HK Media’s Jiangsu Tour: CRRC Qishuyan Institute - China Leads 600+ Global Rail Standards

The Hong Kong media delegation visited the CRRC Qishuyan Locomotive & Rolling Stock Technology Research Institute (CRRC Qishuyan Institute for short) on March 27. Mr. Jin Guozhong, the rotating Deputy General Manager and Chief Engineer of the institute, introduced the corporation's ongoing collaboration with MTR Corporation. He noted that over the past decade, China has led the development of more than 600 international standards for railway transportation. Mr. Jin also expressed hope that Hong Kong would serve as a demonstration window for the Mainland's intelligent rail technology applications.

Mr. Jin Guozhong, the rotating Deputy General Manager and Chief Engineer of the institute, Photo by Bastille Post

Cooperation with MTR Covers Components and Standards Training

Founded in 1959, the CRRC Qishuyan Institute is CRRC's first mixed-ownership reform corporation in the manufacturing sector, focusing on two core technology areas: industrial transmission and materials technology. Mr. Jin Guozhong explained that the corporation currently supplies MTR with key components such as gear transmission systems, braking systems, and rail welding equipment, etc. It also assists in conducting professional personnel training, like standard implementation training and non-destructive testing training, etc.

The shear-type elastic wheel enhances the stability and shock absorption performance of rail transit through its specialized structural design. Photo by Bastille Post

China Leads One-Third of Global Rail Standards

Mr. Jin noted that the power to set rail transit standards is gradually shifting to China. Over the past decade, he said, China has led the development and revision of more than 600 rail transit-related standards within international organizations, such as ISO, IEC, and UIC — accounting for approximately one-third of the global total during this period. "Applying these standards in Hong Kong will certainly provide a strong guarantee for the safe operation of MTR trains," Mr. Jin said. "Moreover, it will also play an important supporting role in the standardization and internationalization of Hong Kong's local MTR products."

The 360-ton mining dump truck's electric wheel assembly delivers powerful driving and braking capabilities, with performance indicators reaching internationally advanced levels. Photo by Bastille Post

Hong Kong's Passenger Flow Holds Global Demonstration Value

Regarding further cooperation with Hong Kong, Mr. Jin stated that MTR, which handles one of the world's highest passenger flows and has accumulated extensive operational experience, is an ideal testing ground for promoting intelligent technologies from the Mainland. He noted that, as AI applications in passenger flow management, power grid, as well as line intelligent operation and maintenance continue to improve, "After good demonstration applications are established in Hong Kong, we can provide a significant standard reference for metro operations worldwide."

The simulation demonstration of intelligent driving and vehicle control systems is expected to see further application in high-traffic metro networks, such as Hong Kong's, in the future. Photo by Bastille Post

800 Robots Take Over 500 Grueling Jobs, Paving Way for High-Tech Positions

Mr. Liu Yunqing, the Chief Technical Expert of the institute, said that the institute has deployed around 800 robots across more than 100 production lines, replacing over 500 repetitive and grueling jobs — including deburring, heavy lifting, and grinding. These tasks previously required workers to repeat hundreds of motions daily while working in dusty conditions with protective masks for long hours. Meanwhile, the introduction of robots has also created more technically advanced new positions in installation, debugging, and maintenance. "These debugging staff work with computers all day. Their jobs are very easy, and their salaries are relatively high," Mr. Liu said. He noted that the average annual income of the corporation's staff has exceeded 160,000 RMB.

Industrial robotic arms perform precision machining operations on automated production lines, effectively replacing traditional high-intensity manual labor. Photo by Bastille Post

Robots, working in conjunction with a vision recognition system, enable precise parts gripping and automated assembly. Photo by Bastille Post

Craftsmanship: Perfecting Every Single Component

In the face of the wave of AI and robotics development, Mr. Liu emphasized that the core value of craftsmanship will not be shaken by technological change. He stated that simple, repetitive positions will eventually be replaced, while technologically advanced jobs will be increased, making young people proactively embrace technological transformation. "Every component we produce is a masterpiece," Mr. Liu said. "Everyone must uphold the standard to make every product perfect."

The railway engineering machinery model equipped with automated control functions showcases CRRC's achievements in integrating intelligent technology into traditional track maintenance equipment. Photo by Bastille Post

Collaborative robots demonstrate precise operational capabilities, highlighting the diversified development of intelligent technologies across both service and industrial applications. Photo by Bastille Post

The Hong Kong media delegation visited the Nanjing City Wall Museum and Zhonghua Gate on March 24. Ms. Zhao Mengwei, Director of the Academic Research Department at the Nanjing City Wall Research Center, took the interview and explained the behind reason of the simplified Chinese characters "Liu Dehua" (same as the name of the well-known HK artist Andy Lau) on the wall brick that has recently sparked heated discussion online, and introduced the city wall's conservation techniques and the progress of its World Heritage application.

The Hong Kong media delegation visited the Nanjing City Wall Museum and Zhonghua Gate on March 24. Photo by Bastille Post

The Nanjing City Wall was built under the supervision of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty, which consists of four layers: the Palace City, the Imperial City, the Capital City, and the Outer City. The construction took 28 years and mobilized over one million craftsmen and laborers. Nowadays, the wall stretches approximately 25 kilometers, making it the longest and best-preserved city wall in China. Ms. Zhao Mengwei described it as "a pinnacle of ancient Chinese city construction history".

The Zhonghua Gate section of the Nanjing City Wall, Photo by Bastille Post

The Nanjing City Wall is the longest and best-preserved city wall in China. Photo by Bastille Post

The stone for consolidating the City Wall's foundation, Photo by Bastille Post

Wall Brick Engraved with "Andy Lau"? It's a Craftsman's Name!

Recently, a brick from Nanjing City Wall bearing the simplified Chinese characters  "Liu Dehua" (same as the name of the well-known HK artist Andy Lau in Chinese) went viral online. In addition to sharing the same name as the famous Hong Kong artist, the character "Liu" on the brick is written in simplified Chinese, leading many to question the brick's authenticity.

Photo by Bastille Post

The inscription reads "Brick maker Liu Dehua", indicating that it was personally fired by a craftsman named Liu Dehua. Photo by Bastille Post

Ms. Zhao explained that the brick is indeed from the Ming Dynasty. The inscription reads "Brick maker Liu Dehua", indicating that it was personally fired by a craftsman named Liu Dehua—a product of the "materials bearing the craftsman's name" responsibility system implemented in the early Ming Dynasty.

The Yaodong cave for firing the bricks of the wall, Photo by Bastille Post

Regarding the presence of simplified characters, she noted that this is not surprising at all. "Simplified characters appeared on our Nanjing City Wall, showing that the evolution of this script actually began very early," she said. She added that over 300 colloquial characters have been discovered in the brick inscriptions of Nanjing City Wall, including more than 30 that are identical to the current simplified characters—such as "Liu", "Shi", and "Wan"—all of which are natural variations that emerged from ancient folk writing habits.

Photo by Bastille Post

Restoring History: Collecting Scattered Bricks to Rebuild City Wall

Ms. Zhao introduced that the city wall restoration work strictly follows the principles of "authenticity" and "integrity" required for World Cultural Heritage application, which includes collecting scattered wall bricks from various locations for use as restoration materials, as well as using scientific experiments to develop an adhesive that closely matches the original formula. She emphasized that restored sections will maintain "identifiability", allowing future generations to clearly distinguish between old and new sections and ensuring the integrity of the heritage record.

Currently, a monitoring and early warning system has been installed on the city wall, with over 260 automatic monitoring points along its entire length. The system detects any subtle displacement or bulging of the wall in real time, automatically issuing warnings in case of abnormalities, effectively "preventing problems before they occur".

Photo by Bastille Post

Joint Efforts for World Heritage Application

Ms. Zhao revealed that Nanjing is collaborating with the city walls of Xi'an, Fengyang, and Shouxian, etc., to jointly pursue a World Heritage application for "China's Ming and Qing Dynasty City Walls", to bring this military defense cultural heritage to the global stage.

Ms. Zhao Mengwei, Director of the Academic Research Department at the Nanjing City Wall Research Center, Photo by Bastille Post

She also introduced the distinctive features of various sections of the City Wall. The section around Zhonghua Gate is the widest and highest, featuring 27 hidden soldier tunnels, making it one of the largest city gates in China. The Taicheng section embodies Nanjing's urban landscape featuring "mountains, water, city, and forest". Meanwhile, the section near Jiming Temple has become a popular cherry blossom viewing spot. "During cherry blossom season, many tourists like to go there to take photos," she said.

The section around Zhonghua Gate is the widest and highest, featuring 27 hidden soldier tunnels, making it one of the largest city gates in China. Photo by Bastille Post

Nanjing's urban landscape featuring "mountains, water, city, and forest", Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post