China’s High-Speed Rail Shakes Violently—Like a Thriller! Germany, Japan Stopped Supplying Parts

Summary

The video script discusses concerns over the safety of China's high-speed trains due to incidents of violent shaking. It highlights public worry, past accidents, and the impact of international companies ceasing parts supply. The script also delves into allegations of technology theft from foreign companies, poor quality control, and the potential for major accidents. It raises questions about the government's focus on speed over safety and the need for credible quality assurance.

Takeaways

• 🚄 Chinese high-speed trains have been reported to shake violently during travel, raising safety concerns.
• 🌐 Videos of these incidents have circulated widely, including overseas, affecting China's reputation for rail safety.
• 🔧 Germany and Japan have stopped supplying parts to China's high-speed trains, leading to concerns about the availability and quality of replacements.
• 🤔 There are predictions of major accidents due to the poor quality of parts used in Chinese high-speed trains.
• 🚀 China's high-speed rail technology has been criticized for being acquired through technology theft and reverse engineering.
• 📉 China's high-speed rail system has a lower speed balance ratio compared to international counterparts, indicating lower efficiency.
• 🚨 The 2011 Wenzhou train collision highlighted severe design flaws and inadequate oversight in China's high-speed rail system.
• 🛠️ The Chinese government's focus on speed has been criticized for overshadowing safety and economic feasibility.
• 🔩 China's high-speed rail relies on critical imported components, such as non-loosening nuts from Japan, for safety.
• 🏗️ There are concerns about ground subsidence and substandard construction in China's high-speed rail projects, which could pose significant safety risks.

Q & A

What was the concern expressed by the individual who recorded the video of the high-speed train shaking?

The individual was concerned about whether the train could reach its destination safely after it started shaking violently.

When did the incidents of high-speed trains shaking occur?

The incidents of high-speed trains shaking were reported in July of the same year as the video and also in previous instances.

Which countries stopped supplying parts to Chinese high-speed trains according to the script?

Germany and Japan stopped supplying parts to Chinese high-speed trains in March 2023.

What is the prediction of experts regarding the safety of Chinese high-speed trains?

Experts predict that major accidents are inevitable for Chinese high-speed trains due to the observed shaking and other incidents.

How does the commentator Wong Duran link the issues seen in the videos to China's High-Speed Rail technology?

Wong Duran states that the issues are not surprising as China's High-Speed Rail technology was allegedly stolen after making purchases from abroad.

Which countries did China initially rely on for high-speed rail technology?

China initially relied on technology from Germany's Siemens, Japan's Shinkansen, and France's Alstom.

What is the term used to describe China's approach to high-speed rail development as mentioned in the script?

The term used is 'borrow technology and then close the loop,' meaning after acquiring technology through cooperation, China isolates production and research to create its own high-speed train brand.

What safety concerns were raised by Du, the head of the sanhi branch of People's Daily, regarding China's High-Speed Rail?

Du cited rush development as a safety risk and mentioned a retired railway engineer who refused to take High-Speed Rail due to safety concerns.

What was the impact of the 2011 high-speed rail accident in China?

The 2011 high-speed rail accident led to a reduction in operating speed from 350 to 300 km per hour and caused significant casualties and public outrage.

What is the speed balance ratio, and how does China's high-speed rail compare to international counterparts?

The speed balance ratio is the average to top speed ratio, reflecting the efficiency of a rail system. China's high-speed rail lines lag behind their international counterparts in terms of speed balance ratio.

What are the manufacturing and operational challenges mentioned in the script for Chinese high-speed rail?

Challenges include ground subsidence, use of substandard concrete without chemical hardeners, extension of the rail network to earthquake-prone regions, and issues of substandard construction due to corruption.

Outlines

00:00

🚄 Concerns Over Safety of China's High-Speed Trains

The paragraph discusses concerns regarding the safety of China's high-speed trains following incidents of severe shaking during travel. It mentions a video capturing violent shaking after passing through a station, which sparked worries about the train's ability to reach its destination safely. The paragraph also references past incidents shared on social media and international reactions, including a foreign individual advising against using Chinese high-speed trains due to the cessation of part supplies from Germany and Japan in March 2023. The commentary suggests that the trains' quality is compromised due to reliance on domestically produced parts after the international supply chain was affected. Experts predict major accidents are likely due to poor quality and adherence to intellectual property agreements. The paragraph also touches on allegations of technology theft from foreign companies and the resulting safety concerns, including a retired railway engineer's refusal to travel by high-speed rail due to safety risks.

05:03

🌐 International Criticism and Efficiency Concerns

This paragraph delves into international criticism of China's high-speed rail technology, suggesting that the country's development model involves borrowing technology and then isolating production for domestic use. It highlights the impact on international partners and the implementation of stricter intellectual property measures. The narrative includes a discussion on the quality of trains produced under stolen technology, with a specific mention of a retired railway engineer's concerns about safety due to rushed development. The paragraph also addresses the balance between speed, safety, and economic feasibility, comparing China's high-speed rail with international counterparts like Japan's Shinkansen and France's TGV. It points out that while China may boast about its record speeds, the average speed and efficiency are more critical for passenger satisfaction and system success.

10:05

🚨 Past Accidents and Ongoing Safety Issues

The focus of this paragraph is on the aftermath of a major high-speed rail accident in China and the subsequent impact on the country's approach to rail speed and safety. It discusses how the government's initial boastfulness about the speed of its high-speed trains was tempered by the tragedy, leading to a reduction in operating speeds. The paragraph provides details of the 2011 high-speed rail collision, its causes, and the consequences, including deaths, injuries, and economic losses. It also addresses ongoing safety issues, such as the use of substandard materials and components, and the challenges of manufacturing and operational problems, including ground subsidence and the use of domestically produced anti-loosening nuts that may not meet safety standards.

15:05

🛤️ Structural and Operational Challenges

This paragraph highlights the structural and operational challenges faced by China's high-speed rail system, including ground subsidence, the use of untreated concrete, and the extension of the rail network into earthquake-prone areas. It discusses the criticism by a former deputy chief engineer of the Ministry of Railways regarding the pursuit of speed at the expense of safety and the fabrication of data. The paragraph also mentions specific incidents of subsidence and concerns about the use of substandard construction materials, which could lead to premature wear and safety risks. Additionally, it raises the issue of corruption affecting the quality of high-speed rail construction, with allegations of corners being cut and foundation piles not being built to required lengths. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the numerous flaws in the system that could lead to serious accidents and the potential life-threatening consequences.

Keywords

💡High-speed train

A high-speed train refers to a class of rail transport that travels significantly faster than conventional trains. In the video, concerns are raised about the safety of Chinese high-speed trains after they were observed shaking violently during travel, which relates to the theme of safety and reliability of transportation infrastructure.

💡Tien, South Station

Tien, South Station is mentioned as a location where a high-speed train started shaking violently after passing through, indicating a specific incident that triggered concerns. It exemplifies the geographical context within which the train safety issues are being discussed.

💡Severe shaking

Severe shaking is used to describe the intense motion experienced by the high-speed trains, which is a symptom of potential structural or operational issues. It is a key term that directly ties to the central theme of safety concerns raised in the video.

💡Technology theft

Technology theft is referenced in the context of China's high-speed rail development, suggesting that the technology was acquired through unethical means. This term is crucial as it sets the stage for discussions on the legitimacy and safety of the trains' operational integrity.

💡Reverse engineering

Reverse engineering is mentioned as a method by which China allegedly acquired high-speed rail technology. It is a process where a system is taken apart to understand its construction and operation, with the goal of creating a similar system. The term is significant as it implies a lack of original innovation and potential safety compromises.

💡Intellectual property

Intellectual property rights are implied to have been violated in the development of China's high-speed rail. This term is important as it relates to the legal and ethical considerations surrounding technology transfer and innovation.

💡Safety hazards

Safety hazards are potential dangers that could cause harm or accidents. The script mentions safety hazards in relation to the high-speed trains, emphasizing the video's focus on the potential risks to passengers and the need for stringent safety measures.

💡Ground subsidence

Ground subsidence refers to the sinking or settling of the ground, which can compromise the stability of rail infrastructure. It is mentioned as a potential issue for the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed rail line, underscoring the video's theme of infrastructure integrity and safety.

💡Patents

Patents are legal rights granted for an invention, preventing others from making, using, or selling the invention without permission. The script discusses the lack of Chinese patents for certain high-speed rail components, which raises questions about the independence and reliability of their technology.

💡Quality assurance

Quality assurance is a process that ensures that products, systems, or services are of adequate quality. The video script implies a lack of quality assurance in Chinese high-speed rail, which is a central concern as it directly impacts the safety and reliability of the trains.

💡Substandard construction

Substandard construction indicates that building work does not meet the required quality or safety standards. The term is used in the context of allegations of poor construction practices in Chinese high-speed rail projects, which is a significant point of discussion in the video regarding safety and integrity.

Highlights

A Chinese high-speed train experienced violent shaking after passing through Tien South Station, raising safety concerns.

This is not an isolated incident—several similar cases of high-speed trains shaking have been reported, with many shared on social media.

International commentary has surfaced, with foreign individuals advising against taking Chinese high-speed trains due to safety risks.

Germany and Japan stopped supplying key parts to Chinese high-speed trains, leading to concerns about the quality of Chinese-made components.

Experts predict inevitable major accidents due to the use of poor-quality parts in Chinese high-speed trains.

China's high-speed rail technology has been criticized for being reverse-engineered from foreign technologies, including from Germany and Japan.

Japan has accused China of violating technology transfer agreements and stealing key technologies for high-speed trains.

Germany’s Seaman and Japan’s Shinkansen technology were acquired by China and allegedly reverse-engineered to develop domestic high-speed rail models.

In 2011, Chinese media raised concerns about the rushed development of China's high-speed rail system, citing safety risks.

A retired Chinese railway engineer expressed concerns about safety and refused to travel on high-speed trains due to hidden risks.

China's focus on speed over safety has led to criticism, with experts citing Japan’s Shinkansen as an example of prioritizing safety, having operated without accidents for over 46 years.

China’s infamous 2011 high-speed rail accident, which resulted in 40 deaths and over 170 injuries, highlighted severe design flaws and mismanagement.

Despite the government’s claims, China's high-speed rail efficiency, measured by the speed balance ratio, lags behind international counterparts like Japan and France.

China's high-speed rail faces quality issues, including ground subsidence, premature wear of viaducts, and corruption-driven substandard construction practices.

In 2023, safety risks were exposed in Shandong due to substandard materials used in high-speed rail construction, raising concerns about widespread issues.

Experts warn that China's high-speed rail is likely to face serious accidents in the future due to hidden safety flaws and the use of poor-quality components.

Transcripts

a Chinese person captured footage of a

high-speed train which started shaking

violently after passing through Tien

South Station the individual who

recorded the video expressed concern

about whether the train could reach its

destination safely this incident is not

isolated back in July this year several

people shared on social media their

experiences with high-speed trains

shaking during travel the highspeed

train in the video departed from Lano

heading to San and experienced severe

Shak while passing through bji City in

sansi Province another instance involved

a train traveling from Beijing to

Shanghai which also shook violently when

passing through the shuo and taian

sections terrifying passengers on board

these videos have even made their way

overseas a foreign person posted online

advising against taking Chinese

highspeed trains they explained that

after Germany stopped supplying parts to

Chinese highspeed trains Japan followed

suit in March 2023

as a result there are fewer parts

available for Replacements and while

some parts are made in China the quality

is poor experts predict that major

accidents are inevitable for Chinese

high-speed trains as they have seen many

videos of intense shaking and other

incidents a bore websites news

commentator Wong Duran stated that the

issues seen in the videos are not

surprising as China's High-Speed Rail

technology was stolen after making

purchases from abroad China initially

relied on Partnerships with foreign

companies mainly acquiring technology

from Germany's Seaman Japan's shinkansen

and France alom by signing cooperation

agreements China gained access to core

Technologies which is then reverse

engineered and stole many experts point

out that China did not fully comply with

International intellectual property

agreements and instead engage in

technology theft copying and reverse

engineering the most notable case

involves China acquiring Shin kanen

technology from Japan after

collaborating with Kawasaki heavy

Industries and other companies to obtain

key Shin sunare Technologies China

quickly began producing its own

high-speed train models which closely

resemble Japans Japan has repeatedly

expressed dissatisfaction accusing China

of violating the technology transfer

agreement and using illegal methods to

obtain technical details similarly

Germany Sean accused China of stealing

its high-speed train Tech techology and

using it for domestically developed

trains bypassing intellectual property

agreements Seaman stated that China's

highspeed rail development model is

borrow technology and then close the

loop meaning that after acquiring the

technology through Corporation China

isolates production and research to

create its own high-speed train brand

this systematic theft not only cause

Financial losses for international

Partners but also heightened global

concerns about China's technological

expansion many countries and companies

have since implemented stricter

intellectual property protection

measures to prevent further incidents of

this kind it's not just the act of theft

that has drawn International

condemnation the quality of highspeed

trains produced under stolen technology

is also under screwy in 2011 shortly

after China's claim its High-Speed Rail

technology had matured dsha the head of

the sanhi branch of people's daily

published an article in China economic

weekly titled retired Railway engineer

refuses to take High-Speed Rail citing

Rush development as a safety risk

directly questioning the safety of

China's rapidly developing high-speed

rail system in the article du recounts a

conversation with a friend from China

Railways when asked whether High spe

rail had any hidden risk the friend

cautiously replied we had an engineer

who retired last year when he left he

said I will never take highspeed rail

for the rest of my life this friend's

company specialized in railw

construction so if railro workers are

unwilling to take highspeed trains then

there must be a significant underlying

issue do describes how after the

highspeed line from Shian to gel opened

he was invited by Shian railw Bureau to

experience highspeed rail travel he took

a trip from Shian North to luyang

longmen station a total distance of 380

km with the fastest Journey taking 1

hour and 15 minutes and the longest is 1

hour and 58 minutes much faster than the

slow trains his used to take the journey

lasting a little over an hour left a

strong impression on du he wrote at the

time the high-speed train body is Sleek

and the carriages are beautiful compared

to the slow trains I took in my younger

days the difference is like night and

day the high-speed train has had a

speedy display board inside clearly

showing the current speed at one point

while passing through a specific area

the train speed reached over 350 km per

hour fast enough to lift a Boeing 737

off the ground the Chinese government

boasted that its High-Speed Rail had

achieved an average speed of 350 km per

hour the fastest in the world after

traveling on the Gen sea line for about

40 minutes du was given the rare

opportunity to visit the cockpit what

happened next shocked him at one section

of the journey the train slowed down and

then sped up again reaching around 250

kmers per hour when a bird hit the

cockpit windshield there was a loud bang

leaving blood stains and a tough of

feathers stuck on the glass fluttering

in the wind the scene reminded du of a

psychics book he had read in childhood

which stated that if a car traveling at

80 kmph collided with the thrown

watermelon the energy generated will be

equivalent to detonating a

grenade this was not the fastest speed

achieved by Chinese highs speed rail in

December 2010 a high speed train set a

well record during a test run on the

Beijing Shanghai line reaching

an urban rail Transit Research Institute

explained that there is a safety margin

between a train's experimental top speed

and its operational top speed for

instance France's tgb set a record of

5748 km per hour in April 2007 but in

normal operations it runs at a maximum

of 320 to 350 km per hour Sun also

mentioned that there is another metric

the average to top speed ratio called

the speed balance ratio which reflects

the efficiency of a rail system China's

highspeed Rail lines lag behind their

International counterparts in terms of

speed balance ratio for example the

Shanghai nanging Inter City highspeed

rail runs at a top speed of 350 Kil per

hour completing the journey in 75

minutes with an average speed of

24.8 km per hour giving it a speed

balance ratio of

0.69 by comparison and Japan's highspeed

rail has a ratio of 0.81 and France's

tgv has a ratio of 0.77 meaning China's

efficiency in this area is

lower soon believes that the higher the

speed balance ratio the more efficient

the system he stated that passengers

care more about average speed than top

speed for example while Japan's top

speed may not surpass China's its

average speed is higher leading to

better efficiency and overall usage of

the highspeed rail Network he also

pointed out that excessive focus on

speed can lead to a host of problems the

balance between speed safety and

economic feasibility is the most crucial

issue that China's highspeed rail system

needs to address soon cited Japan's Shin

kanen as an example which has operated

for 46 years without a single accident a

testament to achieving the right balance

while the strategy of leap frogging in

development may work at a high level it

is essential to follow scientific

principles and proceed step by step in

practice however the Chinese government

seems obsessed with pushing speed

boundaries in China there are two types

of highspeed rail regular trains and

highspeed trains both of which are

significantly faster than the older

green trains the regular high-speed

trains typically operate at speed above

200 km per hour while the newest models

reach speeds of 350 km per hour or more

China's latest magnetic levitation train

can reach speeds of even 600 km per hour

these impressive figures are a point of

Pride for the Chinese government in 2017

Chinese media widely covered an American

company hyperloop 1 second test in the

Nevada desert which reached a speed of

192 mph which is 310 km per hour however

the intention wasn't to praise American

Technology but to boast that China's

highspeed rail after recent upgrades has

surpassed it in speed

despite previous public statements by

the American company that with a longer

test track the maximum speed could reach

250 mph which is 402 km per hour and

that the future operational maximum

speed might hit 500 miles per hour that

is 805 km per hour these figures seems

less noteworthy to the Chinese

government than the fact that the fen

train has completed test and scientific

evaluations at a speed of 350 km per

hour

which is why they prefer to emphasize as

part of their achievements China's

political commentator Yen Dan believes

that the Chinese government's boasting

about highspeed rail often includes a

phrase after speeding up giving the

impression of cautiousness however this

caution is not rooted in concerns about

the safety of applying advanced

technology to real life on the contrary

it stems from the past highspeed rail

accident which caused significant

casualties and public outrage for foring

the government to D back its

boastfulness in 2015 when China Railway

Corporation discussed a speed of 350 km

per hour they use the term restoration

instead of acceleration this is because

350 km per hour was originally designed

speed for Beijing Shanghai and other

major highspeed Rail lines however after

the infamous wo highspeed rail Collision

in 2011 which shocked the world the

ministry of Railways immediately

announced a reduction in the operating

speed of highs speeed trains lowering it

from 350 to 300 km per hour the accident

occurred on the evening of July 23rd

2011 at 8:30 p.m. on the o Jang bridge

in wo jjang Province the D31 train from

Beijing South to fujo collided with the

d315 train traveling from hjo to fujo

South after the d301 trains four

carriages ran over the rare 16th

Carriage of the D 3115 train they fell

off the bridge resulting in 40 deaths

and 172 injuries the Collision hold to

train services for 32 hours and 35

minutes causing direct economic losses

of over 193 million yen the main cause

of the accident were severe design flaws

in the Train control center equipment

inadequate oversight and failures in

emergency responses after a lightning

strike caused system malfunctions

so did reducing the speed by 50 km per

hour ensure the safe operation of

highspeed trains Yen Dan argues that the

issue had little to do with speed the

windr crash was clearly linked to the

quality of Chinese high-speed trains

more importantly the publicly disclosed

quality issues made people feel that

those responsible for China's highspeed

rail were carelessly negligent

constantly making lowlevel mistakes it

is hard to accept that the catastrophic

wind accident was caused by a sign

equipment design floor that display the

red light as green light after a

malfunction how can a country that can't

even manage its signal system boast

about a speed of 350 km per hour a speed

that could result in deadly accidents if

something goes wrong in a country where

both officials and workers seem to

collectively disregard Public Safety

similar accidents are likely to continue

who would take pride in speed build on

such a significant vulnerabilities

probably only the Chinese government can

manage to do so for ordinary people who

actually take highspeed trains safety is

obviously more important than speed

before China continues boasting about

its highspeed trains it needs to provide

patents and credible quality assurance

to ensure that there are no safety

hazards Behind These impressive speeds

unfortunately the Chinese government is

unlikely to do so because the core

technology along with the patents

ensuring safety and quality were not

developed by China if the truth were

revealed the government could no longer

tout its greatness glory and correctness

nor could it profit from these highspeed

rail projects reports from Chinese media

have highlighted that China's highp

speed rail even relies on small imported

components such as the non- loosening

nuts produced by hardlock industrial

companies a small Japanese company with

just 45 employees as high-speed train

run the constant vibrations caused by

contact between the train and track can

loosen regular screws to prevent this

the screws and nuts need to be perfectly

locked in place and never loosen only

one company in the world Japan's

hardlock Industrial company is capable

of producing such non- loosening nuts

even so Japan has not globally

publicized as unique patent some media

have revealed that the inventor of the

non-losing nut faced many obstacles and

complaints during its development and

promotion investing considerable time

and money into research meanwhile

China's hastily developed anti-loosening

nuts like the tongue nut and

self-locking nut fail to provide the

most critical safety guarantees without

Japan's non- loosening nuts the

convenience provided by highspeed rail

would be nothing more than empty

promises this raises the question is the

frequent shaking of Chinese highspeed

trains due to the fact that Japan has

stopped supplying anti- loosening nuts

forcing the railway Department to use

domestically produced Chinese versions

in addition to patent related issues

Chinese highspeed rail faces other

manufacturing and operational challenges

the first issue is ground subsidence Joe

eing former deputy chief engineer of the

ministry of Railways criticized former

Railway Minister Leo judin for pursuing

speed goals without considering safety

factors and even fabricating data he

said that the safety of the Beijing

Shanghai highspeed rail still needs to

be evaluated he revealed that the

Beijing shenel chr5 high speed line

frequently stopped due to Mid Journey

malfunctions and just 2 years after

construction the sh Tai line from Tai

yen to Shu Dr experienced ground

subsidence of up to 40 cm the Beijing

tening inter city high speed rail has

also shown signs of subsidence Hong Kong

poly Technic University's civil

engineering Professor Ying Jena who

participated in testing the Beijing

Shanghai highspeed rail confirmed to the

media that the tending line had indeed

experienced subsidence he believes that

given the longer distance of the Beijing

Shanghai line is difficult to ensure

that similar issues won't arise he said

in some sections between Beijing and

tinging water is pumped from drinking or

industrial use causing the water table

to drop and the bridge peers to sink we

had identified this issue through many

satellite images and on-site tests so

substance is indeed a hidden danger

another the concern is that some

concrete VI ducts in China were not

treated with expensive chemical

hardeners which could lead to premature

wear limiting the trains top speeds

additionally China has extended its

high-speed Ro Network to the earthquakes

prone Western regions in the event of an

earthquake the rail system would be at

risk and it could damage tracks and

disrupt signal systems the issue of

substandard construction caused by

corruption in China's government is

another major concern affecting

highspeed rail quality in 2023 safety

risks was exposed in Shandong liong

highspeed rail due to it substandard

materials in mid July 2023 kand San

industrial Co limited a subcontractor of

the third section of the Shandong lyong

highspeed Rail Project filed a former

complaint accusing China construction

e8th engineering division of cutting

Corners the subcontractor reported that

some foundation piles were not built to

the require wi length posing significant

safety risk journalists with the help of

professionals reviewed relevant maps and

calculated the actual amount of concrete

used in the project their findings

largely confirmed the allegations of

substandard construction other

subcontractors in the same section of

the project also reported similar issues

with the foundation piles this raises a

question could there be similar problems

in highspeed rail construction across

the country the answer is likely yes

after telling these issues if becomes

clear that the flaws in China's highs

speed rail systems are numerous these

hidden dangers could emerge at any

moment and threaten people's lives as

mentioned earlier experts warning that

China's highspeed rail is bound to face

serious accidents and are likely not

just predictions but highly probable

events when these highspeed trains are

in operation it will truly be a matter

of life and death

[Music]