Nigeria Times

By Dai Kairan, Huang Peizhao, Ren Haoyu, People’s Daily

China and Egypt have long been close partners, bound by shared goals and mutual trust. In recent years, their high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between the two countries has produced tangible results, improving Egypt’s infrastructure, boosting local industry, and fostering talent development.

Central Business District (CBD) in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital

Standing atop the 385.8-meter Iconic Tower, the tallest building in Africa, visitors can enjoy a sweeping view. Sunlight filters through the clouds, illuminating rows of buildings rising from the desert, while the outline of a modern city has already begun to take shape.

Located about 50 kilometers east of downtown Cairo, the CBD of Egypt’s new administrative capital is being built by the Egypt branch of China State Construction Engineering Corporation. As one of the core projects of Egypt’s new administrative capital and a key project under high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between China and Egypt, the CBD project comprises 10 office buildings, five residential buildings, four large hotels, and the Iconic Tower.

Senior architecture coordinator Nourhan Amin joined the project team in 2022. Since then, she has witnessed buildings rise from blueprints to reality, a transformation she describes as a source of “great pride.” Egypt has limited experience in constructing super-tall buildings, so Chinese engineers brought advanced techniques to the site. Through a mentorship program, Amin was paired with Jia Fengling, the project’s chief engineer.

“We aim to pass on our expertise to local staff through this program,” Jia noted. Over time, many Egyptian technicians have progressed from learning alongside their Chinese colleagues to becoming independent, capable project managers.

10th of Ramadan Railway project

At Adly Mansour Station, passengers line up in an orderly fashion to buy tickets for the 10th of Ramadan Railway, Egypt’s first electrified inter-city rail line.

“This modern light rail has brought us real convenience,” said a passenger surnamed Ismail.

Built by the consortium of China Railway Group Limited (CREC) and AVIC International Holding Corporation, the railway is Egypt’s first electrified inter-city railway and a landmark project under Belt and Road cooperation between China and Egypt. Its first two phases began operation in 2022, spanning approximately 70 kilometers with 12 stations serving more than five million residents along the route.

One passenger, Ismail lives in El Shorouk City in eastern Cairo and works downtown. He used to commute by privately operated minibuses, a trip that often took over an hour, sometimes longer in heavy traffic.

“Now it takes me about 40 minutes to get to the office by light rail,” he said. He noted the trains run smoothly, the carriages are clean and well-maintained, and the fares are reasonable.

Guo Kaixiang, general manager of the Egypt branch of AVIC International Holding Corporation, said that since the railway began operation, it has run safely for about 1,500 days and made 280,000 train trips, carrying more than 22 million passengers.

Chinese enterprises have rolled out localized talent training tailored to project construction and operational requirements. To date, they have cultivated around 100 local operational specialists for dispatching, train attendant services and station management, plus some 500 maintenance technicians covering rolling stock, signaling, power supply and communication systems. These efforts have helped Egypt build its own workforce for the operation and maintenance of electrified light rail systems.

Haier Egypt Ecological Park

At a Haier home appliance store in Madinaty, eastern Cairo, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners and televisions are neatly displayed. Many of the appliances are manufactured at Haier Egypt Ecological Park in 10th of Ramadan City.

Covering 200,000 square meters, the park is Haier’s first integrated industrial park investment in the Middle East and Africa. Phase I, whichproduces air conditioners, televisions and washing machines, has an annual capacity of about one million units and officially began operations in May 2024. 

Construction of the refrigeration and freezer plant under phase II is under way and is expected to begin production in October this year. Once fully operational, the park’s annual capacity will exceed 1.5 million units.

“In just two years since Phase I began, Haier’s air conditioners have become the third-largest brand in Egypt by market share, while our washing machines and televisions rank among the top five,” said Hu Ganggang, general manager of the park. “This shows that our products have won recognition and acceptance from local consumers.”

In the first half of this year, Haier Egypt also achieved localized manufacturing of large commercial air-conditioning systems, becoming the first company in Egypt capable of doing so.

The current phased target for localization rate across the eco-park’s production lines is 60 percent, while the air-conditioning line has already reached 63 percent.

Ahmed Abdel-Rashid, head of the household air-conditioning business at the park, is particularly proud of the achievement.

“Localization means we can rely more on local suppliers, technicians and manufacturing capabilities and respond more quickly to demand in the Egyptian market,” he said.

Nasser Mandour, president of Suez Canal University in Egypt, said, “In recent years, high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between Egypt and China has continued to deepen. It not only responds to the practical needs of Egypt’s economic and social development, but also focuses on strengthening the country’s capacity for independent development, injecting new impetus into Egypt’s modernization drive.”

By Li Hongmei, Wang Hao, Chang Qin, People’s Daily

On the morning of Aug. 26, the Gyirong Port in Gyirong county, southwest China’s Xizang autonomous region, was hit by a severe landslide that occurred on the Nepalese side of the border. 

In the aftermath, Chinese authorities in meteorology, water resources, and natural resources swiftly coordinated with their Nepalese counterparts. They shared real-time monitoring data and provided meteorological and hydrological products and services to support joint disaster relief operations.

Located on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Gyirong Port is characterized by high elevation, complex terrain, and highly variable weather conditions. 

“From late August to early September this year, cold air has been particularly active across the plateau, especially along the border areas. This has led to frequent precipitation and posed severe challenges to rescue efforts,” explained Ma Xuekuan, chief forecaster at the National Meteorological Center.

“At noon on Aug. 26, after receiving a request from Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, we organized the first joint consultation that same afternoon. On the afternoon of Aug. 31, we held a second joint consultation with the Nepalese side,” said Zhang Tianhang, a senior engineer at the World Meteorological Center Beijing. The two sides had previously set up a WeChat working group to share relevant information in real time.

The emergency consultation on Aug. 26 was conducted via the MAZU (multi-hazard, alert, zero-gap, and universal) cloud-based meteorological early warning system. Experts from both sides jointly assessed weather conditions and analyzed the trajectory of subsequent precipitation.

The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) subsequently set up a dedicated task force to provide ongoing meteorological support for Nepal, issuing a daily English-language briefing on meteorological monitoring and forecasting information. 

For real-time monitoring, the briefings include infrared cloud imagery from China’s Fengyun meteorological satellites, as well as products showing current temperature and precipitation around the disaster-affected area at a spatial resolution of 1 kilometer. At the request of the Nepalese side, the latest briefing also included lightning monitoring products based on Fengyun satellite data.

For forecasting, the CMA mainly provides seven-day weather forecasts for areas near the disaster site, also at a one-kilometer resolution, along with areal precipitation forecasts for the next three and seven days. 

“In addition, we have continued to update extended-range forecasts covering 15 to 30 days. Overall, we have provided the Nepalese side with seamless forecasting services covering the next 30 days, offering strong support for its rescue efforts,” Zhang said.

Following the disaster, a barrier lake formed near the confluence where the Cuojian River from Nepal meets the Purepuqiang Zangbo River on Chinese territory.

China’s Ministry of Water Resources immediately dispatched an emergency hydrological monitoring team to the front line. Working alongside staff from the bureau of hydrology and water resources survey of Xizang, the team carried out hydrological monitoring, forecasting and early‑warning operations.

At present, the Ministry of Water Resources provides the Nepalese side with daily updates in five areas: the development of the barrier lake on the Purepuqiang Zangbo River; risk assessments of potential chain reactions caused by the impact craters along the Cuojian River; risk screening for glacial lakes in the Gyirong Zangbo River basin; forecasts of the development and risks of newly formed barrier lakes; and information from hydrological emergency monitoring. The information provides strong support for emergency response and rescue efforts downstream on the Nepalese side.

Across Nepal, only 17 meteorological observation stations are shared with international organizations, resulting in insufficient observation coverage.

China has built the world’s largest integrated, three-dimensional meteorological observation system incorporating space-, air- and ground-based capabilities. Its advanced observation equipment, including Fengyun meteorological satellites and weather radars, provides strong monitoring capabilities.

Following the disaster, the CMA immediately made arrangements to strengthen monitoring. On the evening of Aug. 26, it deployed small ground-based observation stations around the disaster-affected area. On Sept. 1, it deployed a mobile weather radar near the affected area.

To address gaps in Nepal’s meteorological monitoring capabilities, the CMA also accelerated development of a customized version of the MAZU platform for Nepal, completing it before the second joint consultation and continuously improving it in response to Nepalese needs. A large volume of meteorological monitoring products and observation data has since been shared with Nepal through the customized version of MAZU.

China’s MAZU AI-powered meteorological early warning solution played an important role in the response to the disaster, providing timely support for Nepal’s rescue efforts and earning a positive response from the Nepalese side. The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology of Nepal sent a letter to the CMA expressing its appreciation.

Going forward, building on the sound cooperation between the two sides, China is willing to provide Nepal with meteorological equipment such as radars and ground observation stations to further strengthen the latter’s meteorological observation capabilities and work with it to develop a one-stop early warning solution.

Following the disaster, the CMA also immediately activated its international user service response mechanism for Fengyun meteorological satellites, providing the disaster-affected area in Nepal with rapid-scan Fengyun satellite products featuring a spatial resolution of 250 meters and a temporal resolution of one minute, as well as multiple high-resolution forecasting products.

The China Aero Geophysical Survey and Remote Sensing Center for Natural Resources also coordinated the use of nearly 100 public-service and commercial satellites to scan the disaster-affected area and surrounding regions at high frequency. Experts rapidly assessed the location, causes and evolution, scope of impact and scale of the disaster, and promptly released relevant information to the public.

A landslide may destroy homes, but it cannot break the bonds of solidarity and mutual assistance. The sharing of monitoring information and products has provided strong support for rescue efforts by both China and Nepal, demonstrating the two countries’ determination to work together in responding to natural disasters and their shared hope of rebuilding homes.

By Luo Shanshan, People’s Daily

The International Monetary Fund recently projected that global trade growth would slow from 5 percent in 2025 to 3.5 percent in 2026, suggesting a challenging outlook for international economic and trade cooperation in the second half of the year.

In response, China is leveraging the certainty of its own development to navigate external uncertainties, reaffirming its commitment to high-level opening up. With more practical policy measures, it is promoting innovative and balanced trade growth, advancing two-way investment cooperation, and making continued contributions to global economic and trade development.

Expanding trade in services

This year, Apollo Go, an autonomous ride-hailing platform operated by Chinese tech giant Baidu, has accelerated its global expansion. Road tests have begun in the UK and Switzerland, while fully driverless commercial services have been launched in the United Arab Emirates. 

“Autonomous mobility services are a typical example of knowledge-intensive trade in services and an emerging area for China’s services to go global,” said Yang Nan, vice president of Baidu. Apollo Go has now operated in 27 cities worldwide and completed more than 22 million rides.

The global trade landscape is undergoing structural changes, with trade in services increasingly emerging as a new driver of trade growth. In response to new trends in international industrial cooperation, China is working to expand and upgrade its services sector, promote greater openness and cooperation in services, and vigorously develop trade in services.

In the first half of the year, China’s total trade in services reached nearly 3.78 trillion yuan ($561.94 billion), up 8.3 percent year on year. Service exports totaled over 1.5 trillion yuan, an impressive increase of 17.6 percent.

“Exports of services in both traditional and emerging sectors are gaining momentum,” said Li Jun, director of the International Service Trade Institute of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the Ministry of Commerce.

In traditional sectors, more convenient entry policies have driven rapid growth in inbound tourism. China’s travel service exports rose 31.1 percent year on year in the first half. In emerging sectors, exports of knowledge-intensive services, including artificial intelligence, robotics, and data processing, are also accelerating.

Promoting balanced trade growth

A notable feature of China’s trade performance in the first half of the year was that goods imports exceeded 10 trillion yuan for the first time in any comparable period, rising 22.1 percent and outpacing export growth by 8.7 percentage points.

The momentum has continued. In the first seven months, China’s imports grew 22 percent, eight percentage points faster than exports.

Wang Jun, deputy head of China’s General Administration of Customs, said China is steadily expanding voluntary and unilateral opening up. It has implemented zero-tariff policies for imports from 63 countries and is making good use of major international trade fairs, including the China International Import Expo (CIIE), China International Consumer Products Expo and China International Supply Chain Expo, to provide platforms for quality products from around the world to enter the Chinese market.

In the first half of the year, China’s imports from more than 150 countries and regions increased.

Recently, a shipment of grapefruit from South Africa arrived at a food processing company in Ningbo, east China’s Zhejiang province, where the fruit was processed into tea beverage ingredients, canned products and not-from-concentrate juice.

On May 1, China fully implemented zero-tariff treatment for products from 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations, delivering tangible benefits to businesses.

Since the beginning of the year, Chinese customs authorities have also actively expanded market access for imported agricultural and food products. Dried chili peppers and cashews from African countries with diplomatic ties with China, pecans from Uruguay, apples from Belgium, and dried longan from Cambodia have all gained access to the Chinese market.

By proactively expanding imports and promoting balanced trade development, the Ministry of Commerce has organized nearly 40 events worldwide since the beginning of the year under the “Big Market for All: Export to China” initiative, with the UK, Spain, Kazakhstan, Kenya, and Thailand serving as guest countries.

“China’s efforts to expand imports are a strategic move that follows the trend of history and is rooted in the new development philosophy. They are aimed at achieving mutually beneficial outcomes with all countries and pursuing shared progress toward a brighter future,” said Yang Tao, director general of the Department of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Commerce.

Expanding two-way investment cooperation

Recently, an event marking the 100-day countdown to the ninth CIIE was held in Shanghai. At the event, the first group of 68 companies signed agreements to participate in the 10th CIIE, covering more than 50,000 square meters of exhibition space.

More than 30 companies have confirmed that they will participate in the expo for the 10th time. Medtronic, one of the largest medical device companies in the world, is one of them.

“From being a regular participant at the CIIE to becoming a long-term partner, Medtronic has demonstrated its firm commitment to deepening its presence in the Chinese market,” said Alex Gu, senior vice president and president of Medtronic Greater China.

The company hopes to leverage the CIIE as a platform for openness and cooperation to introduce more cutting-edge medical technologies from around the world, promote deeper integration between global innovation and local needs in China, and accelerate the global expansion of more Chinese innovations.

This year, amid a complex and volatile international environment and a slowdown in global cross-border investment, China has continued to expand two-way investment cooperation. On the one hand, it is working to attract and make better use of foreign investment; on the other, it is improving systems for managing outbound investment and strengthening comprehensive overseas services.

“Going forward, the Ministry of Commerce will continue promoting high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, further improve the management and service system for outbound investment and cooperation, and promote international cooperation across industrial and supply chains through coordinated advances in trade and investment,” said Yan Dong, vice minister of commerce.

By Qi Yukun, Shen Tongrui, People’s Daily

At around 10:30 a.m. on Aug. 26, a severe mudslide triggered in Nepal caused major casualties and left several people missing at the Gyirong Port in Gyirong county, Xigaze, southwest China’s Xizang autonomous region.

The valley shook as rocks and debris lay scattered across the landscape. The main road leading to the worst-affected area was buried under the mudslide, while secondary hazards, including falling rocks, landslides, and the overflow of a barrier lake, continued to pose serious risks to rescue operations.

China’s national comprehensive fire and rescue force quickly mobilized to search for and rescue those who remained unaccounted for. Following every lead and searching every possible area, the rescuers left no stone unturned.

“The roads are completely cut off, leaving us without predefined search paths. We have no choice but to launch multiple search operations simultaneously,” said Wang Haitao, commander-in-chief of the on-site fire and rescue command center.

Breaking down organizational barriers among different units, the command center divided the operation into three specialized teams for land, water, and air searches. A coordinated, three-dimensional approach was adopted: teams advanced on foot across difficult terrain, boats pushed forward along waterways, and aerial equipment conducted reconnaissance and delivered supplies — all aimed at maximizing search coverage.

— On land, firefighters trek through dense forests and steep mountains.

Carrying life detectors, satellite communication equipment, and other search-and-rescue gear, rescuers made their way through mountain forests where slopes approached 60 degrees.

The ground beneath them was slippery with mud, falling rocks threatened from above, and many sections had no passable roads at all. Using both hands and feet, the rescuers clung to rock faces and shrubs as they painstakingly made their way forward. On particularly dangerous cliff sections, they had no choice but to use ropes to rappel down to reach the target areas.

“Knowing that there were still people waiting to be found, none of us stopped,” said rescuer Xu Hui.

After reaching the hardest-hit area with his teammates, Xu immediately joined a systematic, grid-by-grid search without pausing to rest.

— On water, inflatable boats navigate rushing currents.

The river was fast-flowing, with rocks scattered throughout the channel and muddy water hiding dangerous currents beneath the surface. At any moment, the boats could collide with rocks or be swept into powerful currents.

“Conditions in the water can change in an instant. We have to be bold enough to move forward, but we also have to proceed with caution. We carefully assess the risks along every section of the waterway,” said Benpa Tsering, head of the water search-and-rescue team.

Because sediment had accumulated along the riverbed, the boats could not reach every section directly. Rescuers often had to leave their boats and go ashore to conduct thorough searches along riverbanks, shoals and backwater bends.

The high altitude quickly drained the rescuers’ strength, while intermittent rainfall continued to heighten geological risks. Every step forward in the search and rescue operation required tremendous effort.

— In the air, drones conducted reconnaissance and delivered equipment.

Mountain ridges blocked the view and created numerous communication blind spots for ground teams, making aerial operations crucial to filling information gaps .

At the site, multiple drones took turns flying nonstop reconnaissance missions. Thermal imaging payloads detected faint heat signatures in buried areas, while mapping modules rapidly generated three-dimensional models of the disaster zone, providing the command center with a clear view of terrain and signs of burial that could not be seen from the ground.

“We transmit aerial images and three-dimensional models back to the command center in real time, allowing commanders to see the entire valley at a glance and avoid deploying personnel blindly,” said commander Wang Yongming.

Weather conditions can change rapidly in high-altitude valleys, and drone operators must contend with strong winds, signal attenuation and other challenges, repeatedly adjusting flight altitudes and routes.

Through a closed-loop operational process of risk assessment, task organization, on-site operations, and review and evaluation, the rescue teams have established a systematic approach to search and rescue.

“Although dangers keep emerging, as long as there is even the slightest hope, we will never stop searching,” said rescuer Zou Mingqi, his clothes and body covered in mud, his voice firm and resolute.

By Wang Ke

Can carbon dioxide be used to provide heating? 

In May of this year, China’s first geothermal heating project utilizing supercritical carbon dioxide technology began operation in Zhengzhou, central China’s Henan province. 

The system combines a 2,500-meter-deep geothermal well, a fully enclosed circulation loop, and a new heat-transfer medium. In this process, supercritical carbon dioxide acts as an “energy carrier,” bringing heat from deep underground to the surface and providing a clean heat source for centralized heating.

When most people think of carbon dioxide, they often associate it with the greenhouse effect and global warming. Yet carbon dioxide also holds considerable value as a resource, with a wide range of industrial applications.

As China approaches its 2030 carbon peaking target, the way it views and utilizes carbon dioxide has become a vivid example of the country’s green development strategy.

So, what else can carbon dioxide do?

It can generate electricity. In May this year, the second generating unit of the “Carbon One” project was successfully connected to the grid, marking the completion of the world’s first demonstration project for power generation from waste heat using supercritical carbon dioxide. Its thermal-to-electric conversion efficiency is 75 percent higher than that of conventional steam power generation.

It can serve as a chemical feedstock. At the petrochemical industrial park in Xuwei New Area, Lianyungang, east China’s Jiangsu province, carbon dioxide is converted into polyether polyols. These are used in automotive composite foams, adhesives, water-based synthetic leather, and coatings.

It can even be used to make food. After successfully synthesizing starch from carbon dioxide in the laboratory, the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has gone a step further, carrying out another seemingly “magical” feat: turning carbon dioxide into sugar.

From a “carbon burden” to a “carbon resource,” and from a troublesome greenhouse gas to a promising production input, the efforts to maximize the value of carbon reflect China’s growing capacity for innovation and its evolving approach to development.

These green practices of turning waste into wealth and “turning carbon into gold” offer an excellent lens through which to understand China’s green and low-carbon transition.

Technological innovation is a key driver of green development. By using energy conservation and carbon reduction to drive development, China is turning to innovation to create new opportunities and inject fresh momentum into its economy. 

At the Aonan Oilfield CCUS (carbon capture, utilization, and storage) demonstration base, part of oil production plant No. 7 of Daqing Oilfield in northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, liquid carbon dioxide is continuously injected underground through high-pressure pipelines for CO2-enhanced oil recovery. The approach not only boosts oil recovery but also enables geological storage of carbon dioxide.

By the end of 2025, Jilin Oilfield, located in Songyuan, northeast China’s Jilin province, had cumulatively stored 3.61 million tons of carbon dioxide underground, equivalent to the carbon absorbed by more than 30 million trees. 

Focusing on such areas as the efficient use of clean energy, advanced energy storage, and carbon asset management, China is pooling resources to make breakthroughs in a range of original and cutting-edge technologies, further strengthening the foundations for its green transition.

Reducing emissions does not mean reducing productivity; rather, it means using emissions reduction to spur innovation across industries. Cutting carbon is not simply about making a “subtraction.” It is about achieving higher-quality growth with lower resource consumption. 

At a cement company in Jiangsu province, energy conservation and carbon reduction have become a core source of competitiveness. Electricity generated from waste heat in exhaust gases meets more than 73 percent of the electricity needs of clinker production. 

Compared with 2020, China’s cement industry cut carbon dioxide emissions per 10,000 yuan ($1,486) of value added by 15.8 percent in 2025. Green and low-carbon upgrading is creating new opportunities and opening up new space for growth. 

China’s experience shows that striking the right balance between development and emissions reduction, achieving both environmental protection and economic growth, both carbon reduction and greater efficiency, and sharing both opportunities and benefits, can greatly unleash the internal driving force for the low-carbon transition.

On a broader scale, China is deepening the sharing of low-carbon technologies and practical cooperation on ecological protection with countries around the world, demonstrating its commitment to working together for the common good. 

In Nauru, a photovoltaic project built by a Chinese company can generate enough electricity to meet the country’s needs. In Ethiopia, a ring road in Addis Ababa constructed by a Chinese company uses renewable energy facilities throughout the project area and recycling rainwater systems, effectively reducing energy and resource consumption. As China works toward its carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals, its efforts to advance the green transition will continue unabated.

Recently, China issued an action plan for carbon peaking during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), laying out a detailed roadmap for the country’s green transition over the next five years. Through its actions toward the “dual carbon” goals, China will once again demonstrate its wisdom of harmony and coexistence and its commitment to delivering on its promises.

By Li Mo, People’s Daily

A glacial collapse in Nepal on Aug. 26 triggered a devastating mudslide, causing massive casualties, leaving many unaccounted and resulting in substantial property damage. According to data released by Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, as of 9 a.m. local time on Aug. 30, the mudslide had left 734 people dead and 2,498 missing.

In swift response, China mobilized emergency assistance for Nepal. At around 7 a.m. local time on Aug. 30, two Y-20 large transport aircraft landed at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, carrying 13,200 pieces, or 50 tons, of relief supplies, including tents, blankets, compressed food, sleeping bags and first-aid kits.

Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Zhang Maoming and Mahabir Pun, Nepal’s Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, attended the handover ceremony at the airport. Pun expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Chinese government and people for their valuable support, saying the supplies would play an important role in relief efforts in the disaster-hit area.

Immediately after the disaster struck, the Chinese Embassy in Nepal activated its emergency response mechanism and worked tirelessly to address the situation. Embassy officials at all levels maintained round-the-clock communication with relevant Nepalese authorities.

On Aug. 26, the China Meteorological Administration and the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology of Nepal held an emergency online meeting to assess the disaster and share data. China’s Ministry of Water Resources closely monitored the situation of the barrier lake, carried out calculations and analyses on potential flood outflows, and continued sharing hydrological and meteorological information as well as monitoring data on the barrier lake with the Nepalese side.

At the request of the Nepalese government, China’s Ministry of Emergency Management dispatched five Chinese tunnel rescue experts on Aug. 29. They flew by helicopter from Gyirong in southwest China’s Xizang autonomous region to the disaster zone in Nepal and immediately joined rescue operations at a hydropower station tunnel. The experts have now arrived in Rasuwa, the worst-hit zone, where they are searching for people trapped in the tunnel.

On Aug. 30, Zhang met with Nepal’s Minister of Finance Swarnim Wagle and handed over $2 million in emergency flood relief assistance provided by the Chinese government, along with $200,000 from the Red Cross Society of China to the Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund of Nepal.

Zhang said that responding to the mudslide disaster is an urgent priority for both China and Nepal. Chinese leaders have extended thier deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies to the Nepalese people. China stands ready to work hand in hand with Nepal to stand together through this difficult time and overcome the challenges together. 

In addition to financial aid, Chinese tunnel rescue experts are continuing to support rescue efforts, while the first batch of relief supplies has already arrived. China will continue providing support, including disaster-area imagery, hydrological and meteorological information. With the joint efforts of both sides, the people of the two countries will surely overcome the disaster at an early date, Zhang said.

Minister Wagle expressed the Nepalese government’s heartfelt gratitude for China’s generous assistance, praising the profound friendship demonstrated by both nations during this difficult time. He confirmed that Nepal would make full use of the Chinese aid and do everything possible to carry out rescue and relief operations. He also expressed hope for close bilateral cooperation in post-disaster planning and reconstruction.

Also on Aug. 30, the Information Office of the People’s Government of Xizang Autonomous Region held a press conference to brief the public on rescue and relief efforts following the mudslide disaster in Gyirong county. Following the disaster, the region promptly activated the highest-level emergency response for natural disasters and the highest-level emergency relief response, coordinating resources from all sides to carry out search and rescue efforts.

Su Pengcheng, a researcher at the Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the disaster originated on the northern slope of Mount Langtang Lirung in Nepal, where a glacial rupture triggered an ice-rock avalanche at an altitude of about 5,200 meters. 

The falling mass scoured the mountainside and generated a mudslide, which traveled rapidly along the river for about 22 kilometers before reaching the Chinese Gyirong Port at an altitude of about 1,800 meters. 

The disaster flattened about 0.7 square kilometers of land, including 27 buildings and associated facilities. The ice-rock avalanche took only about six to seven minutes to reach Gyirong Port after it occurred.

The affected area is characterized by high mountains, deep valleys and fast-flowing rivers. Complex and highly variable air currents, surrounding glaciers and glacial lakes, and the serious safety risks posed by the formation of barrier lakes have made rescue operations particularly challenging. 

National Highway 216 was severely damaged, while power and communications were disrupted. Rescue efforts are currently being carried out mainly through three methods: lowering firefighters by rope from helicopters, reopening roads for rescue operations, and transporting rescue personnel by helicopter.

A comprehensive assessment shows that the most prominent risk constraining disaster response — the barrier lake formed upstream of the core disaster-hit area — has begun overflowing and releasing water. The situation is currently stable overall, and the likelihood of a complete breach is relatively low. Rescue personnel are making the most of this favorable window to reopen access routes as quickly as possible and step up search and rescue operations.

By Cui Qi, Qu Pei, Zhao Yipu, People’s Daily

China and Kyrgyzstan, connected by shared mountains and rivers, enjoy close ties between their peoples. As friendly neighbors and comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era, the two countries have seen their relations enter a “golden period” in recent years guided by the strategic vision of both heads of state. Practical cooperation has gained strong momentum across multiple sectors.

Trade and economic ties open new development opportunities 

With just over two months remaining before the ninth China International Import Expo (CIIE), a Kyrgyz honey company has already begun preparing for the event.

“We have participated in the CIIE several times and refined our products based on tastes and preferences of Chinese consumers, receiving a great deal of positive feedback,” said Emma Savitskaya, the company’s general manager. “Last year, we signed a supply contract with a major company in Wuhan, China, which has given us even greater confidence in our future development.”

Complementarity and mutual benefit have long defined China-Kyrgyzstan trade and economic cooperation. China has remained Kyrgyzstan’s largest trading partner, largest source of imports and largest source of investment for years. In 2025, bilateral trade in goods reached $27.2 billion, up 20 percent year on year and setting a new record. 

Investment cooperation is also growing rapidly, with the two countries deepening collaboration in agriculture, energy and mineral resources, while cultivating new areas such as artificial intelligence and the digital economy.

The strengthening of economic and trade ties has been supported by sustained efforts on both sides to make trade and investment more open and convenient. Since the beginning of this year, direct flights have been launched between Kashgar in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and Osh in Kyrgyzstan, as well as between Beijing and the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek, further expanding the network of passenger and cargo air routes.

The Irkeshtam and Torugart ports have been upgraded with smart technologies, while the Bedel port has introduced temporary customs clearance, significantly reducing clearance times and improving logistics efficiency. The benefits of visa-free travel are also being increasingly realized, creating new opportunities for business delegations from both sides to explore investment and cooperation.

“China-Kyrgyzstan economic and trade cooperation has become part of virtually every aspect of industrial development and daily life in both countries,” said Matraimov Abdurakhman, representative of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic in China. 

“Trade connectivity promotes closer ties between our peoples and facilitates the exchange of talent. I believe economic and trade cooperation between the two countries will reach new heights,” he added.

Infrastructure projects help break development bottlenecks

At an elevation of more than 3,800 meters on the southern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains, drilling rigs roar and welding sparks fly at the construction site of a tunnel along the Barskoon-Bedel Highway project in Kyrgyzstan, which is being undertaken by a Chinese company.

Since excavation of the main tunnel began in March this year, construction workers have overcome challenges including oxygen deficiency and permafrost conditions. More than 1/10 of the 5,340-meter-long tunnel has now been excavated.

“I only knew basic road maintenance a few years ago. Now I have mastered quite a few professional skills for tunnel construction in high-altitude, cold environments,” said Kyrgyz engineer Ashiraliev Elmek. “I learned all of this step by step from my Chinese colleagues.”

The Barskoon-Bedel Highway will stretch approximately 161 kilometers and include two extra-long tunnels and 50 bridges, with a designed speed limit of 80 kilometers per hour. Scheduled for completion in 2030, it will become the third international land transport route between China and Kyrgyzstan, greatly facilitating the flow of goods and people, and further boost bilateral trade and investment.

Known as a “land of mountains,” Kyrgyzstan has long faced constraints on its economic and social development due to limited transport links. In recent years, as high-quality Belt and Road cooperation has deepened, Chinese companies have undertaken a batch of transport infrastructure projects, helping the country overcome development bottlenecks and unlock the potential of connectivity.

Construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is progressing steadily and will open up a new transportation corridor between China and Central Asia. The renovation of Bishkek’s municipal road network, covering more than 100 streets, has been completed, while work on the northern bypass road is in full swing. These projects have significantly improved travel conditions for residents and further facilitated cross-border logistics along major trunk rutes.

Green development is also improving people’s well-being

On the northern shore of Kyrgyzstan’s scenic Lake Issyk-Kul, breezes sweep through the orchards of villages in Cholpon-Ata.

“In the past, wastewater flowed past our homes every day, and the smell was unbearable. Some neighbors simply couldn’t take it anymore and moved away,” said a local resident named Kuba. Today, the problem is gradually being addressed.

Lake Issyk-Kul is a major tourist attraction in the region. The old wastewater facility relied on  basic sedimentation treatment and lacked complete purification capabilities, making it unable to keep up with surging water treatment demands. For years, untreated wastewater was discharged directly, posing a continuous threat to the lake’s ecological environment and the livelihoods of local residents.

After a modern wastewater treatment plant built by a Chinese company in Balykchy began operations in 2024, China Road and Bridge Corporation built another plant in Cholpon-Ata, with a designed daily treatment capacity of approximately 14,200 cubic meters.

The treated water can be reused for agricultural irrigation, while sludge can be composted and turned into a useful resource, helping alleviate local shortages of agricultural fertilizer.

In recent years, China and Kyrgyzstan have jointly implemented a number of sustainable, people-centered green cooperation projects, creating new drivers for economic and social development.

In Bishkek, a waste-to-energy project uses advanced technologies to turn municipal waste into clean electricity, improving the urban environment while supplementing the city’s power supply. In Chuy Province, Kyrgyzstan’s first large-scale photovoltaic power plant has been connected to the grid, supporting the country’s transition toward cleaner energy.