We can keep using that excuse, but the reality is they're building, uplifting millions of people (obviously with some problems, but with the idea of "for the greater good"), and going forward with technology. Also, labour is actually not that cheap in China, compared to a decade+ ago.

On the same note, if we only talk about high speed rails, Spain has built up quite a network as well. Not as fast as China, but still. Labour isn't cheap over there at all, but seems like they figured some stuff out.