Famous Hundred-Million-Dollar Tofu Bridges in Mainland China Are Collapsing

The term tofu dreg was first coined by former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji. After inspecting the collapse of flood walls in a southern city in 1998, he angrily criticized the structure as a tofu dreg project when asked about the cause of the failure. Since then, the term tofu dreg construction has frequently appeared in major Chinese media and has gradually become well-known. This video will provide us with a comprehensive look at high-quality bridges from ancient and modern times and compare them with the countless shoddy, dangerous, and collapsing tofu dreg structures under the CCP's rule. Let's take a look at these bridges first. Let's start with a bridge built during the Sui dynasty, the Zhaozhou Bridge. Designed and constructed by the famous craftsman Li Chun, it is approximately 1,400 years old. The Zhongshan Iron Bridge over the Yellow River in Lanzhou was built in 1909 by the German Tailai Company. The steel and cement were both imported from Germany, and it is still in use 110 years later. The warranty period of the bridge was 80 years. After the warranty of the Iron Bridge expired in 1989, the German parties wrote to the Lanzhou municipal government to inquire about the status of the bridge and noted that the contract had expired. The Luoyang Bridge, formerly known as Wanyan Bridge, was overseen by Kaixiang, a native of Putian and governor of Guangzhou during the Northern Song dynasty. From the fifth year of Huangyu, 1053 AD, to the fourth year of Jiayu, 1059 AD, it took seven years and 14 million tales of silver to build this large stone bridge that spanned the river and connected to the sea. According to historical records, when the bridge was first built, it was 360 feet long and 15 feet wide, with warrior statues standing on both sides. The bridge construction project was huge in scale, with superb structural technology making it famous worldwide. The Nanjing-Yangtze River Bridge was completed and ready for inspection. General Xu Shiyu, then the commander of the Nanjing military region, wanted to test whether the bridge could withstand the rigors of war. With the approval of the headquarters, at about 8 o'clock on September 26, 1968, more than 80 tanks and over 60 vehicles of various types crossed the bridge in a column. Seeing the white marks left by the tracks, Commander Xu laughed and said, it's done. And now we see modern bridges costing hundreds of millions of dollars built under the CCP. The Yangmingtan Bridge, which cost 1.8 billion yuan, about 252 million USD to build, was opened to traffic less than a year ago. However, the steel bars and concrete have already deteriorated into tofu dregs. Four trucks rushed across it, causing the bridge to collapse, destroying vehicles and killing people. The scene was horrific. On January 4, 1999, the Chongqing-Qijiang Rainbow Bridge suddenly collapsed, leaving only the east and west bridge piers standing. The accident resulted in 40 deaths and 14 injuries. The bridge had been built in February 1996. Many young people may not even know that such a serious casualty incident occurred. At the site of the Tianjin-Jinan Expressway Ramp Bridge collapse, it was demolished before anyone else could take action. A flyover under demolition on Section 02 of Daisheng East Road in Hangzhou suddenly collapsed, causing one death and three injuries. Even more shocking was that just three days before the incident, hundreds of people were observing the construction site, which had been hailed as a model and example of safe construction in the city. The Gongguan Bridge in Wuyishan, Fujian, also collapsed. Many people were injured and killed in this accident. The construction quality was extremely poor, and most of the construction costs had been embezzled. These typical real-life examples provide us with a panoramic view of the construction sector in China. Large civil works should be carried out with great care and quality to ensure the safety of the people. On the contrary, officials have embezzled most of the project's funds, leaving only a small amount to create tofu-dreg projects that endanger the people of the mainland. This problem will never be solved as long as the CCP remains in power. Tofu construction in China, Foshan building shakes. Buildings in Wuhan are shaking too. Construction projects in China are nicknamed tofu by the people. Tofu projects and buildings have mushroomed under the CCP regime due to rampant corruption among officials and cadres. Corruption permeates from top to bottom, even in the construction sector, leading to the use of substandard materials, steel and cement. As a result, these constructions are of poor quality, with crumbling walls made of sand, concrete without reinforcement, and buildings that are very easy to collapse when unexpected incidents occur. Many cases of residential buildings in large traffic bridges collapsing have occurred in the mainland, causing significant loss of life. The number of such incidents increases every year, but the CCP regime continues to ignore this problem. China's shoddy construction projects are becoming more and more bizarre. In addition to the already common occurrences of building collapses, bridge collapses, and road collapses, the phenomenon of shaking buildings has recently appeared. On June 25, the official website of the Housing, Urban Rural Development, and Water Affairs Bureau of Changcheng District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, issued a situation report stating that at about 15 yunars on June 24, 2024, Block A of Vanka Financial Center in Changcheng District shook slightly, and some people inside the building evacuated downstairs. After a preliminary investigation by experts, no damage to the main structure of the building, cracking of the surrounding site, or falling off of the curtain wall panels was found. Video posted online showed the high-rise building of Foshan Vanka Financial Center shaking violently. The footage showed that a high-rise building in the center of the city kept swaying, and employees inside fled downstairs to the open area below. Someone said, the whole building is shaking. In another scene, a potted plant placed on an employee's desk is seen shaking up and down, left and right. The female employee said, there's an earthquake, it keeps shaking. Look, oh, it's shaking so hard. No, it's the entire foundation shaking. However, Chinese media reported that the surrounding buildings of did not shake, and people in towers B and C of the nearby financial center within 100 meters also said they did not feel any obvious vibrations. Relevant staff from the Seismological Bureau even said that no earthquake occurred in Foshan and surrounding areas around 1530. Someone left a message on Weibo and said, wasn't the damping adjusted? I remember this happened in Shenzhen a few years ago. The Shenzhen Seg Plaza building also shook like this last time, and then part of the building on the roof was demolished. There have been road collapses here before. However, some people said it hints at a financial earthquake. Coincidentally, in addition to the phenomenon of swaying in the Vanka building in Foshan, there was also a phenomenon of swaying in a high-rise building as far away as Wuhan. On June 23rd, a high-rise residential building in Wuhan swayed inexplicably in the wind. The video posted online shows a building swaying left and right together with a nearby tree, and there is relative back and forth movement between two unit buildings. However, no residents were seen outside the building. Some netizens left comments under a related video on social media. How to deal with so much construction waste? Guangzhou has just collapsed, and the buildings are shaking again. Although it has nothing to do with me, I really can't stand it. On June 21st, a residential building suddenly collapsed on Tianfu Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou. Video footage showed that the collapsed stairs squeezed the exposed steel bars together, and the scene was in chaos. Heart-wrenching cries were also heard in the video. A man said, someone is injured in the rubble. Call for help immediately. China's construction crisis, a catastrophic saga of tofu buildings and substandard safety. The quality and durability of commercial housing in China has come under scrutiny lately. Economist Ma Guangyuan claimed that due to poor construction standards and materials, most commercial housing built in China since 2000 will require major repairs within 30 years. In the Chinese real estate market, the majority of houses are substandard, especially those built after 2015. Many ordinary citizens have purchased houses at high prices, but of low quality. Therefore, when people talk about what will happen after 70 years, you don't even need to consider the 70-year issue. It would be surprising if these houses could last for 70 years. That would be extremely conscientious. In my opinion, they may not even last for 70 years. Major renovations may be required after 30 years, and there may be no way to address the issues effectively. He has all the reasons to make this statement. Not only that, Chinese infrastructure is also terrible in terms of quality. Ma Guangyuan cites shoddy foundations, unqualified wall materials and profit-driven developers cutting corners after 2000. Defects stay hidden initially. Chinese also lack a maintenance mindset, quickening deterioration. Surveillance video. A house collapsed in Wenzhou, killing four people. Some people ran to escape the moment it collapsed. A house collapsed near a market in Zhanghai District, Jiangmen, Guangdong. A gas explosion caused the building to collapse in a community in Tianjin. If a gas explosion in a room can cause this much damage, we have to question the quality of the Since 2000, surging prices made real estate seem hugely profitable. Construction, however, takes two to three years minimum, challenging quality control when rushing for buyers. Eager owners often accept flawed units just to gain deeds quickly. As prices climbed, some developers focused more on margins than standards, knowing defects get missed during Buyers have little leverage, even if dissatisfied, as long as problems seem minor. Collapsing buildings is really not a rare sight in China. The slope protection of Yixin Community in Sichuan collapsed, causing serious damage to the building. The quality of China's building and infrastructure is so bad that even rain can cause collapse. The crisis of substandard construction quality in China's resettlement housing Systemic problems in the Chinese construction industry are deeply rooted and multifaceted, manifesting themselves prominently through rampant subcontracting issues and pervasive corruption. A stark indication of the subcontracting prevalence is that, as per Asian Journal of German and European Studies, over 90% of the construction projects in China involve subcontracting, which is a specific characteristic of the market in the country. This extensive use of layered subcontracting frays accountability and severely reduces profit margins at each level, creating a cascade of financial pressure that often culminates in compromising construction quality and safety. A five-story building under construction in rural Yulin was broken and the load-bearing wall collapsed. Unknown casualties after building collapse in Shenzhen. A building under construction in Shaanxi Huadu collapsed and firefighters rushed to the scene to rescue. By the time the work trickles down to the final tier of subcontractors, who are typically tasked with the actual construction work, the available profits have been so diminished that these entities are frequently driven to employ cost-cutting measures. Survivors of the Xinjia Hotel collapse in Guangzhou, Fujian. The house collapsed while they were lying down playing games. An old building collapsed in Changchun. The office building of Baicheng Elephant Credit Union collapsed. In 2022, there were around 143,446 construction enterprises in China, but this figure doesn't include the numerous subcontractors further down the hierarchy. Such entities often hire unskilled workers, many of whom are migrants lacking proper training and experience, to maintain profitability in the face of shrinking margins. The house of an elderly man living alone collapsed, and his family members came to accidentally take a breathtaking scene. A brush with death. A building under construction in Guangdong collapsed, killing two and injuring three. Insiders, there were workers working on the site when the collapse occurred. A building suddenly collapsed in Haining, Zhejiang. A large amount of smoke and dust rose from the scene. Some people were injured and sent to hospital. Simultaneously, there is a propensity to procure substandard building materials, which poses a risk to structural integrity and safety post-construction, potentially jeopardizing the outputs valued at over 31 trillion yuan in 2022, a figure that has nearly doubled from a decade ago. Zhongshan Xiaolin responded to the 45-degree collapse of the hotel porch. No casualties. A renovated building in Shanghai collapsed, and many workers were buried at the scene. Some were rescued. The issue of subcontracting is exacerbated by corruption and bribery, which act as catalysts for the industry's deviation from established construction norms and regulations. Instances of bribery are not just incidental. They often systematically pervade every phase of the construction process, from securing bids to passing inspections. This deeply entrenched corruption undermines institutions, leading to widespread noncompliance with quality standards, which is dangerous considering the construction industry accounts for about 7% of China's GDP. A metal building suddenly collapsed in Bayun, Guangzhou, and two people were rescued. An apartment building in Qinwai District, Nanjing partially collapsed, and the ground was covered with broken tiles and debris. A total of five people were at the scene and three were rescued. Furthermore, corruption and the resultant substandard practices have broad market implications. They distort market dynamics and create unfair competition, where honest firms are either compelled to follow suit or are pushed out by less ethical entities. The lack of regulation and oversight enables a culture of corruption and systemic failure to enforce standards, ultimately degrading the international reputation of China's construction sector and eroding public trust. A collapse at a construction site in Wuhan killed six people and injured five others. A renovated building in Shanghai collapsed and more than 20 people were trapped. A supermarket collapsed in Jiamusi. Residents said it was being renovated when the incident occurred. The interplay of extensive subcontracting and endemic corruption has created systemic vulnerabilities in the construction industry, resonating through the economic and social strata. To resolve these issues, it will require reform of legal frameworks and industry practices, emphasizing transparency, strong supervisory mechanisms, and punitive measures for non-compliance. Stakeholders across the sector, including government regulators, contractors, and consumer advocates, must collaborate to dismantle the structures that allow for corrupt practices. Only through such sustained, data-informed efforts can the integrity of China's construction industry be restored to ensure it meets global quality and safety standards, supporting the nation's rapid urbanization and growth in a sustainable manner. A park promenade in Jian completely collapsed and residents were buried while enjoying the shade. At least one person died and one was injured. A worker was buried when a wall collapsed at a construction site in Nanchong, Sichuan. Fire emergency rescue. After Beijing's first snowfall, an unusual scene unfolded at Jingshan Park. Crowds surged up the mountain, shoulder to shoulder, many coming not to admire the snow but to face the site associated with the Chongzhen Emperor, a place loaded with historical symbolism. Online videos showed mostly young people climbing slowly through dense crowds, with plainclothes security wearing red armbands quietly present. Netizens noted it took nearly an hour just to reach the top, something never seen even during past winters. Many questioned why people chose this exact place at this exact moment. The prevailing view was that this was not tourism but a silent expression of public sentiment. Some warned the park might soon be closed for maintenance, recalling how Kaifeng Prefecture was shut down after similar gatherings. Many concluded that ordinary people have already voted with their feet and that right and wrong still live quietly in the hearts of the public. People gathered at this historically significant site not merely to remember the past but as a silent expression of discontent with the control of the Chinese Communist Party, CCP, and a collective signal of the public's desire to break free from tightening constraints and seek change in the near future. Years of financial drain have left national coffers dangerously hollow. History has a way of repeating itself. In today's China, land-based finance has collapsed, the real estate bubble has burst, and local governments are under crushing fiscal pressure. Even Beijing's economy is struggling. For years Beijing was seen as the last stronghold not because of industrial vitality but because it concentrated power and resources. As long as Beijing held firm, markets believed China still had one final card. Now that illusion is cracking. Housing prices in Beijing's core areas have fallen by roughly 40 percent. This is not a normal market adjustment. It is a collapse of confidence. It signals that the final psychological defense line of China's economy has been breached. An era is quietly turning. One person shared a personal story. Three years ago they bought a home in Beijing. Recently, checking neighborhood prices and transaction data left them deeply shaken. In 2022, they believed renting for five or six thousand yuan a month made no sense, especially with a child. They calculated that adding a bit more money could cover the mortgage. At the time, the wife suffered severe pregnancy reactions and rarely went out. The husband left early and returned late each day. After work, they scrolled endlessly through housing listings, convinced prices had already bottomed out and fearing a rebound if they waited. They viewed homes for less than a month before buying. Shortly after the purchase, prices did rise. They quietly congratulated themselves. But starting last year, prices fell relentlessly, this year being especially brutal. In just three years, they lost more than 700,000 yuan. She wondered how many years an ordinary worker would need to earn that sum. Making money has become painfully hard, and one wrong decision can erase everything. Another blogger shared a similar story. Their home dropped from over three million yuan to just over one million. Her husband decided they had no choice but to sell. They bought the house for their child's education, taking on a one million yuan debt with a monthly mortgage of 5,000 yuan over 30 years. She had been unemployed for 13 months, while her husband carried both the household and the mortgage alone. In the end, they sold. When they bought it, they never imagined this outcome. They planned to live there long term. Ten years in that home felt like raising a child, yet even that had to be let go. More and more netizens are saying the same thing now. People aren't just selling their homes, they're crying while doing it. One friend sold a property just days ago and broke down completely after losing more than two million yuan. Another homeowner said they sold at a loss of several hundred thousand and cried for days on end. In Beijing, especially in Chaoyang District, this year has been brutal. One buyer owned two secondhand apartments there. One fell about 20% in a single year. The other nearly lost half its value. He asked desperately what he should do. The truth is, every type of secondhand home in Chaoyang has collapsed, from old walk-ups to luxury units. The atmosphere is no longer panic. It is collective despair. Entire families are left stunned. One family poured 3.96 million yuan into a school district apartment so their child could attend a primary school just 200 meters away. They emptied all their savings. The agent assured them everything was safe. Policies were checked. Distances were measured. To afford the mortgage, they cut every unnecessary expense. While the husband worked overtime night after night. But in 2023, after enrollment, the home was reassigned to a different school two kilometers away. The husband developed long-term insomnia. Every time he opened housing apps, a sense of injustice crushed him. Later, talking with other parents, he realized this was happening everywhere. Although the teachers turned out to be responsible and the family adapted, the pressure never lifted. Their down payment was effectively gone. Housing prices plunged, yet monthly repayments of over 10,000 yuan remained. Afraid of falling into negative equity, they decided to sell. Agents came, took photos, and listed the property. When they calculated everything—down payment, interest, fees—they realized the loss was staggering. Similar units in the same building, with better renovations, were selling for just 1.8 million. Their home was worth no more than 2 million. They insisted on listing at 2.6 million, then cut it to 2.4 million two weeks later. Agents said buyers were only willing to offer around 1.9 million. The husband refused further showings, saying it was pointless humiliation. After watching the market closely, they chose not to sell. Selling now would mean a fire sale loss. They had no urgent need for cash and nowhere else to go. On the way home, after hearing that another rental property they owned had dropped by 1 million yuan, the woman cried uncontrollably. Not just because of the price, but because memories flooded back. Walking 40 minutes every day to Shuangqiao subway station before the metro opened. Standing in the scorching sun after it did. Carrying their newborn home from the hospital to that neighborhood. Friends urged her to sell, but she couldn't let go. She cried all the way from Kaofeng to Niujie. She said this home witnessed everything, from having nothing to having a home, a car, and a child. Now they stood at a crossroads, slashed the price, rented out themselves, or sell outright. Faced with these choices, they felt completely lost. Another blogger shared that in January 2023, they bought a 68 square meter old apartment in Chaoyang for 6.27 million yuan. No elevator, no renovation. After a down payment of 3.89 million in agency fees, they took on a 30-year mortgage. One year later, similar units were selling for about 5.3 million. Nearly 1 million yuan vanished in 12 months. They said this is the reality of Beijing's housing market. In just two years, their home lost more than 700,000 yuan. As migrants in the city, that loss represents endless overtime and years of extreme frugality. This is not just money, it is blood and sweat. At times they felt their struggle meant nothing. Her husband tried to house was bought to live in, not to speculate. As long as life was stable, prices shouldn't matter. Life moves on, prices have fallen, and nothing can change that now. Torturing oneself over it brings no relief. Buying the home was their own decision, made after marriage and planning for a child. What they wanted was stability, and in that sense, the home did give them happiness. Their child was born there, so they chose acceptance and kept working. Another couple said their homes lost over 2 million yuan in value. Without family support, they bought properties in Beijing, Chengdu, and Zhangjiakou, all at the peak. Years of effort disappeared overnight, yet they said they do not regret it. Those purchases were made with hope. Chengdu was before they met, Zhangjiakou was for their parents' retirement, Beijing was for themselves. Sometimes they think that if they hadn't bought in 2022, they might now afford a bigger home. That thought always hurts. Whether to upgrade has become an impossible dilemma. Their current home is livable, but cramped. Everyone wants space. Delaying decisions only adds hidden costs. For now, they choose silence, focusing on survival and income, waiting for the economy to improve. The latest signal came quietly. A six-story building in Jingmo Village, Chang'an District, sold for 5.8 million yuan, prices falling back to 2018 levels. For many, it confirmed what they already felt in their bones. This is no longer a cycle, it is an era ending. In the end, what people are witnessing is not just falling house prices, but the quiet unraveling of trust, confidence, and long-held dreams. Homes that once symbolized stability and success have turned into heavy burdens carried by ordinary families. Behind every number is a decade of overtime, sacrifice, and hope compressed into a single apartment. When crowds gather silently at places like Jingshan Park, they are not sightseeing, they are expressing something words can no longer carry. History does not repeat itself exactly, but it rhymes in painful ways. When people begin voting with their feet and memories replace optimism, it signals more than an economic cycle. It marks a moment when an era is quietly closing, and no announcement is needed to feel it. That concludes today's discussion. Please remember to like, subscribe, leave comments, and share with your friends. Thank you for your support. See you in the next episode.