Top: File photo taken in the 1950s shows the scene of production of heavy rails at Ansteel in Anshan, northeast China's Liaoning Province. Bottom: Photo taken on July 5, 2019 by Pan Yulong shows workers checking the production line of heavy rails at Ansteel Group Co., Ltd. in Anshan. Born from rubble in the city of Anshan in northeast China, 70-year-old Ansteel was "the cradle of China's steel industry" as well as the first iron and steel giant built after the founding of the People's Republic of China. Currently, Ansteel is able to produce around 40 million tonnes of iron and steel a year. In 1949 when the People's Republic of China was founded, the Chinese people faced a devastated country that needed to be rebuilt from scratch after decades of warfare and chaos. After decades of unremitting endeavors and dedication by the Chinese people, China has grown to be the world's second largest economy. In 1952, China's GDP was 30 billion U.S. dollars, while in 2018, its GDP reached 13.61 trillion U.S. dollars, an increase of 452.6 times. A group of combo photos give you a glimpse of what Chinese people did decades ago and what they do right now. Undoubtedly, people from all walks of life in China with hard work and wisdom have made contributions to the country's development. (Xinhua)
