> They care about being the ones to capitalize on space first.
that's fine - because exploration is a useful side-effect of "capitalizing" space.
The problem with gov't funded public works projects is that everyone involved knows it's gov't funded, and adds their own margin on top. Not to mention the land acquisition gets more expensive over time - both purely due to inflation, as well as the idea that the land owner could squeeze more juice out the later the project is in (after all, if you're the sole "hold-up", you could squeeze the gov't for your land at above market rates and they'd have to pay or lose the entire project!).
It is really a result of freedom of the individuals in america (vs their gov't) compared to places like china.
You don't get to overcharge for your work as a "contractor" in china - you work for the state-owned company that employs you at a fixed wage.
The land is always something the gov't can just take as imminent domain, and pays you what the gov't thinks is fair compensation (which, of course, is going to be lower than market cost, as you are forced to accept it).
Lastly, those "pesky" environmental reviews in the US doesn't really exist in china. At best they get rubber stamped.
While the result of china's infrastructure development is definitely impressive, those who had to eat the hidden cost exist, but is powerless to stop it. Hopefully they also get to enjoy the fruits of the infrastructure, and that it outweighs the cost paid by them.