"We are slowly losing touch with reality!"

Martin Sonneborn, a famous satirical writer and member of the European Parliament from Germany, is currently traveling in China. On Thursday, he posted on the social platform X praising his train journey in China and made the above remark. This post has received 16,000 likes and been shared 1,600 times, sparking extensive discussions among netizens about high-speed rail between China and Germany.

Photo of China's high-speed train taken by Sonneborn

"Hmm. I am now on a train departing from Beijing to Hong Kong, departing on time, covering a distance of 2,439 kilometers in 8 hours and 10 minutes. The temperature outside the train is 38 degrees Celsius, while inside it is comfortable at 25 degrees Celsius. The attendants bring tea after each stop and mop the floor with a wet cloth," Sonneborn wrote while eating salted peas.

At this point, his office manager ordered Chinese food through a mobile app, and fresh meals were delivered to his seat at the next station. At the end of the post, Sonneborn summarized his description of his high-speed rail journey in China with the phrase "We are slowly losing touch with reality."

Sonneborn's post

The post by this former editor-in-chief of the famous satirical magazine Titanic and chairman of the German party immediately sparked intense debates. A fan immediately calculated that the average speed of this train should reach 298.7 kilometers per hour. Sonneborn also posted a photo of the interior of the train, showing the current speed displayed on the screen: 349 kilometers per hour.

Sonneborn shows off the speed of China's high-speed train during a campaign event

Some netizens with biases against China began to criticize Sonneborn because his post was clearly intended for comparison with Germany's frequently criticized railway system. Instead of retreating due to some biased netizens' comments, Sonneborn continued to respond appropriately multiple times: "I am the chairman of a party, and I know what that means... Smiling face."

Sonneborn shows off the speed of China's high-speed train

Sonneborn also responded to other questions, such as the price of train tickets from Beijing to Hong Kong. He frankly admitted: "The ticket price is about 50 euros." A reply that made Sonneborn take on political responsibility received extremely high likes: "Your party and people like you are responsible for Germany's increasing backwardness and disconnection."

Other netizens also shared their experiences of taking trains in Germany. A German fan sarcastically described the regional express train between Bottrop and Gelsenkirchen: "Departing on time, only delayed by 26 minutes. Inside the car it’s 38 degrees Celsius, outside it’s 25 degrees Celsius." The floor was sticky, and the air conditioning blew out dust-laden hot air. The person sitting next to me was eating liver paste sausage from a can.

A German fan makes fun of German railways

Some netizens also shared a cartoon imagining "Berlin 2040": a rusty German high-speed train (ICE) passing through a dirty slum. Many passengers were sitting on the roof of the train. These passengers looked like refugees from the Middle East and North Africa. Some netizens even remarked that this cartoon looked strikingly similar to India's current situation.

Afterward, Sonneborn further emphasized his enthusiasm for his high-speed rail journey in China: "My office manager Hoffman told me that it took the Chinese only three years to build this railway. Simple terrain is not necessarily a factor: 'Three of the world's four longest bridges are located along this line...'" According to the Berliner Zeitung, the Beijing-Hong Kong high-speed rail line has significantly reduced travel time. So far, 18 million passengers have used this route for cross-border trips to Hong Kong.

Cartoon imagining "Berlin 2040"

In fact, besides being late, the facilities on German trains, the train ticket booking apps, and the stations themselves are not inferior compared to other European countries.

Perhaps, just because China's high-speed rail construction is developing too quickly, stations, bridges, and other infrastructure are continuously setting records at a "mad speed," leaving other countries struggling to keep up!

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7516269452095226402/

Disclaimer: The article solely represents the author's views. Please express your opinion by clicking the 'Agree' or 'Disagree' button below.