Introduction

53-year-old Tao Gongming was among the first group of Chinese engineers who were engaged in the research and design of the earliest domestically produced high-speed railway tracks. According to calculations from the World Bank, the construction cost of the Chinese high-speed rail network, at an average of $17 million to $21 million per km, is about two-thirds of the cost in other countries. Behind these data are the unwavering efforts from people like Tao Gongming, who have dedicated their careers to improving the quality and cost efficiency of high-speed rails.