Jina Xiaohu (left) and Aluo Chunmei at the resettlement construction site. [Photo by Xing Guangli and Mou Yu/For China Daily]

In 2017, Jina went to work at a construction site in Guangzhou. With the help of fellow workers, he and his wife learned the skills of a crane driver. In July 2019, Jina saw a job advertisement from China Railway Construction for a crane driver post in Xiongan. The couple succeeded in securing the job, and have been working there ever since.

Jina and his wife climb up to the 50-meter-high cab and operate the two levers that control the direction and height of the crane. A curve-shaped telescopic boom provides accuracy for lifting and stacking the building materials at the designated location.

The couple, who work high above the ground, are not only front-line workers, but also witnesses of the robust growth in Xiongan New Area. "When we first arrived, many buildings were merely a laid foundation, but they are now several stories high," Aluo said. "As the project progresses, our tower cranes will continue to rise."