Irony

Unexpected comment about US and China economic competition aside—"China Speed," by the way, is a reference to the extremely rapid expansion of the country's economy and capabilities over the past half-century or so—Carmack seems awfully positive about commercial space travel for a guy who made multiple games about the horrors of alien invasions. 
-- «John Carmack visits Elon Musk's SpaceX Starbase, selfies ensue» | PC Gamerpcgamer.com