China is known for delivering some remarkable construction projects — high-speed rail networks, towering skyscrapers, and entire urban districts built in a matter of years. The country has developed a reputation for building large infrastructure quickly and at massive scale. But when development moves that fast, problems can sometimes emerge. Projects rushed to completion may suffer from lower standards, weak oversight, or cost-cutting that eventually leads to structural issues.
In the 1990s, former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji coined the term “tofu-dreg construction” to describe poorly built projects that fall apart as easily as crumbling tofu. The phrase gained widespread attention after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, when thousands of school buildings collapsed while many nearby structures remained standing. The tragedy sparked public anger, with critics referring to the failed buildings as “tofu schools,” suggesting they were built with low-quality materials or weak construction practices.
China’s rapid urbanization has placed enormous pressure on the construction industry. In 1990, roughly a quarter of China’s population lived in cities. Today, that figure is more than 60%, according to data from the World Bank. Meeting the housing and infrastructure demands of such rapid growth has pushed developers to build quickly and often at lower cost. Critics argue that corruption and weak enforcement can contribute to these problems. Local officials may prioritize economic growth targets, while oversight systems sometimes struggle to keep pace with the speed of development.
When construction failures occur, the consequences can be serious. In 2023, a middle school gymnasium in Qiqihar collapsed, reportedly due to structural problems and poor maintenance. Earlier in 2026, a bridge under construction in Jiangsu province collapsed, killing several workers and prompting renewed debate about safety oversight and construction standards.
Concerns about construction quality have also surfaced in projects involving Chinese contractors overseas. For example, a Chinese-built bridge in Kenya collapsed in 2017, while a railway station renovation project in Serbia with Chinese involvement experienced a structural collapse in 2024. In Bangkok, a high-rise building partly constructed by a Chinese state-owned company was severely damaged during an earthquake. Not every issue result in a dramatic collapse. In many cases, structural problems appear gradually. Buildings may begin to lean, foundations can crack, and bridges sometimes develop stability issues that require costly repairs. Addressing these defects can cost billions of dollars annually, though exact figures are difficult to confirm due to limited public reporting. The environmental impact is also significant. Construction waste is already a major issue in China, and demolishing unsafe structures adds further pressure on waste management systems.
The people most affected are often homeowners and local governments. Residents may face costly repairs, disputes with insurance companies, and declining property values. At the same time, repeated construction failures can erode public trust in developers, inspectors, and regulatory institutions.China’s construction sector reflects a complex balance. On one hand, the country has achieved extraordinary engineering feats and built infrastructure at an unmatched pace. On the other, concerns about construction quality and oversight continue to raise questions about safety and long-term reliability. While authorities have introduced stricter building codes and anti-corruption efforts, enforcing those rules consistently across such a vast and rapidly developing system remains an ongoing challenge.
