[Source/Observer Network, Liu Chenghui]

"China is at least 50 years ahead of us..."

"Who would want to get off a train like this?"

"Is this a dream? Do these things really exist?"

The high-speed rail, which is an integral part of the daily life of ordinary Chinese people, has caused such a sensation on foreign social media.

"We are slowly losing touch with reality..." Recently, Martin Sonneborn, a member of the European Parliament, shared his experience of taking the high-speed rail in China, which sparked heated discussions among netizens on social media, with over 16,000 likes. Some people exclaimed: Our perception of China in Europe is completely distorted; China belongs to the future.

In addition to being a member of the European Parliament, Sonneborn is also a well-known satirical writer in Germany and the founder and leader of the German political party "The Party" (Die PARTEI).

Sonneborn shares his experience of China's high-speed rail on X platform.

"I am now on a train traveling from Beijing to Hong Kong, departing on time, covering 2439 kilometers, taking 8 hours and 10 minutes." Sonneborn described on X platform on June 12th, "It’s 38 degrees Celsius outside, but it’s comfortably 25 degrees inside. The attendants bring tea, and after each stop, they clean the floor with a wet mop."

"My department manager is using a mobile app to order Chinese food, and the steaming hot meals will be delivered to our seats at the next station."

Sonneborn concluded with a sigh, "We are slowly losing touch with reality..."

Sonneborn's photo of the high-speed rail carriage information display.

After hearing Sonneborn's description, many German netizens couldn't help but pour cold water on him — when you return to Germany and try the same journey, this future-like experience might turn into a nightmare, because here in our country, having network coverage in the carriage is already a luxury.

For Sonneborn's experience, many netizens who have lived in China empathized deeply.

"We had a similar experience when we were in China two weeks ago! It was an incredible experience, almost like a dream... Wishing you a safe journey!"

"Last year I stayed in China for several weeks and fully understand this. Our Germany feels like an open-air museum, unaware that it is being surpassed by countries on both sides. Although I won't settle in China, many things there are indeed more advanced."

"That sounds great. How about the accommodation conditions and the social credit system? What about the rumored 15-minute convenience circle? Are these real or just urban legends?"

"Yes! The most amazing experience of China's high-speed rail is how silently and smoothly the train runs on the tracks. This is completely different from the trains departing from Stuttgart Central Station: as soon as we leave the station, it feels like the tracks switch twenty times, leaving our necks sore."

"I have a friend who recently went to Guangzhou, and what he saw and heard left me speechless. Our perception of China in Europe is completely distorted. A Vietnamese friend once said that China is a country of the future."

Some people even imitated Sonneborn's tone to make fun of him: "I am now sitting on a high-speed train traveling from Cologne to Berlin. It's 37 minutes late, the air conditioning is broken, and wireless internet is only theoretically available in first-class cabins. I bought a cheese roll for 4.9 euros, which is about to expire tomorrow. My assistant is negotiating with the server in the dining car. What a 'smooth' journey we're having!"

Interestingly, a netizen reminded Sonneborn to "keep it down," because "there are many sensitive people in Germany and the EU, and they can't handle such things. They will instantly become emotional..."

Hey, he hit the nail on the head.

Some netizens are clearly trapped in the "anti-China information cocoon" fabricated by Western media, and their words are laughable. Some people took the opportunity to criticize Sonneborn, while others "kindly" reminded him to "watch out for agent tracking" and brought up so-called "human rights" issues.

One comment read: "This is probably a luxury that only wealthy Chinese people can afford." This netizen found it hard to believe that the facilities in China were so convenient, saying, "I find it hard to believe that this is the standard for ordinary Chinese people."

Soon this comment received rebuttals: "In which century do you live? In China, about 8 million people ride high-speed trains every day that travel faster than 250 kilometers per hour; in Germany, only about 280,000 people ride high-speed trains. Even relative to the population ratio, Chinese people now ride high-speed trains far more frequently than Germans."

In recent years, China's high-speed rail development has been rapid. As of the end of February 2024, according to the latest statistics released by China State Railway Group, the total operating mileage of railways nationwide reached 162,000 kilometers, including 48,000 kilometers of high-speed rail. China's high-speed rail operating mileage has set another record.

China's high-speed rail achievements have drawn attention before. Elon Musk, former head of the U.S. "Department of Government Efficiency," criticized the United States' railway transportation services in March. He said that countries like China have much better passenger railways than the United States, which makes Americans feel "embarrassed" and is also a kind of "sadness" for Americans.

At an investor conference, Musk shared his experiences of riding passenger railways abroad. He said, "If you go to China, you will experience an epic high-speed rail journey. They are fantastic!"

This article is an exclusive piece by Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7516386773489861155/

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