Nigeria Times

By Liao Ruiling

Recent reports on China’s 2025 economic performance reveal significant milestones. As China’s total economic output surpassed the 140-trillion-yuan ($20.18 trillion) mark, many Chinese cities also achieved fresh breakthroughs in economic scale.

Data released by local authorities shows that 29 Chinese cities recorded a GDP exceeding 1 trillion yuan in 2025. These cities include Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, Shenzhen, Ningbo, Qingdao, Dalian, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Wuhan, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Changsha, Zhengzhou, Hefei, Fuzhou, Jinan, Xi’an, Suzhou, Wuxi, Nantong, Changzhou, Foshan, Dongguan, Quanzhou, Yantai, Tangshan, and Wenzhou. 

Notably, Dalian in Liaoning province and Wenzhou in Zhejiang province became new members of the “trillion-yuan GDP club.”

What development drivers lie behind these cities?

From a regional perspective, roughly 1/3 of the cities with GDP exceeding 1 trillion yuan are concentrated in the Yangtze River Delta region; four are located in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area; three are in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region; and two belong to the Chengdu–Chongqing economic circle. The growing importance of coordinated regional development is increasingly evident.

“The 2025 ‘trillion-yuan GDP club’ includes municipalities, provincial capitals, cities under separate state planning, and prefecture-level cities. The landscape is no longer dominated by provincial capitals alone, reflecting the diversified development of China’s urban economy,” said Pan Helin, a member of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s Expert Committee for Information and Communication Economy. 

China’s “trillion-yuan GDP club” is no longer the exclusive domain of traditional first-tier or central cities. Instead, growth is being driven by city clusters, expanding in a ripple effect from cores to wider regions. This pattern of coordinated regional development underscores the robust vitality and immense potential of China’s urban economy.

Analyzing a city’s economic progress requires examining both quantitative expansion and qualitative enhancement. In 2025, Beijing’s GDP exceeded 5 trillion yuan for the first time, making it the second Chinese city after Shanghai to surpass this threshold.

As a mega-city, Beijing has in recent years adhered to a “reduction-oriented development” approach — cutting back where needed while upgrading its economic structure. Over the past five years, the city has relocated or upgraded more than 594 general manufacturing enterprises, demolished 120 million square meters of illegal buildings, and reclaimed 117 square kilometers of land.

This strategic downsizing has not hindered growth. Moving away from traditional expansion models, Beijing’s current economic growth is increasingly driven by emerging technologies and high value-added industries. The information services sector, the financial sector, and industry together contributed more than 80% to the city’s economic growth. 

Integration between technological innovation and industrial innovation is also accelerating: R&D spending among large and medium-sized key enterprises rose by 7.1% in 2025, with both industrial enterprises and technology service firms increasing their R&D investment by more than 10%.

Optimizing structure, driving growth through innovation, strengthening industries, and attracting talent–similar development experience can also be observed in Nanshan district of Shenzhen, Guangdong province. In 2025, Nanshan’s GDP surpassed 1 trillion yuan, making it the first county-level administrative region in China to reach the trillion-yuan level.

A review of Nanshan’s economic performance highlights innovation as its defining feature. Data show that the district holds more than 860 invention patents per 10,000 people, about 22.9 times the national average. Well-known companies such as Tencent, Huawei, and DJI all got their start here. 

Commenting on the district’s industrial development, Guo Wanda, executive vice president of the Shenzhen-based China Development Institute, said the city’s competitiveness lies in the integration of manufacturing and services, the integration of technological and industrial innovation, and the coordinated development of talent, capital, innovation, and industrial chains. Such integration has already expanded across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, helping drive coordinated regional development.

Dalian, a newcomer in the 2025 “trillion-yuan GDP club” and seen as a traditional “old industrial base,” once faced challenges from limited growth drivers.

Dalian became the first city in northeast China to hit the 1-trillion-yuan mark by strengthening its industrial base. In 2025, value added in the city’s secondary industry grew by 7.7%, while output from industrial enterprises above designated size rose 11.7% year on year, driven largely by the equipment manufacturing sector.

“Building on its solid industrial base, Dalian has strengthened high-tech manufacturing and expanded opening up by leveraging on its port advantages. As a result, the city has not only expanded its economic scale but also made progress in industrial upgrading, improving the business environment, and developing itself into an open gateway hub,” Pan said.

A closer look at China’s “trillion-yuan GDP club” cities reveals their industrial strengths: Quanzhou in textile and apparel, Nantong in construction and shipbuilding, Fuzhou in electronics and information technology, and Hefei in sci-tech innovation. 

As Pan pointed out, by concentrating on these competitive sectors, these cities are driving high-quality growth. They increase R&D investment, optimize the business environment, and facilitate the efficient flow and aggregation of resources — strategies that collectively enhance both the scale and quality of their economic development.

By Han Xin, Dou Hanyang, People’s Daily

As winter sets in, a wave of innovative heating solutions from China is reaching consumers worldwide.

Chinese dual-mode space heaters, capable of delivering warmth in winter and cool air in summer, are seeing repeat orders from Central Asian nations.

Multi-functional radiant heaters, designed to warm drinks on the top while emitting heat from all sides, are attracting bulk orders from Japan and South Korea.

Heating carpets, featuring intelligent temperature control and automatic shut-off at high temperatures, are gaining popularity across European markets.

These seemingly simple household items, transformed by Chinese ingenuity, are finding new global appeal.

Official data show that from January to November 2025, China exported 106.15 million units of electric space heaters, including electric heaters and heating mats, up 6.18 % year on year.

Cixi and Yiwu in east China’s Zhejiang province offer a revealing snapshot of why Chinese small heating appliances are gaining traction overseas.

Cixi in Ningbo, renowned as China’s “small home appliance capital,” is buzzing with activity. Inside the workshops of Zhejiang Jiuyou Electric Appliance Co., Ltd. (Jiuyou), assembly lines for fan heaters operate at full capacity, with workers swiftly assembling and inspecting each unit. Outside the factory gates, trucks stand ready for dispatch.

Cen Yipin, general manager of the company, said the company’s output reached 300,000 units in 2025, an increase of nearly 30 % from the previous year.

Yiwu is the world’s hub for small commodities production and trade. Just after the New Year, in the small-appliance section of the District 2 at the Yiwu International Trade Market, foreign buyers from Central Asia, Europe and beyond could be seen wheeling suitcases and flipping through sample catalogs as they moved briskly from shop to shop making inquiries.

“Recently, we receive over a dozen client visits each day, many from returning customers, with repeat reorders coming in especially quickly,” said Zhang Changjun, head of Yiwu Chichao Trading Co., Ltd. He noted that the heater market typically operates on “small-batch, rapid-return” models. One long-term client from Kazakhstan, for example, placed three repeat orders last year and has just placed another order worth 28,000 yuan.

According to alibaba.com, one of the world’s largest wholesale marketplaces run by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, cumulative electric blanket transaction volume rose 224% month-on-month by the end of November 2025. 

Customs statistics further detail the growth: From January to November 2025, Cixi exported heating appliances worth 3.32 billion yuan, including 1.28 billion yuan to the EU (an 8.4% year-on-year increase). Yiwu exported 290 million yuan worth of electric heaters, a 32% year-on-year increase, with products reaching Europe, the US, the Middle East, Latin America, and beyond.

Market feedback points to the key strengths of Chinese manufacturers. A foreign buyer in Yiwu noted that Chinese merchants have “a keen sense for opportunity” — quickly moving in wherever market demand emerges. 

A German distributor of Jiuyou described Chinese manufacturers as “fast on their feet,” noting that they act efficiently and can promptly shift to products with strong market potential.

At the Yiwu International Trade Market, vendor Cao Kun showed one of his top-selling products — a dual-mode space heater. “Our market research revealed that today’s customers seek more than just warmth; they want ambiance too,” Cao explained. Designed mainly for household markets in Europe and the Middle East, this unit not only provides both heating and cooling but also simulates the visual effect of a fireplace. It sold over 10,000 units shortly after its launch.

“Demand varies widely by region,” Cao explained. “Consumers in the Middle East, Europe and North America prefer products with strong decorative appeal; Russia and Central Asia favor space-saving wall-mounted models; Southeast Asia is more interested in portable, chargeable small appliances. We make whatever customers want.”

This ability to adapt quickly is a key source of resilience in China’s foreign trade. “With rising global economic uncertainty, Yiwu merchants are turning cold waves into opportunities through fast, precise and innovative strategies, allowing ‘Chinese warmth’ to continue flowing to the world,” said Luo Hongying, president of the Yiwu Small Home Appliance Industry Association.

In Cixi, the development cycle for a new heater model is remarkably short. “From design and manufacturing to rollout, it takes less than two months,” said Xu Songlie, head of Cixi Fuyun Electric Appliance Co., Ltd.

Behind this rapid responsiveness and agile execution lies robust manufacturing capability. Cixi accounts for nearly one-third of China’s total heater exports and has formed a relatively complete industrial cluster. Producing heaters here allows for efficient local sourcing — whether it’s switches or heating elements, everything can be quickly procured from nearby suppliers.

“The strong sales of heating appliances reflect the advantages of China’s complete industrial system,” said Xu Dongsheng, vice president of the China Household Electrical Appliances Association. After years of market competition, the home-appliance sector has built a mature and efficient supply-chain system. Clustered industrial chains meet companies’ one-stop needs, giving Chinese manufacturers greater competitiveness as they expand globally.

Despite success, competition is intensifying. Export-oriented firms are proactively adjusting strategies: some increase R&D investment to target mid- and high-end markets; others refine processes to cut costs; and others explore new overseas markets.”

“Stick close to demand and adapt to trends — and even a cold snap can become an opportunity,” Zhang said.

By Cao Shiyun, People’s Daily

In recent years, Chinese micro-dramas have achieved remarkable success in overseas markets, especially across Southeast Asia, largely driven by streaming platforms. 

Over 300 overseas apps now offer Chinese micro-dramas through various distribution channels. In 2025, global downloads are projected to reach 1.21 billion, with overseas revenue expected to total $2.38 billion, reflecting strong and sustained growth.

On TikTok, the Chinese micro-drama The Story of Suzhou, which centers on the preservation of traditional culture, has gained widespread popularity. Audiences from Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and other countries have been sharing their responses in multiple languages, praising its visually poetic scenes and calling for the addition of subtitles in their native languages so they can watch it with family.

As the industry accelerates its global expansion, Southeast Asia has emerged as a key market. These micro-dramas are typically shot in vertical format, featuring fast-paced storytelling and distinct themes. Each episode is under 3 minutes long, with series totaling between 50 and 90 episodes, covering diverse genres such as urban romance, family ethics, fantasy, and suspense.

The strong narrative conflicts and uplifting emotional expression have captivated many Southeast Asian viewers, fostering sustained engagement. Additionally, the portrayal of China’s natural landscapes, traditional attire, and modern urban scenery has sparked growing interest in the country among audiences in the region, directly contributing to a sharp increase in downloads of Chinese micro-drama apps overseas.

As content genres grow increasingly diverse, distribution channels are also becoming more varied. Since 2025, Telkom Indonesia, the largest telecom operator in Indonesia, has collaborated with the Chinese micro-drama platform FlexTV to introduce exclusive viewing packages, allowing Indonesian users to access Chinese micro-dramas more conveniently and affordably. 

Meanwhile, DramaBox, a platform operated by Dianzhong Tech — a company focused on producing and distributing licensed mobile digital content–has partnered with local telecom providers across Southeast Asia to roll out integrated “data + content” bundleds, further lowering barriers to access.

Luo Chuanyu, deputy director of the China-ASEAN Research Institute at Guangxi University, observed that micro-dramas transcend linguistic and cultural divides through engaging narratives and authentic depictions of everyday life. Furthermore, by extensively featuring contemporary Chinese urban lifestyles and technological advances, they offer Southeast Asian audiences a more vibrant and relatable portrait of modern China, thereby fostering increased two-way cultural exchange and inspiring localized innovation.

“I often watch Chinese micro-dramas to unwind and have downloaded several dedicated apps,” shared Farrell, an Indonesian university student. He is particularly drawn to series depicting Chinese youth lifestyles, noting, “Seeing peers’ experiences in China feels relatable. Southeast Asia and China share many similarities, so I often recognize aspects of my own life in these stories.”

“The plot designs in Chinese micro-dramas align closely with the aspirations of Southeast Asian audiences for fairness, hope, and a better life, making emotional resonance almost effortless,” noted Drajat Tri Katono, a sociologist at Universitas Sebelas Maret in Indonesia. He pointed out that content which remains grounded in reality and meets widespread psychological expectations often bridges cultural differences and gains broad acceptance.

Cultural affinity is a key factor in the genre’s regional success. Singapore’s Lianhe Zaobao pointed out that the region’s large ethnic Chinese population serves as an important bridge. In areas such as family ethics, views on marriage and relationships, and workplace values, Southeast Asian societies share many commonalities with China. 

Earlier classics like Justice Pao, The Legend of the Condor Heroes and Journey to the West had already built a sizable fan base among overseas Chinese communities, laying a deep foundation of cultural affinity for today’s micro-dramas.

Southeast Asia’s distinctive consumption landscape offers fertile ground for the overseas expansion of Chinese micro-dramas. The region features a young population with a high share of youth, adaptable spending habits, and a strong openness to new forms of cultural and entertainment content — all contributing to substantial market growth potential.

Moreover, a large and expanding internet user base, growing internet penetration, and substantial time spent online have collectively fostered the adoption of digital payment methods among local users, creating favorable conditions for the dissemination and commercialization of micro-dramas. Data indicate that in 2025, paying micro-drama users in Southeast Asia increased by 28 percent year on year, solidifying the region as a core market with both commercial viability and a solid audience foundation.

At present, many Chinese micro-drama companies are extending their industrial chains overseas by setting up production centers in countries such as Thailand and the Philippines, exploring new models that feature localized creation and distribution. 

Jiuzhou Wenhua a company in Jiaxing, east China’s Zhejiang province has partnered closely with Southeast Asian production teams to establish content creation hubs and launch a dedicated micro-drama platform tailored to regional audiences. To date, the company has produced more than 600 micro-dramas for overseas markets, about 20 percent of which were originally created by overseas teams, reaching a total overseas audience of over 10 million.

Copyright licensing and format adaptation have also become key pathways for localization efforts. Indonesian digital media operator IDN Times has acquired the rights to Chinese micro-dramas while establishing a local production division, adopting their narrative pacing and creative techniques to produce content tailored to regional audiences.

“Micro-dramas align well with the viewing preferences of young people today and act as an effective cultural bridge connecting young people across nations,” noted Garin Nugroho, a prominent Indonesian director. He emphasized that the potential of this format should not be underestimated.

By He Yin, People’s Daily

Recent international discourse has highlighted China’s transformative achievements in the power sector, with foreign media suggesting the nation is poised to become the world’s first major “electrostate.”

As electricity becomes central to the global clean energy transition, experts suggest future economic value may increasingly be measured in wattage.

China’s science-based energy planning has not only strengthened domestic development but also accelerated worldwide decarbonization efforts.

“Electrostate,” a new term gaining traction in global energy and climate policy discussions, refers to the proportion of electricity within a country’s total energy structure.

Latest figures show that by the end of 2025, China’s cumulative grid-connected wind and solar capacity surpassed 1.8 billion kilowatts for the first time, equivalent to the total installed capacity of about 82 Three Gorges projects.

On the consumption side, China’s total electricity use in 2025 exceeded 10 trillion kilowatt-hours, setting a new world record for annual power consumption.

This achievement stands in contrast to challenges faced elsewhere. Some developed economies grapple with persistent issues like power shortages, fragmented grids, and soaring electricity prices. In contrast, China’s electricity consumption nearly doubled over a decade, from about 5.5 trillion kilowatt-hours in 2015 to more than 10 trillion kilowatt-hours in 2025, and is now more than twice that of the United States, exceeding the combined total of the European Union, Russia, India, and Japan. 

China’s recognition as the world’s first “electrostate” is well-deserved. This recognition stems from science-based planning and the steady progress in high-quality development within the energy sector. 

Achievements include constructing 46 ultra-high-voltage transmission projects enabling long-distance power transfer (west-to-east and north-to-south), accelerating a unified national electricity market, and aligning initiatives like “East Data, West Computing” with optimized energy distribution. China’s planning-driven governance has vividly demonstrated both remarkable efficiency and tangible achievements in green development.

China’s emergence as the world’s first “electrostate” offers a model for the global green energy transition. 

The International Energy Agency noted that the age of electricity has arrived. Electricity is the primary option for replacing fossil fuels in end-use consumption and the main pathway for harnessing new energy sources. 

In China, more than one-third of the electricity consumed is generated from renewable sources. By 2025, China’s combined installed capacity of wind and solar power had surpassed that of thermal power for the first time. More than 95 percent of China’s coal-fired power units have achieved ultra-low emissions, and over half are capable of deep peak regulation, forming the world’s largest clean coal power supply system. 

On the demand side, sectors like transportation, industry, and construction are actively advancing electrification, steadily substituting coal, oil, and gas with electricity. Looking ahead, China’s electrification rate is projected to rise steadily, reaching around 35 percent by 2030.

As the world’s largest developing nation and second-largest economy, China continues to pursue its energy transition with unwavering commitment, injecting robust momentum into global green development. 

International observers note that Chinese enterprises are helping pave the way toward a world powered by electricity rather than internal combustion engines — truly “a 21st-century vision of progress.”

The empowering role of Chinese technology, Chinese manufacturing capacity, and Chinese solutions in the global energy transition is becoming increasingly evident. 

China supplies about 70 percent of the world’s wind power equipment and 80 percent of photovoltaic panels. Exports of wind turbines, solar components, and new energy vehicles reach more than 200 countries and regions. 

For instance, in sub-Saharan Africa, Chinese off-grid solar systems account for more than half of new electricity connections. In Pakistan, Chinese-made solar panels have become a popular investment choice. In Laos, construction of the China-Laos 500-kilovolt power interconnection project is accelerating and, once completed, will transmit about 3 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually. 

From taking the lead in formulating the world’s first international standard for photovoltaic direct current technologies, to facilitating agreements covering projects with a total installed capacity of 12 million kilowatts at the Energy Ministers Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization last year, China has actively promoted technology sharing, joint standard-setting, and cooperative rule-making. 

Through a “shared supply” model, China contributes to solving global energy challenges and offers accessible, affordable transition pathways for developing nations worldwide. China’s emergence as the world’s first “electrostate” epitomizes the country’s high-quality development and mirrors a new global energy landscape, one powered by electricity and built on a green foundation, now rapidly taking shape.

By Wu Jun, People’s Daily

In China, car dealerships are commonly known as 4S stores, a model that integrates sales, spare parts, service, and surveys under one roof. Now, a groundbreaking concept is emerging: a robot 7S store in Wuhan, capital city of central China’s Hubei province.

This pioneering store expands beyond the traditional 4S functions to include solutions, showcase and skills training. This model covers nearly the entire humanoid robot value chain, from key components and complete units to real-world application scenarios.

Inside the store, humanoid robots of different sizes and forms are busy at work: some kick footballs, some assist with sales, others play music. 

“We currently have 17 models of humanoid robots on display, priced from 7,999 yuan ($1152.89) to 700,000 yuan,” said store manager Hu Longdan. “They can be used in more than 10 scenarios, including industrial manufacturing, tourism guiding, elderly care and rehabilitation, and special operations.”

At the entrance of the store, a humanoid robot with wheels beneath its feet greets visitors. Named Yuanyou (meaning “traveling far”), the robot stands 158 centimeters tall, weighs 72 kilograms, and can move at a speed of 1.5 meters per second. 

“Yuanyou is a homegrown ‘Hubei native,'” Hu explained. For the past nine months, it has been working at Xianning Central Hospital in Hubei province, providing services such as patient guidance, explanations, and moxibustion therapy. It is the first humanoid robot in Hubei to work in a hospital.

“Before developing Yuanyou, we conducted extensive research into user needs,” said Yuan Chao, general manager of HandX, the developer of the robot. “We designed different ‘organs’ and ’tissues’ — hardware, software, and algorithms — and then assembled them into a complete humanoid robot.” 

He noted that a team led by Academician Liu Sheng from Wuhan University’s School of Microelectronics provided solutions in sensors and AI, while Hubei’s local humanoid robot enterprises supplied more than 80 percent of the hardware components. 

“Hubei has 20 core companies engaged in humanoid robot components and nearly 1,000 related enterprises,” Yuan said. “Key components such as the ‘brain,’ ‘skeleton,’ and ‘electronic skin’ can all be sourced locally.”

The journey from research and development to production was remarkably swift, taking only six months. In April 2025, the first Yuanyou robot rolled off the production line, and the product has now entered mass production. According to Yuan, the company has built four automated humanoid robot production lines with an annual capacity of 1,500 units.

Manufacturing robots is just the beginning; effectively deploying them is equally critical. To address this, Hubei established the Hubei Humanoid Robotics Innovation Center in June 2025 — effectively a “school” for humanoid robots. Every newly manufactured robot can undergo systematic training there under the guidance of data collection specialists.

“We offer 23 simulation scenarios and more than 10 temporary ones, allowing over 100 humanoid robots to train simultaneously,” said Liu Chuanhou, chief operating officer of the center. “We can collect over 1 million real-machine data entries each year. After verification, labeling, and cleaning, the data are fed into large-model training, enabling the robots to continuously evolve.”

So far, the 7S store has achieved revenue exceeding 600,000 yuan from various businesses including experiential consumption, sales, tours, and robot rentals. Hu noted that the store is backed by Hubei’s increasingly robust industrial ecosystem for humanoid robots. 

“The current capabilities of humanoid robots are still limited,” Hu acknowledged, “but they are poised to enter households and serve diverse industries in the near future, becoming integral to daily life.”

As one of the world’s most dynamic innovation hubs in the humanoid robot sector, China has in recent years seen rapid improvements in overall robot performance and expanding application scenarios, ranging from automobile manufacturing and computer, communication and consumer electronics assembly to warehousing, logistics, and smart elderly care.

Li Miao, a professor at the School of Robotics at Wuhan University, noted that the industry’s surge is the result of multiple forces converging. 

“Large AI models provide robots with a ‘brain,’ open-source operating systems lower development barriers, and the costs of key hardware such as motors, sensors, and reducers continue to fall, making high-performance humanoid robots feasible,” he said. 

Meanwhile, the digital and intelligent transformation across manufacturing and service sectors has generated substantial market demand, while robust national strategies and policy support are accelerating the influx of capital and talent. “Over the next five years,” Li added, “China’s humanoid robot industry is poised to transition from a phase of intense attention to one of tangible maturity.”

By He Yin, People’s Daily

China’s automotive industry has once again drawn widespread international attention. From Chinese carmakers grabbing global attention at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to Canada announcing adjustments to its import policy on Chinese electric vehicles, global enthusiasm for Chinese automobiles continues to surge. 

In 2025, automobile production and sales in China both exceeded 34 million units. In particular, new energy vehicle (NEV) production and sales each surpassed 16 million units, topping global rankings for the 11th consecutive year. These impressive outcomes underscore the industry’s strong momentum for innovation and its leadership in green development.

The sector’s strength stems from China’s efficient intelligent manufacturing system, resilient domestic supply chain, rapid pace of technological upgrading, and continuous rollout of competitive products. This momentum demonstrates the strong momentum generated by the combination of the country’s innovation capacity and its vast domestic market.

From stumbling forward decades ago by importing foreign technologies, China has now evolved into a hub where multinational automakers are actively engaging in “co-creation and joint research and development (R&D).” This shift marks the arrival of a “Joint Venture 2.0” era and mirrors the shifting contours of opportunity in today’s China.

“China leads in developing and deploying new technologies,” remarked a multinational executive, stressing that keeping up with “China speed” is critical to gaining a competitive edge in the era of electrification and smart transformation.

The Advanced China Development Center of French carmaker Renault Group developed its first electric vehicle in just 21 months, while Volkswagen established its largest R&D hub outside Germany in Hefei, east China’s Anhui province, shortening development cycles by approximately 30 percent. 

These examples show how established international automakers are drawing on China’s momentum to drive global technological transformation and operational efficiency. This mutually collaboration creates multidimensional win-win outcomes, contributing to a more open, inclusive, and dynamic industrial ecosystem.

China’s accelerating green transition provides critical momentum for global sustainable mobility.

In 2025, NEVs accounted for more than half of new vehicle sales in China, and over half of the world’s NEVs are now on Chinese roads. At the same time, China exported over 2.61 million NEVs last year, doubling the figure from a year ago. 

Chinese automakers are driving down costs across the entire industrial chain through technology and scale, making green mobility a more accessible option for countries worldwide, especially developing ones.

The growth of the global NEV industry requires not just high-quality products and technologies, but also practical, system-wide solutions. China’s experience shows that widespread adoption of green transportation is closely tied to easing “range anxiety.” During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–2025), China built the world’s largest electric vehicle charging network, capable of supporting over 40 million NEVs. These proven solutions provide a strong, actionable reference for other nations in transition.

With a strengthened industrial foundation, China’s automotive sector is accelerating its global reach, directly contributing to development worldwide. Evolving from “product export” to “ecosystem expansion,” Chinese automakers’ commitment to openness and collaboration stands as a compelling case of “openness triumphing over protectionism.”

In recent years, Chinese carmakers have stepped up localization strategies overseas–building factories and strengthening local supply chains so that more communities can benefit from industrial upgrading. 

BYD and Great Wall Motor have built plants in Thailand, supporting the country’s automotive transformation; JAC Motors operates an assembly plant in Algeria, providing vocational training for local workers; and Chery’s joint venture with Spain’s Ebro in Barcelona has given a significant boost to the regional economy.

“Chinese enterprises bring us more than factories; they offer a new pathway for development,” said Jerônimo Rodrigues, Governor of Brazil’s Bahia State.

The leapfrog development of China’s automotive industry is a vivid reflection of the qualitative advancement and innovation within the country’s manufacturing sector. As China enters the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030), its industrial system is set to further evolve toward greater intelligence, greener development, and more integrated growth. 

Through continued openness and cooperation with nations worldwide, the shared benefits of development will keep expanding, injecting new momentum into the global economy and creating more opportunities for all.

By Liu Wenxin, People’s Daily, Sun Bing, Xie Wei, China Economic Weekly

A single launch vehicle contains hundreds of thousands of components. Historically, compiling a complete set of quality documentation for an entire rocket requires quality engineers and process technicians to shuttle back and forth between vast quantities of paper records and fragmented information systems — a process that typically takes about a week.
At the smart factory of Shanghai Aerospace Equipments Manufacturer (SAEM), however, that same task now takes just five minutes.
With a few clicks, staff can trace every data point back to its source — from raw material testing and component machining to subassembly, final assembly, and full-vehicle testing.
This dramatic increase in speed stems from a fundamental transformation of the production model.
Here, every product — whether a complete launch vehicle or a single screw — is assigned a unique digital identity that follows it throughout its entire lifecycle.
Data including raw material composition analysis ,heat-treatment temperature curves, real-time torque data from every tightening tool used during assembly, as well as all test records for each section, are automatically aggregated and dynamically linked to form a full-lifecycle quality data package that accompanies the product from start to finish.
“When we deliver a product, we must also deliver its complete data package,” said Cheng Hui, a researcher at SAEM.
He explained that if a quality fluctuation is detected in a batch of materials, an integrated quality traceability system, enhanced by AI, can pinpoint the exact affected parts from tens of thousands of components. It can also determine their status — whether in storage, production, or already installed on a specific rocket. “What was once a needle-in-a-haystack search through paper files is now resolved in seconds,” Cheng added.
Recently, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) unveiled the inaugural list of 15 flagship smart factories, with SAEM among them. These flagship facilities are considered to represent the pinnacle of intelligent manufacturing, both in China and globally. Fostering such model factories is a strategic initiative by China to capitalize on opportunities in industrial intelligence and build a competitive edge for the future of manufacturing.
According to Ao Li, deputy head of China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), the application of artificial intelligence technology was heavily weighted in the selection criteria for the first batch of flagship smart factories.
Statistics indicate that among the 15 selected factories, the average penetration rate of AI applications exceeds 70 percent, with more than 6,000 AI models in use and over 1,700 key pieces of intelligent manufacturing equipment and industrial software solutions achieving practical breakthroughs.
In the rocket final-assembly area, two rocket stages weighing dozens of tons were being joined together. The workshop lacked the noise typically associated with heavy industry; instead, the space was filled with the soft hum of electric motors.
An integrated one-stop flexible automatic docking system, incorporating large-scale spatial pose measurement technology, enables the equipment to “see” and “feel.” It can automatically capture position data, sense force conditions, adjust posture in real time, and seamlessly align multi-ton modules—marking a complete departure from the traditional approach that relied on verbal coordination, visual estimation, and manual adjustment.
Behind this transformation lies the factory’s decision to move complex systems engineering into the digital realm.
In this intelligent factory, critical and complex processes are first simulated and validated in a virtual environment before being executed on physical equipment, which significantly reduces rework and shortens production cycles.
Leveraging the accumulated image data, the company has developed defect detection systems based on artificial neural networks, which enables the automated identification of assembly quality issues in rockets and solar arrays. Virtual reality technology has also been introduced into assembly procedures, allowing three-dimensional stitching of localized and layered assembly images—addressing challenges such as accurately reflecting pipeline routing and installation sequences that traditional photos cannot capture. Across SAEM, AI application continues to deepen.
“The deep integration of AI with advanced manufacturing technologies now extends beyond typical scenarios such as production scheduling and online inspection,” Ao noted.
“It is expanding into higher-value segments of the industrial chain, including research and development, design, and operations and maintenance services. This integration is giving rise to a new generation of industrial intelligent agents capable of perception, decision-making, and execution, accelerating the evolution of intelligent manufacturing from automation toward autonomy.”
At the same time, SAEM is extending its “intelligent” capabilities throughout the entire industrial chain.
For instance, aerospace manufacturing extensively involves extreme processing techniques and requirements for performance in extreme environments. Through close, collaborative development with domestic equipment suppliers, SEAM translates process needs directly into equipment parameters. This collaboration has enabled the joint breakthrough in key equipment such as friction stir welding systems, automated flexible final assembly platforms, and high-precision mirror milling machines.
Through the development of its smart factory, SAEM has achieved a localization rate of over 80 percent for intelligent manufacturing equipment and increased production efficiency by 40 percent.

By Liu Junguo, People’s Daily

On a winter day, the sharp crack of a baseball bat cut through the quiet of the countryside. Footsteps followed, along with bursts of cheers. The sounds didn’t not come from an urban stadium, but from a baseball field nestled among rice paddies and village homes.
This is Xujiadai village, in Lindai township of Pinghu, Jiaxing, east China’s Zhejiang province. Here, the age-old rhythms of rural life are striking a new chord with the youthful pulse of sport, creating a fresh and vibrant atmosphere.
“In the past, almost every household raised pigs. The smell was strong, and the environment was poor,” recalled villager Zhang Jinfa. “Now the air is cleaner, the water is clearer, and people come here to play baseball. More tourists are visiting, and life is getting better.” His words captured Xujiadai’s transformation from a hog-farming community to a baseball village.
In 2003, Zhejiang province launched a large-scale rural revitalization initiative that began with improving living conditions in the countryside. By upgrading village infrastructure, cleaning up waterways, and restoring the rural environment, the program sought to improve not only ecological conditions but also rural production, daily life, and overall quality of life for farmers.
In Xujiadai village, livestock farms were closed and local rivers were rehabilitated, giving the village a fresh new look. Yet once the environment improved, a new question emerged: how to cultivate new industries and keep young people from leaving.
“The village was clean, but its overall development hadn’t kept pace,” said Liu Jianqun, Party head of Xujiadai village. “Traditional farming offered limited income growth, and rural tourism lacked distinctive features. We were unsure where to go next.”
A turning point emerged from a keen insight. Back then, Pinghu had attracted a number of Taiwan-funded and foreign-invested enterprises. Liu, himself a former professional manager, noticed that executives from these companies would often make trips to Shanghai just to play baseball. At the same time, an idle plot of land near the village entrance — low-lying and difficult to develop — sat unused. Then a bold idea struck him: Why not transform this land into a baseball field? It could serve the businessmen nearby while paving a new path for the village — one that blended sports with cultural tourism.
Turning this vision into reality proved challenging, requiring funding, expertise, and village consensus. Lindai township established a special coordination group to oversee land planning, policy support, and financing. Xujiadai organized volunteer teams to conduct household visits and village meetings, building community support.
In 2018, despite financial and technical hurdles and with no national precedent to follow, Xujiadai village completed China’s first standard-compliant youth baseball field in a rural setting. In 2019, a baseball tournament for youth in the Yangtze River Delta was successfully held there, marking an impressive debut.
The National Youth Baseball Championship U10 Group, the annual meeting of the Chinese Baseball Association, and other events soon followed. Xujiadai village became a national baseball training base for young players under the age of 10 and earned the title “China’s No. 1 Baseball Village.”
New challenges soon emerged. With baseball’s weak local foundation and scarce professional expertise, sustainable operation and promotion became pressing issues.
Lindai township explored an innovative model that combined professional management with villager participation. A professional sports company was brought in to handle event organization and training operations, while volunteer teams were formed to teach villagers basic baseball knowledge and involve them in field maintenance and logistical support.
“With the government providing the platform, professionals managing operations, market forces driving growth, and innovation fostering integration, this baseball business from the fields is flying farther and farther,” said Mo Yun, an official in Lindai township.
To date, the baseball field has hosted multiple high-level events including National Youth Baseball Championship finals, welcoming over one million athletes and visitors. Last July, the Xujiadai International Baseball Field opened, significantly upgrading event capacity.
Baseball has catalyzed development of ecological agriculture, homestays, catering, and educational tourism, forming a distinctive industrial cluster. Collective village income has surpassed 8 million yuan ($1.15 million).
“I used to make a living from a few plots of vegetables,” said Cao Huaying, a 62-year-old villager. “Now that the international baseball field is here, I work there as a cleaner year-round, and my income has increased a lot.”
Today, driven by baseball, the village has developed more than 20 specialty restaurants and homestays, created over 200 jobs for locals, and significantly increased per capita income. As Mo put it, with a baseball bat in hand, Xujiadai village has swung a magnificent arc across its fields — an arc powered by sports, integrated with industry, and dedicated to shared prosperity.

By Lin Lili, Hong Qiuting, Qi Zhiming, People’s Daily

From plush vinyl dolls in diverse shapes and museum-inspired cultural creations to unique souvenirs from scenic areas — an array of accessories now dangle from the backpacks of young people across China.
Portable and lightweight, bag charms are gaining increasing popularity among Chinese consumers. The ever-evolving designs of these small ornaments have fueled a consumption boom, supported by robust industrial clusters, and are now advancing through coordinated efforts in global expansion—together shaping the emerging “bag-charm economy.”
At a Beijing designer toy store, shoppers enthusiastically pose with Wakuku characters, sharing photos on social media. “Key features such as small size, affordability and emotional resonance align perfectly with young people’s lifestyles,” said Hong Yong, an associate researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the Ministry of Commerce.
He observes that emotion-driven consumption has shifted priorities: young buyers now prioritize products delivering joy, belonging, and self-expression over pure utility.
As Chinese New Year approached, Nanjing resident Wu Wenjing purchased outfits not just for family, but for her Labubu charm. “I match charms to my mood and outfits,” she explains. “Sometimes they feel like emotional codes — shared recognition sparks instant connections.”
Liang Mei, president of the China Toy and Juvenile Products Association, observed that bag charms offer young people moments of everyday delight through a relatively relaxed consumption model. By fostering emotional connections, they help form interest-based communities with a shared sense of identity. At the same time, collaboration with well-known intellectual properties (IPs) and user participation in co-creation continue to inject vitality into the market.
Manufacturing Innovation Dongguan, China’s “designer toy capital,” anchors the global industry with over 4,000 manufacturers and 1,500 supporting enterprises. Its complete industrial chain covers design, production, IP licensing, and sales.
At the headquarters of a toy manufacturer in Chashan township, Dongguan, a team of 10 designers was discussing design drafts for a “Baku” series of bag charms.
“This China-chic bag charm blends traditional Chinese colors and auspicious symbols with modern design. Inspired by the mythical ‘Baku — a creature said to devour nightmares and bring sweet dreams — it carries the wish that all good dreams may come true in the coming year,” explained Wu Qiaomei, brand marketing director involved in the project.
She noted that from concept finalization to detail refinement, the initial design draft takes about 15 days to complete, with the sample workshop then needing another three to five days to produce the first plush prototype.
“With in-house manufacturing capabilities, we maintain flexibility in production coordination and scheduling,” Wu added. “From design confirmation to mass shipment, the entire process can be completed within about 30 days,”
With diverse styles and ever-changing market trends, bag charms call for agile production response. The consumer-end enthusiasm is fundamentally supported by a supply-side shift — from mass manufacturing to flexible customization. The robust production capacity within the toy industry provides the essential foundation for the rapid adaptation and output of these accessories.
In the past, producing a plastic toy required mold development costing tens of thousands of yuan, necessitating mass production runs of tens to hundreds of thousands of units to lower per-unit cost.
Today, smart manufacturing and digital workshops have made small-batch production truly feasible — minimum orders as low as 50 units or batch productions of merely 100 pieces are now readily achievable, with even single custom toys possible through 3D printing.
Labubu has sparked a worldwide trend in collectible art toys. Following the success of the animated film Nobody, bag charms featuring its characters sold out repeatedly after going viral overnight. Meanwhile, charms shaped like traditional Chinese herbs — such as goji berries, red dates, and red sage — have captivated overseas consumers with their creative designs and distinctive Eastern aesthetic.
Time magazine in the United States noted that China’s new generation of trendy toys is reshaping the international image of “Made in China” by telling stories rooted in local IPs and showcasing distinctive aesthetics.
In the first half of 2025, Chinese toy company Pop Mart recorded triple-digit growth in markets across Southeast Asia, Europe and the Americas, with growth in the Americas exceeding tenfold. The company’s global store count has now surpassed 570.
Products from HERE have reached nearly 20 countries and regions — including North America, Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East — via distribution channels. Li Peng, Chairman of HERE, noted, “Breaking down cultural barriers through localized creation and building emotional bonds with global consumers are key to helping Chinese brands move beyond manufacturing and build greater brand value.”
Looking ahead, as more Chinese flagship products and brands go global, these small charms, infused with Chinese creativity and emotion, are poised to tell ever more compelling Chinese stories on the world stage.

By Lin Lili, Hong Qiuting, Qi Zhiming, People’s Daily  

From plush vinyl dolls in diverse shapes and museum-inspired cultural creations to unique souvenirs from scenic areas — an array of accessories now dangle from the backpacks of young people across China.

Portable and lightweight bag charms are gaining increasing popularity among Chinese consumers. The ever-evolving designs of these small ornaments have fueled a consumption boom, supported by robust industrial clusters, and are now advancing through coordinated efforts in global expansion—together shaping the emerging “bag-charm economy.”

At a Beijing designer toy store, shoppers enthusiastically pose with Wakuku characters, sharing photos on social media. “Key features such as small size, affordability and emotional resonance align perfectly with young people’s lifestyles,” said Hong Yong, an associate researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the Ministry of Commerce. 

He observes that emotion-driven consumption has shifted priorities: young buyers now prioritize products delivering joy, belonging, and self-expression over pure utility.

As Chinese New Year approached, Nanjing resident Wu Wenjing purchased outfits not just for family, but for her Labubu charm. “I match charms to my mood and outfits,” she explains. “Sometimes they feel like emotional codes — shared recognition sparks instant connections.”

Liang Mei, president of the China Toy and Juvenile Products Association, observed that bag charms offer young people moments of everyday delight through a relatively relaxed consumption model. By fostering emotional connections, they help form interest-based communities with a shared sense of identity. At the same time, collaboration with well-known intellectual properties (IPs) and user participation in co-creation continue to inject vitality into the market.

Manufacturing Innovation Dongguan, China’s “designer toy capital,” anchors the global industry with over 4,000 manufacturers and 1,500 supporting enterprises. Its complete industrial chain covers design, production, IP licensing, and sales.

At the headquarters of a toy manufacturer in Chashan township, Dongguan, a team of 10 designers was discussing design drafts for a “Baku” series of bag charms.

“This China-chic bag charm blends traditional Chinese colors and auspicious symbols with modern design. Inspired by the mythical ‘Baku — a creature said to devour nightmares and bring sweet dreams — it carries the wish that all good dreams may come true in the coming year,” explained Wu Qiaomei, brand marketing director involved in the project. 

She noted that from concept finalization to detail refinement, the initial design draft takes about 15 days to complete, with the sample workshop then needing another three to five days to produce the first plush prototype.

“With in-house manufacturing capabilities, we maintain flexibility in production coordination and scheduling,” Wu added. “From design confirmation to mass shipment, the entire process can be completed within about 30 days,”

With diverse styles and ever-changing market trends, bag charms call for agile production response. The consumer-end enthusiasm is fundamentally supported by a supply-side shift — from mass manufacturing to flexible customization. The robust production capacity within the toy industry provides the essential foundation for the rapid adaptation and output of these accessories.

In the past, producing a plastic toy required mold development costing tens of thousands of yuan, necessitating mass production runs of tens to hundreds of thousands of units to lower per-unit cost. 

Today, smart manufacturing and digital workshops have made small-batch production truly feasible — minimum orders as low as 50 units or batch productions of merely 100 pieces are now readily achievable, with even single custom toys possible through 3D printing.

Labubu has sparked a worldwide trend in collectible art toys. Following the success of the animated film Nobody, bag charms featuring its characters sold out repeatedly after going viral overnight. Meanwhile, charms shaped like traditional Chinese herbs — such as goji berries, red dates, and red sage — have captivated overseas consumers with their creative designs and distinctive Eastern aesthetic.

Time magazine in the United States noted that China’s new generation of trendy toys is reshaping the international image of “Made in China” by telling stories rooted in local IPs and showcasing distinctive aesthetics.

In the first half of 2025, Chinese toy company Pop Mart recorded triple-digit growth in markets across Southeast Asia, Europe and the Americas, with growth in the Americas exceeding tenfold. The company’s global store count has now surpassed 570.

Products from HERE have reached nearly 20 countries and regions — including North America, Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East — via distribution channels. Li Peng, Chairman of HERE, noted, “Breaking down cultural barriers through localized creation and building emotional bonds with global consumers are key to helping Chinese brands move beyond manufacturing and build greater brand value.”

Looking ahead, as more Chinese flagship products and brands go global, these small charms, infused with Chinese creativity and emotion, are poised to tell ever more compelling Chinese stories on the world stage.