Nigeria Times

By Zhou Zhou, Chu Jun, People’s Daily

The sixth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) was held in Haikou, south China’s Hainan province from April 13 to 18. The exhibition area and number of participating countries and regional delegations have reached record highs, demonstrating the enduring resilience and global appeal of China’s consumer market.

This year’s expo, themed “Opening Up Drives Global Consumption, Innovation Empowers A Better Life,” focused on emerging consumption trends including eco-friendly, health-focused, digital and smart products, while serving as a key platform for global business cooperation.

Across the exhibition halls, cutting-edge innovations offered a glimpse into the future of consumption. A modular flying car developed by Chinese tech company XPeng AEROHT sketched out new possibilities for three-dimensional mobility; AI-powered smart glasses by Hangzhou Lingban Technology Ltd. demonstrated real-time translation in 89 languages; and Unitree’s humanoid robots interacted naturally and smoothly with visitors. 

“China isn’t only the world’s manufacturing hub anymore,” said Fred, a Zambian buyer who has attended the expo for several consecutive years, adding that the country is now globally competitive in smart devices and high-tech innovation.

Over 200 new products made their debut at this year’s expo, twice the figure recorded last year.

“The expo lets us closely track shifting consumer tastes and demands across China,” said Cai Yiping, head of brand management at Singapore-based massage chair brand OSIM, a long-term regular exhibitor at the event. Six years of participation revealed Chinese consumers’ growing demand for scientific, personalized wellness solutions, prompting OSIM to expand its R&D investment and market presence.

The international specialty goods exhibition area brought together premium goods from around the world, including alpaca wool bedding from New Zealand, wine from South Africa, and bird’s nest products from Malaysia. The event attracted more than 3,400 brands from over 60 countries and regions, with international exhibitors accounting for 65 percent of the total, up 20 percentage points from the previous expo. 

Honored guest country Canada sent its largest-ever delegation. “Since the inaugural 2021 Expo, Canada has consistently expanded its presence,” stated Behzad Babakhani, Consul General of Canada in Guangzhou. “We’re committed to introducing premium Canadian products to China.”

At Namibia’s national pavilion, marula oil skincare and daily care products exuded a delicate natural fragrance. Ella, a representative from SheaCoco, explained product highlights to visitors in fluent Mandarin. 

She noted that China’s preferential tariff policies and simpler cross-border trade procedures have greatly increased China’s imports of African natural resources. This has broadened export avenues for African produce, driven coordinated growth across planting, harvesting, processing, logistics and trade, and effectively upgraded living standards for local communities.

Through the expo, the world has gained a clearer view of the dynamism of China’s market and the country’s commitment to high-level opening up, strengthening their confidence in cooperating with China.

At a procurement service center, a series of matchmaking events created a lively atmosphere, with deals being signed throughout the day. For the first time, the expo introduced an offline buyer service center, offering full-process support to match suppliers and buyers — a service widely praised by participants.

“This is my first CICPE, and I was surprised by how many business opportunities there are. I’ll definitely return next year,” said Alvin Cheng, founder and CEO of Iconthin Biotech. His company has already reached preliminary cooperation agreements with several partners. 

“The expo is a great platform to promote our products. China’s consumer market holds enormous potential, and we plan to invest more and grow our business here,” Cheng added.

The expo also highlighted the fast-growing appeal of the Hainan Free Trade Port, which started island-wide independent customs operations on Dec. 18 last year. 

“In little over 100 days, three batches of our coffee products qualified for duty-free value-added processing, reducing our costs by about 8 percent,” said Ye Jian, general manager of Charoen Pokphand Group (Hainan) Xinglong Coffee Industry Development Co., Ltd..

“The policies of zero tariffs, low tax rates, and a simplified tax system have delivered tangible benefits and opened up new opportunities for trade and investment,” said Xue Zengyi, vice chairman of Charoen Pokphand Group Agro-Industry & Food Business.

Saravoot Yoovidhya, CEO of Thailand’s TCP Group, said that the synergy between Hainan Free Trade Port policies and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is creating new opportunities for trade facilitation and efficient global resource allocation. It has further strengthened the company’s confidence in expanding operations in Hainan and deepening its business layout in China, he added.

By He Yin, People’s Daily

China recently unveiled its economic performance for the first quarter of 2026. Its GDP reached 33.4193 trillion yuan ($4.9 trillion), up 5 percent year on year in real terms, accelerating by 0.5 percentage points from the fourth quarter of last year. 

The figures have drawn close attention from the international community, which generally believes that amid rising global uncertainty, China’s economy has demonstrated resilience and vitality, injecting much-needed stability and positive momentum into the world.

At present, global instability is intensifying. The spillover effects of geopolitical conflicts are expanding, and international organizations such as the UN and the Asian Development Bank have warned of growing downside risks. The global economy is moving forward under pressure. 

In the face of mounting external uncertainties, China’s economy continues to display strong resilience, robust internal momentum, and proactive, effective macroeconomic policies. Phrases such as “better than expected” and “growth against the headwinds” have frequently appeared in international media coverage. 

Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, noted that China’s economy has shown resilience, possesses immense potential, and will have a positive impact on the world.

Driven by innovation, high-quality development surges forward. In the first quarter, China’s equipment manufacturing sector contributed nearly 50 percent to the growth of value added in industrial enterprises above designated size. In the first two months of the year, high-tech manufacturing accounted for more than half of the increase in total industrial profits, underscoring the growing role of new growth drivers. 

China’s industries are advancing rapidly toward high-end, intelligent, green and upgraded development, delivering continuous breakthroughs in fostering new quality productive forces. 

Exports of green products such as electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, and wind turbines and their components rose by 77.5 percent, 50.4 percent, and 45.2 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, investment in frontier fields including AI and humanoid robotics increased by 45.5 percent year on year, and the business vitality index of technology-driven enterprises rose by 8.1 percent. 

Global media outlets have observed promising signs: China’s thriving clean energy technologies are creating huge economic value, and robust demand for AI devices is driving steady growth of China’s foreign trade. These positive trends vividly demonstrate China’s progress in developing new quality productive forces.

Domestic demand has also shown overall improvement, creating favorable conditions for sustained economic expansion. 

Promoting a development model driven more by domestic demand, consumption, and endogenous growth reflects China’s strategic response to changes in its development stage and the evolving international environment. 

In the first quarter, retail sales of consumer goods grew by 2.4 percent year on year, while fixed-asset investment returned to positive growth, indicating that the domestic market continues to deepen and expand. 

At the sixth China International Consumer Products Expo held in Hainan province, a wide range of global debuts, Asia-Pacific premieres, and China launches were showcased, further strengthening China’s reputation as a premier global destination for quality consumption. 

The country’s vast market continues to empower economic development. Some U.S. media outlets observed that China is transitioning toward a more diversified growth model, one that benefits not only China itself but also offers valuable lessons for the global economy.

Amid profound adjustments in the global economic landscape, China remains committed to high-level opening up, creating broad opportunities for the world through its own development. 

A series of opening-up measures have been rolled out, including the launch of island-wide independent customs operations at the Hainan Free Trade Port, revisions to the Foreign Trade Law to better align with international rules, and an expanded version of the Catalogue of Encouraged Industries for Foreign Investment. These steps are improving both the quality and scale of trade cooperation. 

In the first quarter, China’s total goods trade exceeded 11 trillion yuan for the first time in the same period, maintaining double-digit growth and reaching the highest quarterly growth rate in five years. 

Its trade with Belt and Road partner countries accounted for 51.2 percent of the total, while trade with Africa grew by 23.7 percent. Trade with ASEAN, Latin America, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and other APEC economies also recorded double-digit growth. China’s role as a “world market” continues to generate positive spillover effects globally. A more open China will remain a steady anchor for the world economy as it navigates challenges.

The year 2026 marks the opening of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030). Stable economic growth provides a solid foundation for a strong start to this new phase, while also serving as a stabilizer for the global economy amid turbulent conditions. China will continue to inject sustained confidence and strong momentum into global development.

By Dou Hanyang, Han Xin, People’s Daily

The world’s largest pure electric intelligent container vessel, the Ning Yuan Dian Kun, developed by China, embarked on its maiden voyage on April 15, marking a new step in the country’s push toward greener and more intelligent coastal shipping.

At 4 p.m., the ship departed from Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in east China’s Zhejiang province, heading for Zhapu Port in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, a journey of about 70 nautical miles.

With its bright green hull cutting across the deep blue sea, the vessel stood out at first glance. Along its side, the words “Battery Power Zero Emission” highlighted its defining feature — fully electric propulsion with zero emissions during operation.

Developed by Ningbo Ocean Shipping Co., Ltd., the Ning Yuan Dian Kun is recognized as the world’s largest vessel of its kind and China’s first 10,000-ton-class pure electric intelligent container ship. Its launch into commercial service signaled a new phase for China’s coastal container transport, combining clean energy with intelligent navigation.

What sets this vessel apart?

Onboard, an integrated smart navigation platform displays real-time data across multiple digital screens. Positioned at the stern, ten standardized container-sized lithium iron phosphate battery units — the ship’s primary power source — are neatly arranged, . With a total storage capacity of around 20,000 kWh, the system is equivalent to the combined battery capacity of about 300 electric cars.

The environmental benefits are substantial. Once fully operational, the vessel is expected to save around 580 tons of fuel annually and cut carbon dioxide emissions by more than 1,400 tons, roughly equal to the yearly carbon absorption of 40,000 mature trees, achieving truly zero-emission, zero-pollution voyages, said Wang Ting, captain of the vessel.

“The most noticeable difference compared with conventional fuel-powered ships is the profound quietness,” Wang said. “The engine room was once dominated by the roar of the main engine, but now we sail almost silently, which significantly improves crew focus.” 

He added that electric propulsion also delivers smoother and more responsive acceleration and deceleration, with minimal delay. However, he emphasized, “This requires careful energy management — operators must monitor battery consumption closely and adjust speed planning accordingly.”

Compared with vessels powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), pure electric ships rely more heavily on charging infrastructure, especially for longer routes. The steady expansion of shore power facilities has already made electric vessels more common along inland waterways like the Yangtze River.

But is an all-electric vessel capable of handling sea routes?

“The vessel’s range fully meets the requirements of this specific route, incorporating a built-in safety margin,” said Chen Xiaofeng, chairman of Ningbo Ocean Shipping Co., Ltd. Behind this capability lies a comprehensive system integrating battery capacity, energy management, and charging solutions.

From a design perspective, the biggest challenge was not a single technical hurdle, but integrating an entire electric propulsion system into a 10,000-ton-class seagoing vessel. 

“Stable power supply under complex maritime conditions places high demands on energy management and system safety,” Chen explained. To address this, the company worked with partners including the Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute and China Classification Society to overcome key technical challenges, optimizing battery layout and improving energy efficiency.

Equally important is the charging system. The vessel adopts a dual approach combining shore-based charging and battery swapping. In current operations, shore power charging has proven sufficient, while the battery-swapping model is being further developed as a reserve solution.

To support the vessel’s battery-powered and autonomous navigation systems, maritime authorities in Ningbo introduced dedicated service and safety protocols, completing real-world tests for functions such as intelligent route tracking and dynamic collision avoidance in advance. The ship’s smooth operation and rapid decision-making response have demonstrated the reliability and stability of its smart navigation system in real-world conditions.

The maiden voyage of the Ning Yuan Dian Kun also underscored the broader potential of green shipping.

While all-electric vessels require higher upfront investment, they offer significantly lower energy and maintenance costs over time, particularly on short, high-frequency routes where their economic advantages are more pronounced.

“Green shipping brings both immediate and long-term benefits,” Chen said. “In the short term, it reduces fuel consumption and emissions. In the long run, it enhances market competitiveness.” 

As global clients place increasing emphasis on supply chain carbon footprints, low-emission shipping capacity is becoming not just a competitive edge, but a shared direction for the industry’s future.

In recent years, China has seen rapid growth in new-energy and clean-energy vessels. From inland waterways to ocean routes, the share of green ships continues to rise steadily.

Statistics show that by the end of 2025, China had over 1,600 clean-energy vessels operating on coastal and inland waterways, including battery-powered, LNG, methanol and hydrogen fuel cell ships. China boasts one of the world’s largest clean shipping fleets and takes a global lead in the application of electric watercraft.

By Qiu Chaoyi, People’s Daily

China’s economy got off to a solid start in the first quarter of the year, with GDP expanding 5.0 percent year on year. Across the board, key indicators showed encouraging performance. Four keywords shed light on the quality and underlying strength of the country’s first-quarter economic performance.

Steady Improvement

Preliminary data show that China’s GDP reached nearly 33.42 trillion yuan ($4.9 trillion) in the first quarter, growing 5 percent year on year in real terms, an increase of 0.5 percentage points from the fourth quarter of last year.

Breaking down the data, agricultural production remained stable, while industry and services both posted steady growth. The value added of the primary industry reached 1.19 trillion yuan, up 3.8 percent; the secondary industry grew 4.9 percent to 11.61 trillion yuan; and the tertiary industry rose 5.2 percent to 20.61 trillion yuan.

Price levels remained generally stable, with core CPI (Consumer Price Index) which excludes food and energy prices, up 1.2 percent year on year. Investment also rebounded, with fixed-asset investment (excluding rural households) reaching 10.27 trillion yuan, up 1.7 percent and returning to positive growth. 

Consumption showed steady improvement, as retail sales of consumer goods rose 2.4 percent year on year to nearly 12.77 trillion yuan, accelerating by 0.7 percentage points from the previous quarter. Employment remained stable, with the surveyed urban unemployment rate averaging 5.3 percent, unchanged from a year earlier.

“Overall, major macroeconomic indicators picked up in the first quarter, new growth drivers expanded rapidly, and the economy achieved a good start,” said Mao Shengyong, deputy head of the National Bureau of Statistics.

Strong Resilience

Against a high comparison base from last year’s first quarter and a far more complex, challenging global outlook, China’s economy delivered a robust opening performance, fully demonstrating its remarkable resilience.

Take foreign trade, for example. In the first quarter, China’s total imports and exports of goods reached nearly 11.84 trillion yuan, up 15 percent year on year, the fastest quarterly growth in the past five years. Mao noted that the strong competitiveness of Chinese enterprises, the high cost-effectiveness of their products, and supportive policy measures have helped offset external uncertainties and expand new space for trade.

Energy security also reflects this resilience. “Amid rising global energy prices driven by geopolitical tensions, China has maintained stable and orderly energy supply, with timely price adjustments ensuring sufficient energy for both households and businesses,” Mao said. 

This stability stems from years of forward-looking efforts to develop new energy industries and build a diversified energy supply system, significantly enhancing the economy’s autonomy and stability, he added.

Supported by China’s vast domestic market, complete industrial system, and strong supporting capabilities, industrial and supply chains have remained secure and stable, effectively cushioning external shocks. This demonstrates the strong resilience and anti-risk capability of the Chinese industry and provides solid support for overall economic stability.

Innovation-Driven, High-Quality Development

In the first quarter, China’s new quality productive forces continued to grow steadily, characterized by high-end, intelligent, green, and upgraded development.

High-end manufacturing and modern services expanded rapidly. The value added of high-tech manufacturing enterprises above designated size rose 12.5 percent year on year, raising its share in total output of industrial enterprises above designated size to 16.9 percent and contributing 2 percentage points to overall growth of industrial enterprises above designated size.

Intelligent development gained further momentum. Output in sectors directly related to artificial intelligence (AI), including electronic materials and integrated circuits, grew by 32.5 percent and 49.4 percent, respectively, highlighting AI’s growing role as a driver of economic activity.

Green transformation is also creating new growth engines. In the first quarter, production of lithium-ion batteries and wind turbines rose by 40.8 percent and 30.1 percent, respectively. Exports of the “new trio” — electric vehicles, lithium batteries, and solar products — continued to grow rapidly, with electric vehicle exports surging 77.5 percent, contributing to the global transition toward green and low-carbon development.

Meanwhile, traditional industries are being revitalized through steady upgrading, with faster progress in equipment renewal and technological transformation.

Confidence in the Outlook

Looking ahead, China has every reason to remain confident about its economic prospects.

“We have strong institutional strengths, as well as accumulated advantages in industry, market size, and talent. We are fully capable of maintaining stable economic performance and achieving high-quality development throughout the year,” Mao said.

With first-quarter GDP growth of 5.0 percent, China continues to rank among the fastest-growing major economies globally. Growth is increasingly driven by innovation, the cultivation of new quality productive forces, and the rapid expansion of new growth drivers.

At the same time, improving demand is creating favorable conditions. Domestic demand contributed 84.7 percent to economic growth in the first quarter, up nearly 30 percentage points year on year. Imports of consumer goods rose 5.4 percent, indicating a gradual recovery in domestic demand, particularly the continued release of potential in service consumption.

“Despite a complex external environment, we have the strength and resolve to meet any risks and challenges,” Mao said. “That assurance is built on our past achievements, and we remain confident about the future.”

By Shi Yu, People’s Daily

As global trade continues to evolve, China is accelerating efforts to integrate ports, shipping, and trade through more efficient and intelligent logistics networks. A key platform in this push is the Silk Road Maritime, the country’s first comprehensive international logistics service platform centered on maritime shipping under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Launched in southeast China’s Fujian province in 2018, Silk Road Maritime has expanded rapidly. Today, it operates 148 routes originating from more than 10 Chinese ports, connecting to 150 ports across 48 countries and regions. It has become an important link bridging domestic and international markets and connecting land and sea corridors.

The platform has demonstrably improved both efficiency and scale. For instance, a newly launched container route from Fujian to Latin America has shortened sailing time by more than seven days. By February 2026, cross-border e-commerce goods transported via dedicated express shipping lines had achieved an export value exceeding 15 billion yuan ($2.2 billion), while bulk and breakbulk cargo routes had handled goods worth over 32 billion yuan.

At Xiamen Port’s Haitian Terminal, a cargo vessel carrying more than 6,000 parcels of cross-border e-commerce goods, including apparel, small appliances, and daily necessities, recently set sail. Just two days later, the shipment would arrive at Manila Port in the Philippines.

Such efficiency was once unimaginable for Sun Kaiyang, general manager of a supply chain company based in Xiamen, Fujian province, the shipper of the above cargo. “In the past, we had to wait until enough goods were consolidated into a full container, then truck them to another port ahead of schedule. Delivery times were hard to guarantee.”

Cross-border e-commerce shipments are typically small in volume, frequent, and highly time-sensitive, posing challenges for traditional shipping logistics. 

To address this, the first Silk Road Maritime e-commerce express route was launched in June 2022. Since then, a growing network of such routes has enabled direct, point-to-point shipping from Xiamen to major ports in countries including Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand.

“Now we can deliver, load, inspect, and dispatch all on the same day,” Sun said. “The logistics chain has been significantly shortened.” 

Xiamen has also introduced an innovative mixed-container model, allowing e-commerce parcels and general trade goods to be shipped together. This has expanded cargo sourcing and increased flexibility in customs clearance. 

“Overall, transport time is reduced by about two days, and each container saves around 4,000 yuan in shipping costs, significantly boosting competitiveness,” Sun added.

Customs authorities have also streamlined procedures. “We’ve simplified declaration requirements and optimized inspection processes,” said Cai Shaojun, deputy head of the logistics supervision division at Dongdu Customs under Xiamen Customs. 

Compared with traditional models where different types of goods require separate warehousing and export, this integrated approach improves logistics time efficiency by 25 to 50 percent and is expected to cut costs per shipment by 10 to 25 percent, according to the official.

For long-distance maritime transport, reliable weather forecasting is critical.

In early November last year, Captain Zhang Nan of Meico International Shipping Limited faced a difficult decision while navigating a route from Penang, Malaysia, to Nansha Port in China’s Guangdong province, as Typhoon Kalmaegi approached. 

“Before departure, we hesitated — whether to wait it out or detour, both options meant delays and higher fuel costs,” he recalled.

Using Silk Road Maritime’s meteorological navigation service, the crew gained access to real-time visual forecasts covering the next five days, including the typhoon’s trajectory, wind conditions, and wave patterns. Supported by a team of meteorological and maritime experts, they determined that the vessel could proceed safely. The ship continued on its planned course, avoiding a 12-hour delay and saving 10 tons of fuel.

Behind this capability is an integrated meteorological service platform jointly developed by Silk Road Maritime, a Beijing-based global navigation company, and the Xiamen meteorological service center. The platform combines data on wind, waves, pressure, and visibility, forming a full-chain, all-weather support system spanning ocean routes, ports, and inland logistics.

Digitalization is another key pillar of Silk Road Maritime’s development. Its international shipping service platform uses big data and the Internet of Things to integrate resources across the logistics chain, monitoring container movements in real time, optimizing route planning, and delivering more efficient and reliable services.

The platform is also expanding its ecosystem. At the 2026 Silk Road Maritime Annual Meeting held in Nanning, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, on March 26, eight new members joined the Silk Road Maritime Association, bringing total membership to 375. 

“With coordinated support from the alliance, ports can prioritize berthing and streamline vessel handling, significantly improving turnaround efficiency,” said Fan Xiehui, a manager at the Xiamen branch of SITC Container Lines (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., adding that as a member of the association, the company has seen tangible benefits.

Li said the Silk Road Maritime will continue to pool global resources and explore coordinated development models linking ports, cities, industries, and trade, with the aim of building a smarter, more integrated ecosystem for international shipping and trade.

By Liao Ruiling

As the global transition toward green energy accelerates, the energy storage sector is seeing numerous market opportunities.

In March, the Solar Solutions Amsterdam 2026 exhibition was successfully held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. 

Chinese photovoltaic giant LONGi Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (LONGi) signed energy storage system supply agreements with two major core European partners during the exhibition, with a combined scale of 600 MWh. 

Meanwhile, the company’s energy storage solutions achieved their first order landing in the German market, as noted by She Haifeng, vice president of the company.

In March,battery manufacturer Hithium signed a letter of intent with the Spanish government to invest about 400 million euro ($472 million) in building a large-scale battery and energy storage manufacturing facility. 

February saw Chinese company Sungrow announced plans to invest approximately 230 million euro in building its first European manufacturing plant, with an annual capacity of 20 GW of photovoltaic inverters and 12.5 GWh of energy storage systems. 

China Aviation Lithium Battery also established a Portugal partnership earlier this year.

This expansion builds on 2025’s breakthrough, when Chinese firms secured 366 GWh in overseas orders — a 144% year-on-year surge. Top markets included Australia, the U.S., Saudi Arabia, and Chile, with emerging regions like the Middle East and Southeast Asia showing rapid growth.

Over 70 Chinese enterprises now operate globally, with battery manufacturers leading the full industrial chain’s internationalization. Demand is diversifying into specialized applications including data centers, microgrids, and island systems, while long-term service agreements and joint ventures have become standard business models.

This surge in China’s global energy storage presence has drawn widespread attention. A Reuters report late last year noted that reforms in China’s power market are reshaping the economics of domestic energy storage. Coupled with rising demand overseas, Chinese manufacturers are experiencing rapid growth, further strengthening their leading position.

To understand this wave of expansion, it helps to first look at how energy storage works.

In simple terms, energy storage refers to technologies that store energy through specific media or devices and release it when needed. Its core function is to address the mismatch in timing between energy supply and demand. 

For instance, wind and solar power are inherently intermittent, so storage systems charge when electricity supply exceeds demand and discharge when supply is tight, turning renewable energy into a stable and continuous resource.

According to Tian Qingjun, senior vice president of Chinese wind turbine company Envision Group, the recent surge in overseas demand is driven by multiple factors, including the accelerating global energy transition, the rapid growth of AI data centers, and technological advances that have significantly reduced system costs.

“Looking at specific markets, Europe and Australia are accelerating deployment based on their energy transition needs, while in the United States, demand growth is largely driven by the expansion of AI data centers,” Tian said.

Several companies seeking growth in overseas markets emphasized that the current wave of large-scale investment is not a short-term trend, but the result of years of accumulated expertise and technological breakthroughs.

“Backed by more than a decade of technical development and project experience, LONGi’s energy storage business has established a mature global delivery system,” said She. “We currently have 31 GWh of in-house storage manufacturing capacity worldwide, with over 13 GWh already connected to grids. Our business now spans key markets including Europe, North America, and Australia.”

Envision Group, for its part, began international expansion as early as 2008, building up extensive experience in technology development, project delivery, and ecosystem partnerships across Europe, North America, Latin America, Japan, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. 

According to Tian, the group is keeping accelerating global expansion, and overseas markets are expected to account for about 2/3 of the group’s business in the future.

Multiple energy storage companies noted that advancing the global reach of China’s energy storage sector ultimately hinges on localization, which means adapting technologies to local conditions and needs. 

For example, systems deployed in Northern Europe must operate reliably in extreme cold, while those in Southeast Asia must withstand high humidity and corrosion. This requires continuous innovation and tailored solutions for different environments.

She also revealed that by the end of 2028, the company plans to establish 30 comprehensive local service centers across major solar-plus-storage markets worldwide. The goal is to build an integrated service network that enhances coordination between solar and storage systems while strengthening localized support capabilities.

By Li Junqiang, Jiang Hongbing, Huang Xiaohui, People’s Daily

Recently, China’s National Medical Products Administration has granted the world’s first regulatory approval for an implantable brain-computer interface (BCI) device, marking a historic milestone in medical technology. This breakthrough transitions BCI — long considered the pinnacle of human-machine interaction — from laboratory research to clinical application.

BCI technology, first explored by scientists in the 1970s, establishes direct communication between the brain and external devices. “The fundamental principle of a brain-computer interface is to establish an information pathway between the brain and external equipment that bypasses peripheral nerves or muscles,” said Hong Bo, a professor at the School of Biomedical Engineering at Tsinghua University. 

By collecting and interpreting neural electrical signals generated during brain activity and translating them into actionable commands, users are able to control external devices using nothing but their thoughts.

The newly approved implantable BCI system for hand motor function augmentation, dubbed NEO, was jointly developed by Neuracle Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (Neuracle) and the School of Biomedical Engineering at Tsinghua University. 

“For patients with quadriplegia caused by cervical spinal cord injuries, who are unable to perform grasping movements with their fingers, we implant a coin-sized device in a minimally invasive procedure outside the dura mater,” said Wang Yujing, product director at Neuracle.

“The system collects and decodes the patient’s brain signals in real time, enabling them to control a pneumatic glove with their thoughts to perform actions such as grasping objects or drinking water,” she added.

“Among all technical approaches, implantable BCIs are widely considered the most challenging,” Wang noted. Directly implanting electrodes into the cerebral cortex involves significant risks and challenges, including craniotomy procedures, long-term biological tissue responses, wireless data transmission, and safe power supply.

In the past, patients often relied on wear wired systems, with visible external leads, to connect the brain to external devices. Muming Poo, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and director of the Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, noted that in recent years, BCIs have advanced toward miniaturized chips, faster decoding algorithms, and breakthroughs in high-precision electrode technology, gradually transitioning from laboratory research to clinical application. 

China has already completed dozens of clinical procedures. Trial data show that all participating patients experienced varying degrees of improvement in grasping ability, with some even exhibiting signs of neural remodeling and partial recovery of additional neural functions.

“The key clinical breakthrough lies in achieving stable acquisition of brain signals through minimally invasive implantation outside the dura mater, without contacting brain tissue or damaging neurons, while accurately decoding patients’ motor intentions to enable grasping and drinking,” said Mao Ying, president of Huashan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University in Shanghai.

In 2024, a clinical trial participant surnamed Dong was able, after training, to grasp a cup and drink independently using thought commands, assisted by a pneumatic glove controlled via the BCI system. 

“These were actions he had been unable to perform since sustaining a high-level spinal cord injury,” Mao recalled. With further rehabilitation, Dong not only managed to lift dumbbells using his mind, but also wrote the neatly formed Chinese characters for “thank you” by hand. 

“Seeing BCI technology translated into clinical reality and genuinely improving patients’ lives just touched me so much,” Mao said.

Recently, Beijing Tiantan Hospital and Xuanwu Hospital, both affiliated to Capital Medical University, carried out implantation surgeries using the “Beinao No. 1” intelligent BCI system. An ultra-thin electrode array, feather-light and integrating 128 signal acquisition channels, was precisely placed in the brain region responsible for hand movement, helping patients with spinal cord injuries improve motor function. 

“Clinical practice showed that BCIs are delivering tangible improvements for patients with spinal cord injuries, stroke, and other conditions,” said Li Yuan, business development director at Beijing-based startup NeuCyber Neuro Tech.

BCI devices represent a complex integration of materials science, chip design, algorithms, and rehabilitation technologies. An expert noted that China has now largely established a full industrial chain covering both upstream and downstream segments, although the sector as a whole remains at an early stage. The approval of a complete device this time is expected to stimulate growth in both foundational components upstream and application development downstream.

In July 2025, China issued a set of guidelines aimed at promoting the innovative development of the BCI industry, calling for breakthroughs in core hardware and software, the development of high-performance products, and the acceleration of real-world applications. Beijing, Shanghai, Shandong, and other regions have also introduced supportive policies, helping to foster a favorable industrial ecosystem.

According to incomplete statistics, China is home to more than 3.7 million people living with spinal cord injuries, with approximately 90,000 new cases each year, underscoring the vast potential market for BCIs.

Some institutions predicted that by 2027, China’s BCI market will reach 5.58 billion yuan ($818.46 million), with an average annual growth of 20 percent. It is also widely believed in the industry that the sector is poised to enter a phase of steady growth, with medical rehabilitation serving as the primary driver while applications gradually expand into broader fields.

“With strong policy support, continued technological development, declining costs, growing market awareness, and improving regulatory frameworks, BCIs are expected to achieve larger-scale commercial application within the next three to five years, bringing tangible benefits to more people,” Li said.

By Yue Linwei, Han Bingchen, People’s Daily

In Heiwadai Park in Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan, stands a deeply ironic structure: the so-called Peace Tower, the Hakko Ichiu Monument. Its irony runs to its core: conceived and built as an emblem of militarist aggression, it has never had any genuine connection to peace.

Built between 1938 and 1940, at the height of Japanese militarism’s external expansion, the monument embodied the ideology of “Hakko Ichiu,” meaning “bringing the eight corners of the world under one roof,” a doctrine that amounted to an unapologetic declaration of conquest. 

To showcase the “imperial prestige” of its foreign aggression, the Japanese military plundered vast quantities of stone from invaded and colonized territories, shipping them back to Japan as war trophies to build the monument.

Built into the foundation of this militarist monument to atrocities are 372 stones plundered from abroad, 238 of which were seized from China. Among them are a qilin relief from the imperial palace of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in Nanjing, bricks from the Great Wall, and stone carvings from the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum. 

Inscriptions such as “Great Wall-Tada Unit” and “Central China Expeditionary Army” remain clearly legible today. The stones are silent, yet each bears witness to the suffering of peoples in Japan’s occupied country. Every mark etched into them is a scar that history cannot erase.

After Japan’s defeat in World War II, the Allied forces ordered the dismantling of all symbols of Japanese militarism. Under international pressure, Miyazaki authorities removed the “Hakko Ichiu” inscription, took down samurai statues atop the monument, and renamed it the “Symbol of Peace” in an attempt to pass scrutiny.

Yet the whitewashing soon resumed. In 1962, samurai statues were reinstalled, and in 1965, the “Hakko Ichiu” inscription was quietly restored. Local authorities also erected a plaque explaining the monument’s “origins,” distorting the phrase “Hakko Ichiu” into a claim of “universal brotherhood among the world’s peoples,” while falsely describing the looted stones as “gifts from friendly nations.” 

In this way, a structure rooted in militarist aggression was repackaged as “cultural heritage,” and the crimes it embodies have been systematically distorted.

According to Japanese scholars, the monument is visited by more than 100,000 students each year on school trips, exposing generations to a distorted view of history. 

Reports indicate Miyazaki Prefecture plans extensive renovations to the surrounding park. Despite growing domestic calls to revise inscriptions that whitewash Japan’s war of aggression, local authorities maintain they will “preserve the status quo.”

Japan’s right-wing forces have resorted to self-deceiving maneuvers around this monument, just as they do with distorting history textbooks and visits to the Yasukuni Shrine. Their aim is to whitewash wartime atrocities and pave the way for “neo-militarism.”

At the end of April 2026, Japan will mark the so-called “centenary of the Shōwa era.” Yet on official Japanese government websites, references to “aggression” are conspicuously absent. 

While right-wing figures claim to uphold Japan’s constitution, they in fact regard the pacifist constitution as an obstacle, repeatedly pushing for constitutional revision in an attempt to hollow out its peace-oriented principles. 

They insist Japan’s “exclusively defense-oriented policy” remains unchanged, yet the country’s defense budget has exceeded 9 trillion yen ($56.63 billion), rising for 14 consecutive years. Furthermore, with the deployment of multiple types of long-range missiles, Japan has aquired, for the first time since World War II, the capability to launch preemptive strikes.

An invisible Hakko Ichiu monument, embodying dangerous expansionism, is emerging amid Japan’s resurgent right-wing activism. 

Warnings from the insightful ring loud and clear: “Japanese society is entering a new prewar period” where “war awaits just at the end of the corridor.” 

This misguided push toward neo-militarism is intensifying regional and global vigilance regarding Japan’s future trajectory.