Although my country achieved remarkable feats in iron structures during its early history, the constraints imposed by over two millennia of feudal rule-coupled with a lack of scientific advancement-meant that the nation's structural engineering remained stagnant at the level of iron-based construction for a prolonged period. It was not until the late 19th century that my country began to adopt modern steel structures. Following the founding of the People's Republic of China, the application of steel structures experienced tremendous growth, surpassing all previous achievements in terms of both quantity and quality. For instance, the output of steel structures surged from 51 million tons in 2015 to 109 million tons in 2024-a cumulative increase of 113.7%-positioning the market scale among the global leaders.
The nation has attained a high level of proficiency across technical domains such as design, manufacturing, and installation, mastering the engineering and construction techniques required for a wide array of complex structures. Across the country, numerous large-scale and structurally intricate steel-framed industrial plants, long-span civil buildings, and railway bridges have been constructed. Notable examples include the steel roof trusses of the Great Hall of the People; the steel space frames of sports stadiums in cities such as Beijing and Shanghai; the three-hinged steel arch frames of the Exhibition Hall of the Terracotta Army of Qin Shi Huang in Shaanxi; and Beijing's iconic "Bird's Nest" stadium.
