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When steel forests glow: How China’s heavy infrastructure found new audiences_我的网站

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An aerial view of Ningbo Petrochemical Economic and Technological Development Zone in East China's Zhejiang Province on August 19, 2026 Photo: Courtesy of Hu Xuejun
As night falls along China's East China Sea coast, rows of sprawling industrial facilities glow brightly under the dark sky. At Sinopec Ningbo Zhenhai Refining and Chemical Co., Ltd. (NZRCC) in East China's Zhejiang Province, a network of oil pipelines, towering distillation towers and neatly arranged oil storage tanks forms a futuristic "steel forest" outlined by lights and shadows.
On Chinese social media, this striking tableau has been embraced by younger generations as the essence of "cyberpunk-style hardcore romance." Amateur photographers and influencers have compiled detailed guides to the best viewing spots, complete with walking routes, camera angles, and even the optimal time to capture the scene, the so-called "blue hour," the period just before sunset.
Dozens of kilometers away, Ningbo-Zhoushan Port presents another stunning industrial scene. At this super port, which has ranked first globally in cargo throughput for 17 consecutive years, massive cargo ships anchor on the blue sea, stacked colorful shipping containers stretch along the shore, and giant quay cranes line up neatly. The dynamic interplay of mechanical operation lights and natural mountain and sea scenery creates a harmonious industrial beauty.
For years, heavy chemical plants and port infrastructure were associated in the public mind with noise, pollution, and a kind of forbidding remoteness - places to be avoided. Today, however, these industrial sites have transcended their purely functional roles, emerging as vivid windows through which ordinary people can observe China's new quality productive forces, and as a new narrative of coexistence between industry, ecology, and tourism.
An aerial view of the industrial facilities of Sinopec Ningbo Zhenhai Refining and Chemical Co., Ltd. on August 19, 2026 Photo: Courtesy of Hu Xuejun

An aerial view of the industrial facilities of Sinopec Ningbo Zhenhai Refining and Chemical Co., Ltd. on August 19, 2026 Photo: Courtesy of Hu Xuejun
From avoidance to admiration
"In the past, when people thought of heavy chemicals, their first associations were pollution and safety risks - they instinctively wanted to stay away. Now, young people willingly come close, take photos, and share images of refinery towers at night. That makes us deeply proud," Zhang Da, deputy general manager of NZRCC, told the Global Times.
Zhang emphasized that the facility's newfound "cyberpunk appeal" is not a gimmick created by lighting. Tens of thousands of tourists have now visited the outer perimeter of the plant. "Visitors can intuitively experience fresh air, a tidy environment and steadily operating production equipment. These unalterable real feelings are the core reason why industrial scenery has become a new urban landmark," he said. Modern industry, once distant to the public, has become visible, tangible and approachable.
A similar shift in public perception is taking place at Ningbo-Zhoushan Port. Netizens have spontaneously explored popular hiking trails on the mountains near the port. From elevated viewpoints, visitors can watch intelligent unmanned cranes operating with precise accuracy, alongside giant wind turbines spinning in the wind. Heavy industrial facilities blend seamlessly with lush mountains and clear waters, creating a perfect balance of motion and tranquility.
Chen Jia, a local resident, often comes to the coastline to overlook the port in his spare time and brings friends, including foreign visitors, to experience the scenery. "The efficient unmanned terminals, magnificent giant ships and harbor, and refreshing mountain-sea views have broken the cold stereotype of traditional industry. This is a unique romance made in China," he said.
Foreign visitors take a group photo at Ningbo-Zhoushan Port. Photo: Courtesy of Ningbo-Zhoushan Port

Foreign visitors take a group photo at Ningbo-Zhoushan Port. Photo: Courtesy of Ningbo-Zhoushan PortFrom photo shooting to industrial understanding
What gives these industrial landscapes their staying power is not the rush of a thousand camera clicks, but their genuine industrial strength and the invitation they extend to the public: to look beyond the spectacle and start asking how it all works.
"Industrial sites can become scenic spots through long-term safety and environmental governance, as well as sophisticated modern industrial management," Zhang noted. "Young people's interest in industrial landscapes is a great starting point. More importantly, we attempt to turn this temporary online attention into long-term public recognition, letting real industrial sites serve as a window for the public to learn about modern industrial systems."
NZRCC first made this understanding tangible in an unexpected place: a 15,000-square-meter woodland at the heart of the complex, where egrets have made their home. When pipeline plans originally called for cutting through the area, the company rerouted them to protect the birds' habitat. During breeding seasons, all nearby construction is suspended.
Today, the "Egret Garden" is equipped with a 24-hour livestream that has attracted over 200 million views online.
Beyond ecological progress, the company strives to translate obscure industrial jargon into everyday language for the public.
Through open houses and social media outreach, the public has come to learn that this forest of steel towers has developed key materials for artificial lung technology, produced separator films for new-energy vehicle batteries, and turned waste cooking oil into sustainable aviation fuel that now powers commercial flights.
What began as a casual appreciation of a nighttime spectacle has gradually deepened into a genuine understanding that this once-distant industry underpins much of daily life, from transportation and housing to health care and the transition to cleaner energy, making China's new quality productive forces more tangible and understandable, Zhang said.
Ningbo-Zhoushan Port has likewise carved out a path toward meaningful public engagement. It has hosted a wide range of public exchanges and educational programs while carefully designing popular science exhibition halls and outdoor viewing sites to engage visitors.
"Since its founding, a port has always been about openness and connection," Zhuge Xurong, director of the Cultural News Center at Ningbo Zhoushan Port Company Limited, told the Global Times. That openness, he said, extends beyond shipping routes to the exchange of ideas and knowledge between the port and the public.
Such open industrial scenes have become common across Ningbo's industrial parks, with bilingual science popularization activities bringing modern factories closer to the public. Online content creators frequently visit these industrial bases, unveiling the mysteries of Chinese manufacturing to wider audiences.
The trend stretches nationwide: intelligent heavy trucks in Lingang new area of the Shanghai free trade zone, drone manufacturing bases in Shenzhen, rail-transport industrial parks in Chengdu. Meanwhile, older industrial sites are being transformed into cultural and creative parks, preserving their historical textures while injecting modern vitality.
From awe to intimacy, from distance to engagement - this distinctly Chinese brand of industrial romance is reaching more people, being better understood, and continuing to evolve.
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二 | 随着男性兵源减少，越来越多俄罗斯女性被招募到乌克兰参战。总部位于波兰的俄语独立媒体Vot Tak本月调查发现，已有至少50名参加战争的俄罗斯女性士兵阵亡，女性士兵的死亡人数也随着战争持续逐年上升。 Vot Tak发现，俄罗斯招募女性的岗位范围越来越广，她们的角色已从医疗和支援工作扩展至无人机操作员、狙击手、机枪手和突击队员等一线战斗岗位。传统上，女性在俄罗斯军队中主要从事文职和支援工作。2022年初，俄罗斯武装部队中有31万名女性，其中只有约4万人属于士兵。时任俄罗斯国防部长谢尔盖·绍伊古曾表示，截至2023年3月，有1100名女性被部署到乌克兰。

三 | 这也是俄乌战争期间俄方公布的唯一一项相关官方数据。 24岁的无人机操作员叶丽扎维塔·齐比娜，呼号“巴亚娜”。

四 | 今年夏天，她签署了自己的第四份志愿兵合同。目前，她驻扎在俄罗斯西南部库尔斯克州的一处营房。 “他们把一切都描绘得非常美好，非常爱国。

五 | ”齐比娜说，“但你真正到了那里以后，实际情况、别人对待你的方式，还有工作本身，完全是另一回事。

六 | ” 她说，战争爆发之初，她并不想参军，但当时她的许多朋友都去了，男友也在2024年6月签署了参军合同。由于没有接受过医疗培训，征兵办公室拒绝了齐比娜。同年8月，她的男友阵亡。叶丽扎维塔·齐比娜随后，她接受了无人机操作员培训，并加入圣乔治志愿突击旅。该部队主要由前瓦格纳雇佣兵，以及自2014年以来曾在乌克兰东部作战的士兵组成。签署一份为期6个月的合同仅一周后，她就被派往第一次战斗任务。

七 | “我当时没想过自己能活着完成第一份合同。

八 | 2024年末，齐比娜被部署到乌克兰顿涅茨克州的索莱达尔附近。她在那里使用无人机进行侦察，后来还协助指挥炮火。随后，她所在的部队被派往恰西夫亚尔。在那里，她发现乌克兰士兵进入一处掩体后，向掩体投放了弹药。 2025年5月，齐比娜带着轻伤和脑震荡回到家乡克拉斯诺亚尔斯克州。4个月后，她再次回到军队。 “它会把你吸进去。可悲的是，我现在已经无法摆脱它了。”她说，“当我回到平民生活，一切都让我觉得不对劲——周围的环境、生活规律、人际关系、感情关系。一切都让我觉得自己不属于那里。

九 | ” 此后，齐比娜又与多个志愿兵组织签署了3份固定期限合同。

十 | 她说，自己没有选择与国防部签约，因为国防部的合同一旦签署，在战争结束前实际上无法解除。

十一 | “如果让我重新选择，我不会走上这条路。”她说，“我不敢公开这么说，但对俄罗斯武装部队感到失望，是大多数俄罗斯士兵的看法。” 俄罗斯各地区的女性都可以签署参军合同，她们获得的奖金、薪资和福利与男性相同。招募广告通常面向18至45岁的俄罗斯公民，要求至少接受过中等教育且没有犯罪记录，但具体条件各地有所不同。与男性合同一样，女性与俄罗斯国防部签署的合同也会自动延长，直至战争结束。

十二 | 自2025年末以来，俄罗斯至少5个城市的大学，以及乌里扬诺夫斯克州，都开始针对学生进行招募。

十三 | 克拉斯诺亚尔斯克一所大学还举行了一场仅有女性参加的闭门招募会。这些招募行动通常持续时间很短。托木斯克州的一次招募活动只持续了10天。一个Telegram频道于2026年3月重新启动招募，并在6月扩大岗位范围，招募无人机、通信、后勤和补给人员。 Vot Tak记者与招募人员的聊天记录招募人员有时做出具有误导性的承诺，例如告诉应征者，合同一年后可以解除，女性不会被调往突击部队，也不会被派往前线。但实际上，国防部签署的合同会无限期延长，女性也可能被派往前线并参与突击行动。

十四 | 战争初期，俄罗斯主要招募女性担任医护人员和厨师。但到2023年，俄军已经开始招募女性狙击手、无人机操作员、电子战专家和突击队员。据报道，俄罗斯国防部还曾招募女性囚犯，以免除其犯罪记录作为交换。调查发现，2024年末，可能有80多名女性离开西伯利亚监狱，前往战场担任医护人员，但这种做法似乎后来已经停止。调查显示，自2022年2月以来，已有50名俄罗斯女性士兵在战争中阵亡。女性士兵的死亡人数从2022年的5人增加到2025年的15人，2026年上半年又有12人死亡。

十五 | 大多数死者年龄在31至49岁之间。Vot Tak确认了这50名女性的身份。在乌克兰战场丧生的俄罗斯女兵（Vot Tak）来自萨拉托夫州的伊琳娜·阿尼西莫娃去世时57岁，是其中年龄最大的一人。年龄最小的是23岁的亚娜·科什金娜。她于2023年参军，后来在巴赫穆特附近的一次无人机袭击中阵亡。当时，她负责指挥伤员撤离小组。最早阵亡的女性之一是27岁的瓦莲京娜·加拉托娃。2022年4月14日，她在马里乌波尔的一次战斗任务中阵亡。 2014年，加拉托娃最初曾携带人道主义援助前往俄罗斯占领的乌克兰东部，后来定居在顿涅茨克，并与一名亲俄武装组织指挥官生活在一起。2020年，这名指挥官阵亡后，她加入了他的部队。加拉托娃的官方身份是医护人员，但她的母亲说，她实际上还担任政治指导员和心理治疗师。

十六 | 全面战争爆发后，她参与了突击行动，并最终在马里乌波尔遭遇迫击炮袭击身亡。瓦莲京娜·加拉托娃一些女性刚满18岁就参军。索菲娅（化名）2023年从医学院毕业后，年仅19岁就与俄罗斯国防部签署了合同。如今22岁的她负责训练士兵急救，并希望离开军队。她表示，招募人员曾承诺每月向她支付约8万卢布（约合6500元人民币），但实际并没有按照约定发放工资。