON HAND TO HELP.
Narrator: FIRST, HE UPGRADED THE BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
Narrator: THE MARKETING PAID OFF.
THE LYCHEES SOLD AT THREE TIMES THE PRICE
IN SHANGHAI, TRANSFORMING THE VILLAGERS’ FORTUNES.
MANY LEFT BEHIND THEIR BASIC HOUSING,
CONSTRUCTED FROM VOLCANIC ROCK, FOR NEW HOMES.
NOW TONGKUI HAS A NEW VENTURE, TO GROW SOMETHING
NEVER TRIED IN THEIR VOLCANIC FIELDS, DRAGON FRUIT.
Narrator: HIS BROTHER SPENT A YEAR CONSTRUCTING
TRELLIS WALLS FROM THE OLD VOLCANIC ROCK.
Narrator: HAINAN’S VOLCANOES HAVEN’T
ERUPTED FOR 84 YEARS.
BUT ONE COASTAL INLET IS HOME TO ANOTHER ONE OF NATURE’S
MOST IMPRESSIVE, AND DESTRUCTIVE, PHENOMENA.
HANGZHOU BAY, AN INLET OF THE EAST CHINA SEA,
IS THE SITE OF ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST TIDAL BORES.
THIS TIDAL PHENOMENON OCCURS WHEN THE LEADING EDGE
OF THE INCOMING TIDE FORMS A WAVE THAT TRAVELS UP
A NARROW RIVER OR BAY AGAINST THE DIRECTION OF THE CURRENT.
KNOWN AS THE SILVER DRAGON IN FOLKLORE,
IT’S STRONGEST IN THE FALL, WHEN THE GRAVITATIONAL
FORCES OF THE MOON, SUN, AND EARTH COMBINE.
SOME YEARS THE TIDE REACHES 30 FEET HIGH.
IT HAS CAUSED DEATH AND DESTRUCTION
IN THE PAST, ESPECIALLY DURING TYPHOONS.
BARRIERS NOW HELP PROTECT THE PUBLIC
DURING THE BORE WATCHING FESTIVAL.
XING YUN IS A QIANTANG RIVER HYDROLOGIST.
Narrator: THE BORE IS CAUSED BY THE STRONG
AUTUMNAL INCOMING TIDE BEING FUNNELED FROM
THE WIDE BAY INTO THE NARROW NECK OF THE QIANTANG RIVER.
THE OUT FLOWING RIVER CURRENT THEN PUSHES UP
THE BIGGER INCOMING WAVE CREATING THE POWERFUL BORE.
A WALL OF WATER THAT RUNS DOWN THE RIVER FOR 60 MILES
ATTRACTS SOME OF THE BEST BIG WAVE SURFERS ON THE PLANET.
- THE TIDAL BORE IS REALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE NORMAL WAVE,
IT’S AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE YOU KNOW, IT’S TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
- WE KNOW THE WAVE’S COMING,
IT GOES FOR AN HOUR AND 40 MINUTES.
YOU GET 20 GOES OF IT.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
Narrator: TODAY IS A PUBLIC HOLIDAY,
THE TIDE-WATCHING FESTIVAL.
IT ATTRACTS UP 170,000 PEOPLE.
SCIENTISTS ARE ALSO KEEPING AN ELECTRONIC EYE ON
THE BORE FROM MULTIPLE CAMERAS INSTALLED ALONG THE ROUTE.
Narrator: YUN IS GOING TO GET MUCH CLOSER AND TAKE A
SAMPLE OF THE SEDIMENTS JUST AFTER THE BORE PASSES THROUGH.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
Narrator: THE ROAR OF THE TIDE ALERTS
THE THOUSANDS GATHERED TO WATCH THE GIANT
WALL OF WATER COLLIDE WITH A DAM.
WHEN IT BOUNCES BACK FROM THE WALL, A CHAIN OF CHINESE
LANTERNS TRADITIONALLY ACT AS THE BORE’S HEIGHT YARDSTICK.
Narrator: THE SCIENTISTS HOPE THAT THEIR DATA
WILL HELP THEM TO PREDICT WHICH YEARS THE BORE
COULD BE AT ITS MOST DESTRUCTIVE.
UP THE COAST, MORE BENIGN TIDAL FORCES HELPED
CREATE AN INDUSTRY THAT WAS THE ENVY OF THE WEST
FOR CENTURIES, AND IS STILL CRITICAL TO THIS DAY.
IN A LANDSCAPE AS LARGE AND DIVERSE AS CHINA’S, THE NATURAL
PROCESSES OF WEATHERING CAN BRING GREAT ECONOMIC BENEFITS.
CHINA’S SALT LAKES AND COASTAL SALT FARMS ARE
A RESOURCE THAT HAS LONG BEEN THE ENVY OF OTHER NATIONS.
YUNCHENG LAKE, KNOWN AS THE DEAD SEA OF CHINA,
IS THE THIRD LARGEST SALT SULFATE LAKE IN THE WORLD.
FAMED FOR ITS SKIN-HEALING PROPERTIES, SULFATE SALT
ALSO COMBINES WITH ALGAE TO PRODUCE VIVID COLORS.
ON THE COAST, SEA SALT FARMS AREN’T QUITE AS COLORFUL,
BUT THEY ARE AN IMPORTANT NATURAL RESOURCE FOR CHINA,
THE WORLD’S LEADING PRODUCER AND CONSUMER OF SALT.
BOHAI BAY, ON THE NORTHEAST COAST.
HERE, THE ANCIENT PRACTICE OF SALT FARMING
HAS BEEN UPDATED FOR MODERN TIMES.
CHANGLU TANGGU SALT WORKS, WHICH DATES BACK
OVER 1000 YEARS, IS THE LARGEST PRODUCER IN CHINA.
Narrator: WANG HONGQING IS PART OF A NEW GENERATION
WHO BRINGS MODERN SKILLS TO AN ANCIENT PRACTICE.
Narrator: SALT USED TO BE HARVESTED
ONCE A YEAR, IN AUTUMN.
Narrator: THE HIGH SALT LEVELS OF THE NORTHEASTERN
COASTLINE PRODUCE A STUNNING VISUAL PHENOMENON
IN SEPTEMBER, THE RED BEACHES OF PANJIN.
IT’S NOT THE SALT THAT TURNS RED,
BUT A FLOWERING PLANT, CALLED A SEEP WEED.
IT THRIVES ON THE HIGH CONCENTRATION
OF SALTY WATER IN THE BAY.
PART OF THE SHUANGTAI ESTUARY NATIONAL RESERVE, IT’S ALSO
THE MOST EXTENSIVE BIRD SANCTUARY IN ALL OF CHINA.
THE BRACKISH MUDFLATS ATTRACT ONE OF ASIA’S MOST
ENDANGERED AND ICONIC BIRD SPECIES,
THE FIVE FOOT TALL RED-CROWNED CRANE.
A TEAM OF CHINESE CONSERVATIONISTS
ARE TRYING TO HALT THEIR DECLINE.
ZHAO SHIWEI IS REARING CRANES FROM EGGS
TO RELEASE BACK TO THE WILD.
Narrator: SHIWEI TENDS SEVERAL FLOCKS
AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT.
Narrator: THE YOUNGEST FLOCK, AT NEARLY
THREE MONTHS, IS ON THE THRESHOLD OF THEIR
MOST IMPORTANT STAGE, LEARNING TO FLY.
AFTER FEEDING, SHIWEI RELEASES THEM TO PRACTICE.
Narrator: SOME CRANES CAN ACHIEVE
SPECTACULAR FEATS OF FLIGHT,
MIGRATING NEARLY 10,000 MILES
AND REACHING HEIGHTS OVER 5,000 FEET.
A MORE MATURE FLOCK CAN FLY FOR SHORT DISTANCES.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
UNLIKE MANY OTHER BIRDS, THESE CRANES ARE BORN WITHOUT
THE INSTINCT TO MIGRATE AND WILL RETURN TO THEIR PENS.
BUT ONE DAY SOME OF THESE BIRDS WILL
FOLLOW WILD CRANES AND VENTURE FURTHER AFIELD.
75 MILES SOUTH, ACROSS THE BAY,
IS THE SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL CENTER FOR
A CHINESE PASTIME THAT TOOK TO THE AIR AND MIGRATED
TO THE REST OF THE WORLD OVER A MILLENNIUM AGO.
WEIFANG IS OFTEN CALLED THE WORLD CAPITAL OF KITES.
IT IS LOCATED ON THE WINDSWEPT
NORTHEASTERN PROVINCE OF SHANDONG.
NINE MILLION PEOPLE LIVE HERE.
BUT IT’S BEST KNOWN FOR ITS KITE DISTRICT, YANGJIAPU.
AMONG THE 87 KITE FACTORIES HERE IS WANG YONGXUN’S.
HE HAS HAD A PASSION FOR KITES SINCE HE CAN REMEMBER.
Narrator: WHAT STARTED AS A HOBBY
HAS DEVELOPED INTO A THRIVING BUSINESS.
Narrator: THEY PRODUCE HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT
STYLES FOR MARKETS ALL OVER THE WORLD.
NEARLY 100 PEOPLE ARE IN FULL PREPARATION
FOR THE BIG EVENT OF THEIR YEAR,
THE INTERNATIONAL KITE FESTIVAL SET FOR THE FOLLOWING DAY.
Narrator: THIS IS THE 34TH TIME THAT
THIS COMPETITION HAS BEEN HELD.
IT ATTRACTS 40 TEAMS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
THE EVENT ALSO COMBINES THE 13TH WORLD KITE CHAMPIONSHIPS
WHERE MANY COME TO UNVEIL THEIR MOST CREATIVE KITE DESIGNS.
AFTER THE OPENING CEREMONY, THE COMPETITORS
LAUNCH THEIR CUTTING-EDGE CREATIONS.
YONGXUN HAS SEVERAL KITES IN COMPETITION THIS YEAR,
BUT NOW IT’S TIME TO FLY HIS SHOWPIECE DESIGN,
A GIANT OCTOPUS.
IT TAKES A NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO HOLD IT DOWN.
IT’S NOT JUST FLYING ABILITY THAT’S JUDGED.
OVERALL DESIGN AND INNOVATION ARE CRUCIAL
FACTORS IN WINNING THE COMPETITION.
Narrator: BUT THIS YEAR, HIS PASSION, AND HIS EXPERTISE,
ARE REWARDED, AND HE WINS THE COMPETITION.
YONGSHUN ALSO LAUNCHES A RETRO WOOD FRAMED KITE,
INSPIRED BY AN ANCIENT DESIGN.
A HOME GROWN INVENTION THAT SPREAD,
LIKE A LOT OF CHINESE INNOVATIONS AND PASTIMES,
ALONG THE SILK ROAD TO REST OF THE WORLD.
A SHORT DISTANCE FROM WEIFANG LIES A PLACE THAT
TAKES FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE WIND THAT SHAPES THIS REGION.
QINGDAO IS CHINA’S COMPETITIVE SAILING CAPITAL.
AFTER HOSTING THE OLYMPICS IN 2008,
IT’S NOW A VENUE FOR MANY OTHER SAILING EVENTS,
INCLUDING ONE SECOND ONLY TO THE AMERICA’S CUP.
Narrator: EVERY YEAR, TEAMS AND INDIVIDUALS
FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD MEET HERE FOR A LEG
OF THE EXTREME SAILING SERIES, THE GRAND PRIX OF SAILING.
THIS YEAR PROFESSIONAL LOCAL SAILOR LIU XIE
IS COMPETING IN THE EXTREME SERIES FOR THE FIRST TIME.
UNLIKE MANY OTHER SAILING RACES, THIS COMPETITION
HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO BE A SPECTATOR SPORT.
Narrator: THE EXTREME SERIES BEGAN IN 2007,
FEATURING THE FASTEST CRAFTS IN THE WORLD.
THESE DOUBLE-HULLED FOILED CATAMARANS
ARE SHIPPED TO EACH GRAND PRIX EVENT.
THIS YEAR, 24 YEAR OLD LIU HAS AN EXTRA CHALLENGE,
HE’S PART OF A WILD CARD TEAM.
Narrator: LIU IS ALSO HOPING TO INSPIRE
THE NEXT GENERATION OF CHINESE SAILORS WHO
ARE HOLDING THEIR OWN SMALL REGATTA.
Narrator: 15 YEAR OLD NIU QINGHUA
IS ONE OF CHINA’S UP AND COMING SAILING HOPEFULS.
Narrator: IT’S THE FINAL RACE OF THE DAY.
BEING ON BOARD AN EXTREME SAILING VESSEL
TAKES SKILL, MUSCLE, AND DETERMINATION.
IT’S A WORKOUT.
THESE BOATS CAN REACH SPEEDS
OF UP TO 45 MILES PER HOUR.
Narrator: CAPSIZING IS ALWAYS A DANGER
AS THE SAILORS PUSH THEMSELVES TO THE LIMIT.
IT SOON BECOMES A BATTLE BETWEEN THREE TEAMS,
THE LEAD CHANGING SEVERAL TIMES.
LIU’S TEAM STRUGGLES AT THE BACK OF THE FLEET.
AND EVEN THOUGH THE WILD CARD TEAM
FINISHES LAST, LIU IS PHILOSOPHICAL.
Narrator: IN ONE SHORT GENERATION,
CHINA HAS CHANGED FASTER THAN ANY NATION IN HISTORY,
THROUGH MAJOR ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
THAT HAVE HELPED GROW ITS ECONOMY AND SECURE
THE COUNTRY’S STATUS AS A GLOBAL POWERHOUSE.
CHINA IS BROADENING ITS OUTLOOK, TOO,
FROM CONSERVATION AND CELEBRATION OF OLD PASTIMES,
TO EMBRACING NEW SPORTS AND LEISURE ACTIVITIES,
ALL WHILE RACING TO ADAPT TO THE 21ST
CENTURY CHALLENGES THAT LIE AHEAD.