‘Diplomatic surge’ that highlights China’s resolve, responsibility

By He Yin, People’s Daily

On Jan. 29, Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Beijing with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who was on an official visit to China. This marked the first visit to China by a British prime minister in eight years and was widely seen by the international community as an important step by the UK to seek a new chapter in relations with China. 

As the world today is undergoing both changes and turbulence, China and the UK, as permanent members of the UN Security Council and major economies, should enhance dialogue and cooperation in order to maintain world peace and stability, while promoting the economy and people’s livelihoods of both countries.

Over the past year and more, under the strategic guidance of the two countries’ leaders, China-UK relations have steadily stabilized and improved. At the meeting, Xi outlined the direction for further advancing bilateral ties, from enhancing exchanges to jointly shouldering global responsibilities, and emphasized the need to translate the promising potential of cooperation into remarkable accomplishments.

Starmer noted that it is vital for the UK and China to build a long-term and consistent comprehensive strategic partnership with mutual respect and trust, especially in a volatile and fragile world. 

History and reality show that as long as both sides adopt a broad historical perspective, rise above differences, and respect each other, China-UK relations and cooperation can indeed open up new horizons, bringing benefits to the peoples of both countries and to the world as a whole.

Since the beginning of the year, leaders from several countries, including Ireland, Canada, Finland, and the UK, have visited China in succession. International media have described this as a wave of “diplomatic engagement” centered on China. 

With the global situation growing ever more unsettled and the world facing the risk of sliding toward a “ruleless” era, various parties are once again “rediscovering” China and placing greater emphasis on dialogue and cooperation to jointly address global challenges. 

This should not be simply interpreted as an “impulsive response” to changes in the international environment. Rather, it underscores the consistent resolve, sense of responsibility, and confidence that China has demonstrated as a responsible major country amid profound global transformations.

China’s role as a “source of momentum” for mutually beneficial cooperation has become more prominent. During his visit to China, Starmer led a delegation of more than 60 important representatives from Britain’s business and cultural sectors, which demonstrated the strong desire across British society to tap into opportunities in China. 

According to Sky News, China is already the UK’s third-largest trading partner, supporting 370,000 jobs across the country. The China-Britain Business Council recently stated that, for British companies, China is key to enhancing their global competitiveness. 

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo likewise noted that Finnish companies have a strong interest in cooperation with China, adding that his visit to China was intended to open the door to opportunities for Finnish businesses. 

At a time when de-globalization and trade protectionism are on the rise, opportunities for cooperation have become a scarce resource. 

As China embarks on its 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), it is steering high-quality development through sound scientific planning, steadfastly expanding high-standard opening up, and offering the world a “list of opportunities,” welcoming enterprises from all countries to dive into the vast ocean of China’s market. 

This not only helps all parties enhance the resilience of development, but also anchors the right course toward building an open world economy amid the headwinds of the times.

China’s role as a stabilizing force within the international order has also grown more pronounced. In recent years, the surge in unilateralism, protectionism, and power politics has dealt severe blows to the established international system. International law is only effective when universally respected, with major powers leading by example; otherwise, the world risks reverting to a state where might makes right.

This is precisely the resolve and responsibility that the international community sees in China today. China champions equality, the rule of law, cooperation, and good faith, and firmly upholds the international system with the UN at its core and the international order underpinned by international law. It practices genuine multilateralism and works to build a more just and equitable global governance system, contributing to an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. 

In its interactions with other countries, China does not demand that other countries choose sides. Even when bilateral relations encounter difficulties, China consistently advocates seeking common ground while shelving differences and focusing on cooperation, striving for harmony in diversity and shared progress. 

The growing recognition of China’s ideas and role by the international community further shows that what a turbulent world truly needs is not the logic of power or narrow calculations of interest, but a firm commitment to standing on the right side of history and on the side of human progress.

No matter how the international situation may change, China remains committed to the path of peaceful development and values the primacy of harmony and harmony within diversity. Partnering with China means embracing opportunities, and together contributing positive energy for peace and development to the world.

The Shuangliu Yangtze River Bridge: an engineering feat with ecological sensitivity

By Wu Jun, People’s Daily

The Yangtze River, China’s longest river, flows through Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei province in central China. Spanning its northern bank in the middle reaches, the Shuangliu Yangtze River Bridge connects Wuhan with neighboring Ezhou, strengthening regional integration.

As Peng Xiaobin, the bridge’s designer and deputy chief engineer of the Hubei Communications Planning and Design Institute, stood on the newly completed structure, he pointed skyward:”Look, that’s a grey heron, and over there is an egret.” His enthusiasm reflected the project’s dual success: engineering excellence and ecological conservation.

As Wuhan’s 12th bridge across the Yangtze, the Shuangliu Bridge stretches 35.043 kilometers. Its route traverses the Zhangdu Lake Wetland Nature Reserve — a critical habitat for the endangered Yangtze finless porpoise.

In December 2025, experts at a conference organized by the China Highway and Transportation Society hailed the bridge as a benchmark for Chinese engineering and a model of ecological preservation.

A key question emerged during planning: How could bridge construction protect the Yangtze’s fragile ecosystem?

The answer gleams under the winter sun — a 400-meter-long, fully enclosed protective structure along the bridge’s northern approach. “This sound barrier was specifically designed for the wetland birds,” Peng explained. Standing 6.38 meters high and spanning 34 meters, this “shield for birds” represents a first in Yangtze River bridge engineering.

The Zhangdu Lake Wetland lies along the East Asia-Australasia flywa, a vital migratory corridor. To minimize disruption, Peng’s team prioritized ecological considerations from the outset.  Collaborating with ornithologists and analyzing a decade of bird activity data, they conducted extensive field observations. “After numerous revisions, we added an extra curve to the northern approach,” Peng noted, acknowledging the significant cost increase this entailed.

To address noise generated after the bridge opens to traffic, Peng and his team decided to build a fully enclosed sound barrier on the bridge deck closest to the migratory route. The barrier was completed before the migration season. Today, noise levels outside the barrier are kept at 50 to 55 decibels during the day and 40 to 45 decibels at night, effectively fitting the wetland’s birds with “noise-canceling headphones.”

From the main span of the bridge, the broad Yangtze shimmering in the sunlight. “You can even see finless porpoises playing here,” said Chen Cheng, chief engineer of the Shuangliu Yangtze River Bridge project at CCCC Second Harbor Engineering Co., Ltd.

About two kilometers downstream from the main bridge lies a river bend where finless porpoises are frequently seen. To avoid disrupting their habitat, the bridge was designed to cross the river in a single span.

“The main bridge is a single-span steel box girder suspension bridge,” Chen explained. “Not a single pile was driven into the river. Both the north and south approach bridges were built entirely on land, completely avoiding in-water construction.”

During construction, work schedules were adjusted to avoid peak activity periods of finless porpoises and other aquatic species. Temporary structures such as trestles were erected during the dry season, followed quickly by the completion of tower foundations and caps. All steel box girders were prefabricated in sections at a factory, transported by specialized vessels, and then hoisted into place using cable cranes. 

“In this way, workers only needed to weld the joints at height, and the entire girder installation process did not disturb the river,” Chen said.

Over the more than three years of construction, the bridge and the finless porpoises have “grown together.” Surveys by the Institute of Hydrobiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences showed that the finless porpoise population in the bridge section of the Yangtze River has increased from five or six individuals when construction began in 2022 to a stable group of about 20 today.

On the main bridge deck, long drainage pipes can be seen on both sides, each connected to an intelligent flow monitoring system. The system automatically identifies discharged liquids. Rainwater mixed with oil residues is directed into oil-separation and sedimentation tanks before release, while leaked or polluted wastewater is diverted into emergency containment pools and handled by qualified hazardous waste treatment companies.

The Shuangliu Yangtze River Bridge has now passed completion inspection. Once opened to traffic, travel time between Xinzhou in Wuhan and Ezhou will be reduced from 90 minutes to just five.

“By prioritizing conservation over unchecked development, we have found a balance between ecological protection and economic development,” said Wang Xihua, an executive with Shuangliu Yangtze River Bridge Co., Ltd. under Hubei Communications Investment Group Co., Ltd. “Our goal is to achieve a genuine win-win between economic and ecological benefits.”

Japan’s push for ‘neo-militarism’ must be curbed

By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily

Recently, Japan has groundlessly labeled China’s lawful measures to strengthen export controls on dual-use items to Japan — measures taken to safeguard national security interests — as so-called “economic coercion.”
This blatant distortion of facts only reveals Japan’s obstinate refusal to reflect on its own wrongdoings and its insistence on going further down the wrong and dangerous path.
Japan is well aware of the underlying reasons for China’s relevant actions. Attempts to deflect blame through labeling cannot obscure the international community’s widespread concerns over Japan’s departure from the path of peaceful development and its resurgence of militaristic tendencies.
Imposing export controls on dual-use items is an internationally accepted practice. It reflects a shared responsibility to safeguard international peace and security and serves as an essential means of fulfilling international obligations, including those related to non-proliferation.
As a responsible major country, China’s lawful imposition of regulatory control on relevant items exemplifies its unwavering commitment to safeguarding world peace and regional stability.
Japan’s distortion of this legitimate and rule-based exercise of sovereignty as “coercion” lays bare its intent: to deflect international attention and conceal its own persistent actions that undermine both the international order and regional peace.
Japan’s “neo-militarism” is no longer merely a warning sign — it has become a tangible threat and must prompt the highest vigilance among all peace-loving and justice-seeking actors in the international community.
Japanese leaders have made erroneous remarks on the Taiwan question, openly issuing threats of force against China and grossly interfering in China’s internal affairs. Such actions seriously violate international law and the basic norms governing international relations, with extremely grave nature and implications.
Japan’s right wing has intensified its challenges to the postwar international order, undermining regional peace and stability and jeopardizing world peace and security.
According to Japanese media reports, Japan has recently claimed it will push to revise its “three security documents” within the year, reflecting an acceleration of its remilitarization process. Particularly alarming are indications of Japanese ambitions regarding nuclear armament.
Particularly alarming are indications of Japan’s ambitions regarding nuclear armament. For some time, Japan has continuously sought to revise the “Three Non-Nuclear Principles,” with politicians repeatedly making public pro-nuclear statements.
This constitutes a serious challenge to the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and represents a stark departure from Japan’s professed commitment to peaceful development, provoking strong professed opposition and condemnation.
Curbing the resurgence of Japan’s “neo-militarism” is vital for regional peace and stability. China’s legally mandated prohibition on the export of all dual-use items to Japanese military users, for Japan’s military use, and for any other end-users and end-use purposes that help enhance Japan’s military capabilities — are precisely justified and necessary actions to defend peace and security.
Japan’s peddling of the so-called Chinese “economic coercion” is merely another act in its well-rehearsed “victim” play. Safeguarding regional peace and stability requires calling out and dismantling such insidious rhetoric.
The genuine source of coercion threatening regional peace and security is Japan’s ever-expanding ambition for military expansion. While Japan attempts to discredit neighboring countries by claiming actions inconsistent with international practice, it is Japan that has repeatedly contravened its international legal obligations.
Even domestically, the primary threat stems from right-wing forces dedicated to neo-militarism. Calculations based on Japan’s approved supplementary budget suggest its fiscal year 2025 defense expenditure could reach approximately 11 trillion yen (about $71.18 billion), imposing a per capita burden of about 90,000 yen. This reckless military expansion not only threatens regional peace but also depletes domestic economic resources and undermines public welfare.
Rather than leveling groundless accusations against other countries, Japan should seriously address the grave concerns of the international community and its own citizens regarding its dangerous return to militarism.
Furthermore, Japan’s professed commitment to resolving issues with China through dialogue is contradicted by its repeated provocations concerning China’s core interests and fundamental principles. This contradiction severely damages Japan’s credibility.
The international community, particularly countries in the region, has long seen through Japan’s double-dealing tactics and will never permit its “neo-militarism” to undermine the hard-won peace and stability in the region.
(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.)

World must not slide into ‘ruleless’ abyss

By Huan Yuping, People’s Daily

Although the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 concluded, concerns voiced during the event about the world sliding toward a “ruleless” order continue to resonate across the international community.
In its latest National Security Strategy, the Trump administration has elevated differences with Europe to the level of a so-called “civilizational erasure.” It has pressed ahead with attempts to seize Greenland from Denmark, escalated tariff threats, and repeatedly played down the role of NATO allies.
These actions have led Europe to increasingly realize that, under U.S. power politics, being an ally offers no protection.
The recent changes in U.S. policy toward Europe have laid bare the logic of hegemony: nothing is off the table. Europe’s sense of helplessness in the face of successive shocks is, to some extent, the price of its long-standing strategic dependence on the United States.
At present, frictions between the United States and Europe have deepened, reflecting, in part, a profound crisis confronting the world.
Since the beginning of this year, from brazen actions against Venezuela to overt attempts to assert control over Greenland, the United States has trampled on international law and the international order indiscriminately, accelerating the world’s slide toward a “ruleless” state.
French President Emmanuel Macron warned: “It’s a shift toward a world without rules, where international law is trampled underfoot, and where the only law which seems to matter is the strongest with imperial ambitions resurfacing.”
The international order established after World War II is far from perfect, but it has played an important role in maintaining overall global peace, promoting relatively open global trade, and advancing international cooperation. It remains the foundation for the orderly functioning of today’s world.
Yet in recent years, key architects of this order have reversed course, increasingly embracing hegemonism, unilateralism, and protectionism. They have become disruptors of the very system they helped build.
Today, the risk of “rulelessness” is forming an interconnected and compounded complex of systemic risks across multiple domains, profoundly threatening the living environment of all members of the international community.
In the realm of economic and trade cooperation, economic ties such as trade and investment — once drivers of global prosperity — are now being deliberately and strategically weaponized by certain countries. This has directly disrupted global industrial and supply chains and dealt a severe blow to multilateral trade rules.
In terms of multilateral cooperation, hegemonic countries have unilaterally withdrawn from international mechanisms, plunging core global governance institutions such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organization into unprecedented crises and heightening challenges to world peace and development.
In an environment where rules are disregarded and power worshipped, no country can effectively safeguard its own interests. When constraints disappear, unpredictability itself becomes a powerful destructive force, pushing the world toward disorder and greater instability.
While hegemonic threats persisted after World War II, Western nostalgia for a “golden past” often overlooked consequences borne elsewhere. Today, however, the United States’ actions to bully the weak and its reckless destruction of the international order have inflicted pain widely felt across the international community. The world must fully recognize these risks and shoulder shared responsibilities in addressing them.
To prevent descent into rulelessness, adherence to international law is paramount. International law and the basic norms governning international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter are vital to world peace and stability and constitute an important basis for resolving international disputes.
Only by fully, faithfully, and comprehensively observing international law and these fundamental norms — ensuring the uniform application of rules and rejecting double standards — can the law of the jungle be prevented from becoming the guiding logic of global affairs.
To prevent a slide into a “ruleless” abyss, the international community must renew its commitment to solidarity.
Countries share a common future, and self-preservation in the face of brute force is not a viable path forward. All countries should take shared interests into consideration, build a common understanding of global risks, strengthen the foundations of unity and cooperation, and jointly tackle the challenges posed by hegemonism and power politics.
The international order established after World War II has been protecting the world for more than 80 years. What is needed today is to consolidate, reform, and improve this order — not to tear it down or undermine it at its foundations.
Some argue that where the old order “fractures,” emerging forces committed to independence and pragmatic cooperation will gain increasing space to help define rules. Viewed this way, “disorder” can also serve as the prelude to transformation.
The world stands at a critical crossroads. The international community must not stand by as the world is pushed into a “ruleless” abyss. Only by jointly upholding the international system with the UN at its core and the international order based on international law, and by forging certainty through dialogue and cooperation, can humanity be guided toward a brighter future.

Storm-stranded South Korean cast finds refuge at Chinese Antarctic research station

By Hu Runxin

Few might have anticipated that a South Korean food-themed variety show would evolve into a compelling showcase of China’s capabilities.
Recently, an South Korean variety show titled Chef of Antarctica sparked lively online discussion. In the program, to express gratitude for China’s long-term cooperation and exchanges with ROK’s King Sejong Station in Antarctica, four South Korean celebrities — serving as “honorary crew members” of the station — visit China’s Great Wall Station there to prepare a thank-you meal.
What they encounter at the Chinese station defied expectations: thriving greenhouse vegetables, fully stocked pantries with diverse seasonings, and rare fresh foods like drunken shrimp and bullfrog — all contrasting sharply with typical Antarctic scarcity.
Nature, however, is full of surprises. After filming, a sudden blizzard stranded the entire 29-person production team. Facing an emergency, they requested temporary shelter at Great Wall Station.
The station chief’s instant reply — “No problem, don’t worry” — instantly eased their concerns right away. They were welcomed into clean, comfortable “snow-view” dormitories and offered hot drinks and snacks. This hospitality deeply moved the South Korean team, reflecting China’s tradition of extending aid in times of need—a practice rooted in inclusiveness and goodwill.
In such extreme conditions, this assistance not only demonstrated kindness but also showcased national capability.
Before setting out, the South Korean team had been told that at that time of year, stations operated by various countries would “likely have only frozen supplies, with almost no fresh produce.” Yet upon arriving at the Great Wall Station, the variety of food stocks amazed them — they exclaimed it was “like stepping into a Chinese supermarket.” Thanks to a robust logistics and supply system, fresh food can now be delivered over long distances and under challenging conditions.
Though designed for just 15 overwintering personnel, the station accommodated nearly twice its typical capacity. This flexibility comes from the station’s “full-capacity design,” incorporating substantial safety margins for emergencies—a reflection of strategic foresight and engineering expertise.
These achievements were never attained overnight. The composure and abundance seen at the Great Wall Station today are the result of decades of hard work and perseverance by generations of Chinese explorers.
There was a time when, without a research station of its own, China’s delegation could not vote at Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings. Being unable to have a say on Antarctic affairs left the delegates deeply frustrated—and all the more determined to pioneer the nation’s first Antarctic presence, achieving the crucial breakthrough “from zero to one.”
During the 1980s, lacking a permanent Antarctic presence meant China had no voting rights at Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings. This exclusion fueled determination to establish the nation’s first research station—a critical breakthrough from observer to stakeholder in Antarctic affairs.
China’s earliest Antarctic missions sailed forth on the Xiangyanghong 10 and J121 vessels; today, the icebreakers Xue Long and Xue Long 2 press onward through the frozen seas. Where once stood only basic container shelters, fully equipped modern research stations now operate. Over the past 40 years, China has launched five stations and two research vessels for Antarctic research, entering an era of three-dimensional development across sea, land and air.
Driven by self-reliance, Chinese explorers have moved steadily inland from Antarctica’s periphery, continually expanding both their operational footprint and fields of scientific inquiry. This vast icy wilderness stands as a testament to their unwavering tenacity, pioneering courage, and resilience in overcoming every challenge.
Friendliness, openness, and inclusiveness, along with the resolve to face difficulties and pursue excellence — these qualities are, at any time, among the most precious assets of a country and a nation. The blizzard will eventually pass, and these moving stories will continue to unfold in new chapters.

China’s 2025 foreign trade reflects economic resilience

By Luo Shanshan, People’s Daily

China’s 2025 foreign trade data has drawn significant analysis from economists worldwide, with international observers highlighting “robust exports,” “diversified markets,” and “sustained competitiveness”. The Wall Street Journal noted that China had defied expectations for tariff-driven slowdown, continuing to show resilience as the world’s second-largest economy.
Despite complex global headwinds, China’s foreign trade in goods reached 45.47 trillion yuan ($6.54 trillion) in 2025, cementing its position as the world’s largest trader in goods. Trade growth has now been sustained for nine consecutive years, marking the longest uninterrupted expansion since China joined the World Trade Organization.
Behind these impressive figures lie concrete stories of deepening economic ties between China and the world.
A Norwegian social media influencer recently experienced this firsthand through two encounters with a Chinese compact excavator. A few months earlier, while scrolling through a Chinese e-commerce platform, he stumbled upon the product and, judging by its low price, assumed it was little more than a toy. Curious, he placed an order. When the package arrived, the surprise was immediate: the machine was fully functional, solidly built, and far more capable than he had expected. His unboxing video quickly attracted widespread attention, drawing more than 4 million views.
Curious about the value-for-money of Chinese excavators and responding to questions from viewers, the influencer made his first trip to China. His destination was a factory of Shandong HuaYee Heavy Industry Group Co., Ltd. in Jining, east China’s Shandong province. Orderly, automated production lines and a large, well-integrated supply chain capable of responding swiftly to manufacturing needs once again left him astonished. A follow-up video documenting his factory visit attracted over 500,000 overseas viewers.
The transoceanic journey of a single excavator offers a glimpse into the resilience of China’s foreign trade.
Resilience lies in market diversification and win-win cooperation.
In 2025, China’s trade network covered more than 240 countries, and its trade with over 190 countries and regions reported positive growth. Trade continues to bring economies closer and create new opportunities for growth. An economist at Goldman Sachs noted that China’s export resilience has been underpinned by the rapid growth of shipments to emerging markets.
China’s trade with Central Asia offers a vivid example. In 2025, China-Central Asia trade exceeded $100 billion for the first time, maintaining positive growth for five consecutive years. China has also become the largest trading partner of Central Asian countries for the first time.
By promoting high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, advancing the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, and signing more regional and bilateral trade and investment agreements, China continues to push forward high-standard opening up through pragmatic measures.
Its foreign trade has long moved beyond reliance on a single market, forming a more balanced structure in which traditional markets provide stability while emerging markets drive expansion. As China’s global economic partnerships expand, so does its capacity to withstand external risks.
Resilience lies in structural upgrading and innovation-driven growth.
Despite frequent tariff barriers and trade frictions, China’s foreign trade has continued to advance, supported by an efficient, stable, and flexible supply chain system. The engineering machinery industry cluster in Jining, whose high-quality products are sold worldwide, exemplifies China’s move toward higher-end, smarter manufacturing.
Industrial robots provide another example. In 2025, China became a net exporter of industrial robots. Data show that China’s exports of manufactured goods have grown for nine consecutive years. Equipment manufacturing exports reached 16.03 trillion yuan in 2025, up 9.2 percent year on year, accounting for 59.4 percent of total exports–a clear sign of continued structural upgrading.
This evolution stems from both industrial innovation and changing trade models. The integration of cross-border e-commerce with industrial clusters is reshaping traditional bulk trade. These highly connected platforms facilitate efficient global matching of supply and demand, opening new channels for Chinese products to reach overseas markets.
Every achievement in China’s foreign trade underscores the resilience of its economy. Despite ongoing global uncertainties, China benefits its institutional strengths, vast market potential, comprehensive industrial system, and a steadfast commitment to expanding opening-up.
As experts quoted by the BBC observed, the deepening integration of Chinese goods and services into global business networks suggests this success is likely to extend into 2026. Looking ahead, China’s foreign trade will continue to grow with resilience, writing new stories of win-win cooperation and injecting greater certainty into global economic and trade growth.

Smart factories across China explore new models of manufacturing

Cars no longer have to be built on a traditional assembly line. In China, production is increasingly organized around what are known as “manufacturing islands.”
An intelligent island manufacturing system in the body shop of joint venture SAIC-GM-Wuling in Liuzhou, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, presents a striking scene: individual “smart process islands” operate independently yet remain interconnected. Together, three major island clusters enable the efficient mixed production of 24 different vehicle models.
“Model changeovers now take just two hours versus two days previously,” said Yuan Yuzhu, senior manager of the final assembly workshop of the joint venture, pointing to a digital display screen.
“This has increased overall equipment effectiveness by 20 percent and reduced new model introduction costs by 35 percent. Behind these figures lies a fundamental shift in manufacturing logic,” Yuan added.
At the plant’s intelligent general assembly island, technologies such as modular switching allow different vehicle models to share the same assembly platform.
“Traditional lines are rigid like one-way roads,” explained process engineer Cai Lin. “Our island system provides Lego-like flexibility while cutting equipment investment by 40 percent.”
To build a smart factory that can think and evolve, SAIC-GM-Wuling has adopted a self-developed AI-driven operational model, enabling highly coordinated use of resources across the entire industrial chain, from production scheduling and warehousing to material distribution. The factory’s overall level of intelligence has reached 75 percent.
Since the completion of the island-based smart factory at the end of 2023, manufacturing efficiency has increased by 30 percent; model changeover time in the body shop has been cut by 67 percent; investment in new product manufacturing has been reduced by 30 percent.
In 2025, the company’s output value once again surpassed 100 billion yuan ($14.38 billion), up 24 percent year on year, while annual sales of new energy vehicles exceeded one million units for the first time, marking a year-on-year increase of 31.9 percent.
Built on process decoupling and production-line restructuring, SAIC-GM-Wuling’s automotive island-based smart factory is one of China’s 15 flagship smart factories recently announced.
China is currently accelerating the digital and intelligent transformation of its manufacturing sector. Since 2024, six government departments including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology have jointly launched a smart factory gradient cultivation action for two consecutive years, developing them across four levels.
To date, China has built more than 35,000 basic-level smart factories, over 8,200 advanced-level facilities, more than 500 excellence-level factories, and 15 flagship smart factories.
Selected as the top among top, the first batch of China’s flagship smart factories covers key sectors including equipment manufacturing, raw materials, and electronic information, located in 10 provincial-level regions, such as Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong, and Hubei.
Wang Minghui, director of the industrial research office at the Development Research Center of the State Council, noted that flagship smart factories integrate advanced manufacturing technologies, next-generation information technologies, and lean management concepts. Tasked with exploring future manufacturing models, they represent the pinnacle of China’s intelligent manufacturing pyramid.
The core value of smart factories lies in reshaping production logic and unlocking industrial momentum. Flagship smart factories are continuously exploring new manufacturing models in practice, from automotive plants achieving flexible mixed-model production, to petrochemical facilities operating autonomously through digital twins, and to optical fiber plants overcoming the limits of ultra-large preform manufacturing. With high efficiency, precision, flexibility, and quality, they are setting transformation benchmarks for their respective industries.
As technological innovation accelerates, intelligent manufacturing is evolving faster than ever.
For example, Gree Electric Appliances, a leading Chinese home appliances maker, has achieved full digital coverage in its flagship smart factory, doubling production efficiency. The flagship factory of Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable Joint Stock Limited Company (YOFC), a Chinese supplier of optical preform, fiber and cables, has fully integrated AI throughout its production process, enabling micron-level precision control at temperatures above 2,000 degrees Celsius. Its fiber drawing line achieves a world-leading speed of 3,500 meters per minute–entirely without human intervention.
Statistics show that across the 15 flagship smart factories, average production efficiency has increased by 29 percent, while product defect rate has dropped by 47 percent. Meanwhile, AI has been applied in more than 70 percent of business scenarios in these factories, resulting in over 6,000 vertical-domain models and driving the large-scale application of more than 1,700 key intelligent manufacturing equipment systems and industrial software solutions.
Intelligent manufacturing is moving beyond reactive automation, entering a stage of proactive, self-optmizing system.
“We will open and share our technical standards with supply chain partners,” said Wei Xiaowen, SAIC-GM-Wuling’s manager of integrated planning. “After adopting the intelligent island manufacturing model, Liuzhou Saike Technology Development Co., Ltd. has seen its manufacturing efficiency increase by 30 percent.”
Notably, smart factories are creating ripple effects that increasingly drive industrial collaboration. The 15 flagship smart factories are no longer just producers of high-end products; they are evolving into comprehensive providers of products, services and solutions, driving broader industrial transformation. To date, they have facilitated coordinated upgrades among more than 1,300 upstream and downstream enterprises, enhancing value across entire industrial chains.
Looking ahead, China’s smart factories are poised to deliver greater benefits to the world. Innovation will drive progress, tiered capacity-building will strengthen their foundations, and ecosystem-wide collaboration will help break down barriers.

Olumode: Driving Change in a New Dawn.

A civil society, pressure group, non-profit, and anti-corruption organization—the Guild of Civil Societies and Media Executives for Equity, Justice and Transparency in Nigeria (GOCMEJ)—has applauded and commended the transformational philosophy, paradigm shift, and institutional reforms currently being entrenched by the new leadership of the Federal Fire Service (FFS) under the Controller-General, Samuel Adeyemi Olumode.

The Guild commended the rebranding and repositioning efforts of the Service, coupled with the high esprit de corps, improved morale of officers and men, discipline, and promotions across board within the Federal Fire Service( FFS). These efforts include the commissioning of modern fire trucks and vehicles to reduce incessant fire emergencies, advocacy on fire safety policies nationwide, and the enforcement of fire equipment installation in buildings across the country. GOCMEJ stressed that the timely delivery of fire-fighting equipment and the retraining of officers by the current leadership are commendable developments deserving the support of all well-meaning Nigerians.

According to a press statement issued by the Country Director and Secretary, Comrade Zubaida Aliyu Muhammed, the gender-friendly management of the Service has appointed the first-ever female Deputy Controller-General since the inception of the Federal Fire Service. This novel and laudable step, the Guild noted, aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which promotes inclusive female participation in governance.

The statement further affirmed that the disciplinary measures introduced by the present management, alongside its zero-tolerance stance on corruption and laxity, have significantly boosted personnel morale and commitment to duty, endearing the Service to its workforce like never before.

Drawing from the achievements of past administrations and the strong resolve of the current leadership to consolidate existing development programmes, the statement highlighted enhanced advocacy for fire-fighting equipment in buildings, effective implementation of fire policies and safety measures, seamless Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), and robust inter-agency collaboration with sister security agencies. These initiatives have strengthened the Service into a viable, accountable, and sustainable institution that meets global best practises in performance and service delivery.

The Guild emphasized that the present management has upgraded the Fire Academy and Disaster Management Institutions to boost capacity and manpower development. It also commended the approval of local and international training programmes, seminars, and courses for officers. Special recognition was given to the establishment of a state-of-the-art Procurement Department, which has enhanced transparency, due process, and efficiency in contracting and disbursement processes.

Consequently, GOCMEJ endorsed the continued collaboration and partnerships with agencies such as NEMA, EFCC, NSCDC, the private sector, and the general public. These collaborations have enhanced public sensitization on disaster management, fire safety policies, and emergency response procedures, creating a win-win situation for all stakeholders. The Guild noted that the transparent and ethical mechanisms adopted by the present leadership have further endeared Nigerians to the Service.

The statement reiterated that the current management has turned around the fortunes of the Federal Fire Service by repositioning infrastructural development, improving equipment maintenance, and strengthening due process mechanisms to curb abuse of standards. These reforms have significantly enhanced productivity and efficiency in the workplace, earning the Service recognition as one of the best places to work within the paramilitary sector due to improved human capacity, a conducive work environment, and high staff morale.
GOCMEJ also recalled that Nigerians have recently expressed pride in the improved response time of the Fire Service to emergencies and accidents, thereby reducing fire-related disasters in homes and offices across the country.

Worthy of mention is the innovative initiative of establishing fire stations within major markets nationwide. Meanwhile, the Investigation, Inspectorate, and Enforcement (IIE) Division continues to inspect markets and public buildings to ensure compliance with fire safety standards. The management is also intensifying public enlightenment through paid announcements and advertorials, educating Nigerians on fire prevention practices, such as switching off electrical appliances after business hours and remaining vigilant at all times.

In conclusion, GOCMEJ called for an increase in the national budgetary allocation to the Federal Fire Service(FFS) in view of its critical role in mitigating fire disasters. The Guild also urged international organizations, public-spirited individuals, and corporate bodies to support, partner, and collaborate with the Service on long-term strategic initiatives aimed at fire disaster prevention, capacity building, ICT development, and manpower enhancement for improved productivity.

Short-term rental boom puts humanoid robots to work on short gigs

By Xu Peiyu, Zhu Yingxi

Recently, humanoid robots are becoming commonplace at commercial events, corporate gatherings, and cultural celebrations across China. These versatile machines transition seamlessly between roles — greeting guests one day and performing on stage the next — busily taking on short-term engagements in what’s now known as the “robot gig economy.”

The launch of specialized rental platforms has transformed this concept from experimentation to scalable application. Industry analysts note this model lowers adoption barriers, expands use cases, and drives product refinement, service standardization, and supply chain development — creating multiple emerging trends.

Robotics firms AgiBot and Flycode have jointly launched a rental platform featuring scenario-specific packages. A festive celebration bundle, priced at 2,500 yuan ($358.87) daily, includes two humanoid robots and a robotic dog for guest interactions and performances. Custom options are available for corporate events, mall promotions, sports competitions, trade shows, concerts, and tourism services.

According to an AgiBot executive, current rentals focus on emotional engagement and interactive experiences, primarily driving foot traffic, enhancing live events, and providing tech-themed activations. Market-based pricing ranges from hundreds to tens of thousands of yuan daily, varying by model and duration. 

“Since the platform was officially launched on Dec. 22, 2025, it has quickly attracted more than 160,000 registered users. Daily order volumes have stabilized at over 200, and a significant surge is expected during the Chinese New Year period,” the executive said.

Growing provider networks have driven rental prices down over the past year. Standard practice includes an on-site technical operator — typically one engineer per robot — supporting deployments throughout engagements.

Hui Jianzhong, general manager of a Shanghai-based robot rental company, reports more than 95 percent of the current demand is for short-term use. “Most clients don’t need permanent ownership,” he explained. “They seek impactful technology deployments for key moments and high-visibility events.”

Among popular rental models, humanoid robots like the AgiBot X2 series — featuring interactive performance with a futuristic aesthetic — show particularly strong demand. According to market feedback, mid- to high-end models renting for several thousand yuan per day are particularly favored by commercial clients, thanks to their well-rounded functionality and impressive visual presentation.

Industry projections estimate China’s humanoid robot rental market will reach at least 10 billion yuan by 2026.

“The robot gig economy represents a crucial pathway for embodied intelligence to achieve commercial scale,” AgiBot’s executive emphasized. “It transforms high-value fixed assets into flexible on-demand services, significantly lowering usage barriers for enterprises — especially small and medium-sized businesses. Market demand for robots is real, application scenarios are expanding rapidly, and the growth potential is enormous.”

The rental model has found its earliest and most practical application in the entertainment and leisure sector. According to Zhang Lihua, Deputy Dean of the College of Intelligent Robotics and Advanced Manufacturing at Fudan University, robotic performances possess inherent visual appeal and strong potential for audience engagement. There is consistent and broad-based demand for such applications across scenarios including concerts, film and television production, theme parks, commercial events, and cultural tourism activities. This makes entertainment one of the most promising fields for humanoid robots to achieve a commercially sustainable model at present.

Zhang highlighted dual industry shifts: specialized firms are emerging to manage robot procurement, operation, and service delivery, while rental demand reshapes manufacturers’ design priorities. “Companies are increasingly focusing on scenario-specific capabilities rather than pursuing purely general-purpose humanoid robots,” she observed.

The rental model itself is evolving from basic device leasing toward integrated solutions encompassing hardware, motion/skill packages, content choreography, operational support, and safety management. This transition enables sustainable ongoing service rather than one-off deliveries.

“As robotics technology matures and hardware costs steadily decline,” Zhang projected, “humanoid robots will expand into diverse fields, gradually transitioning from gig workers to permanent employees in the workforce.”

How global rankings reflect China’s innovation momentum

By Gu Yekai, Yu Sinan, Li Junqiang, People’s Daily

China is rapidly evolving into a global engine of scientific and technological advancement, marked by surging research output, breakthroughs in fundamental and frontier fields, and deepening commitments to open collaboration. This trajectory reflects an increasingly confident and innovative China, infusing new dynamism into worldwide development.

Among the world’s top 10 cities in the “Nature Index 2025 Science Cities” supplement, six are from China. Of the 2025 Highly Cited Researchers list from Clarivate, one fifth are from the Chinese mainland, with the Chinese Academy of Sciences ranking first globally with 258 entries. 

According to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States, Chinese scientists are rapidly increasing their leadership roles in international collaboration. The World Intellectual Property Organization’s Global Innovation Index 2025 recognized China as one of the world’s 10 most innovative economies.

The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) in south China’s Guangdong province, recently released its first physics results, setting new world records in the precision of measurements for two neutrino oscillation parameters. The achievement highlights China’s steadily growing role in global science and technology. 

As the world’s first neutrino-specific facility of ultra-large scale and ultra-high precision, this project, led by China and built in China, brings together more than 700 researchers from 75 scientific institutions across 17 countries and regions.

Magdalena Skipper, editor-in-chief at Nature said that China’s increasingly mature and impactful contributions to global research have been recognized not only in the Nature Index, but also in other major rankings and evaluation systems for scientific output.

In 2024, China’s total research and development (R&D) spending exceeded 3.6 trillion yuan ($516.58 billion), an increase of 48 percent compared with 2020, and the country’s total expenditure on R&D accounted for 2.68 percent of its GDP, with the total number of R&D personnel ranking first in the world. 

Sustained investment has yielded original breakthroughs in quantum technology, life sciences, physical sciences, and space exploration. For five consecutive years, China has led globally in high-impact journal publications and international patent applications.

“By pivoting on its core talent, China is steadily strengthening its long-term competitiveness in the global research landscape,” said Yi Jiming, a professor at Peking University Law School. He noted that, amid increasingly multipolar global scientific competition, China’s ability to sustain both the scale and stability of its high-caliber talent reflects an innovation ecosystem supported by mature research frameworks, sustained investment, and well-structured talent pipelines — demonstrating notable resilience and long-term potential.

China has strengthened top-level planning and improved its national innovation system. Through a series of practical measures and long-term policies, it has accelerated the formation of institutional mechanisms that support comprehensive innovation. 

Carsten Fink, chief economist of the World Intellectual Property Organization, observed that China has been performing particularly well in innovation in recent years, thanks in large part to the Chinese government’s planning, sustained focus and support for the innovation system.　

At the same time, an increasing number of Chinese technologies are going global, empowering development worldwide.

In farmland on the outskirts of Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, golden waves of rice sway in the wind. By integrating the high-yield traits of Chinese rice with resilient local varieties, Chinese experts have successfully cultivated more than 80 varieties of green “super rice” that are both high-yielding and highly adaptable.

In Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, autonomous driving technologies of Chinese mobility company Didi have been employed by the local smart and autonomous vehicle industry, and will be gradually promoted across a broader Middle Eastern market.

By consistently promoting scientific and technological progress through open cooperation, China’s new products and technologies are reaching the world in more accessible, people-centered ways, making innovation tangible, inclusive and sustainable.

At the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show, often regarded as a “barometer” of global technology trends, innovative products from Chinese companies attracted worldwide attention.

Chinese smart phone manufacturer Honor unveiled the world’s first “smartphone robot,” which comes with a movable mechanical gimbal design, an AI-powered smartphone brain, and high-definition imaging capabilities. 

Lenovo introduced a personal super intelligent agent that enables seamless switching among smart phones, computers, tablets and wearable devices. 

Chinese household appliance manufacturer Dreame Technology, drawing on its self-developed multimodal perception system and bionic robotic arm control algorithms, showcased a robotic vacuum cleaner equipped with a mechanical arm that can autonomously perform “grasping, sorting and storage” through AI visual recognition.

China’s massive market scale and diverse application scenarios propel new technologies onto the global stage and reinforce its position as a critical hub for worldwide R&D. As one BMW Group executive noted, “BMW has established its largest R&D network outside Germany in China, including four innovation hubs and three software centers.”

With clear goals and strong momentum, China continues to prioritize innovation-driven growth, fostering new sources of economic expansion. The country is poised to deliver further globally significant scientific and technological breakthroughs in the years ahead.