Nigeria Times

By Guo Xiaolong, People’s Daily

As the morning sun filtered through the misty forest, casting dappled light on the ground, members of a women’s ranger team at a management center of the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park in Dongning, northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, were already assembled and ready for their daily patrol.

One of China’s first national parks, the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park is a vital habitat for rare species such as the Siberian tiger and Amur leopard. Established in 2019, the five-member team is the park’s first all-female patrol unit. Over the past seven years, they have trekked more than 9,000 kilometers through rugged terrain — removing traps, maintaining monitoring equipment, rescuing wildlife, and promoting conservation awareness.

At 8:30 a.m., the team gathered on schedule. Captain Xu Chunmei checked their gear one by one: GPS devices, bear spray, loudspeakers, spare batteries and memory cards for infrared cameras — nothing can be left behind. Each backpack also carried heat packs and insulated insoles, while notebooks were kept close to the body to prevent moisture damage.

At 9 a.m., the team set off by vehicle. An hour later, they arrived at the foot of the mountain and began a 6.5-kilometer hike. “Patrolling on foot is much tougher than I expected,” said Li Caining, a young member born in the 2000s, who joined the team last year. Veteran ranger Song Yan patiently shared her experience, teaching Li how to navigate mountain paths and manage her energy.

“This time of year works in our favor,” Xu explained as they walked. With no leaves on the trees, animal traces are easier to spot. Snow, she added, acts as a “natural record,” clearly preserving footprints and droppings — valuable data for researchers studying animal diets, health, and potential diseases.

Deep in the forest, a series of clicks broke the silence as Xu removed her gloves and skillfully adjusted an infrared camera mounted on a tree. 

“Extreme cold can freeze the cameras, and sometimes wild boars or woodpeckers damage them. We can only detect these issues on-site,” she said. The management center has deployed more than 400 real-time transmission cameras, over 200 infrared cameras, and more than 70 monitoring checkpoints, many located on cliffs or along wildlife corridors, making maintenance both difficult and risky.

“Technology is a great help, but it can’t replace our eyes and feet,” Xu noted. She is especially skilled at identifying animal tracks. By examining the size, depth, and pattern of footprints, she can determine an animal’s sex, size, approximate age, and even its health condition.

Removing traps is another key task. Hidden wire snares become more visible against the snow. “These traps tighten the more an animal struggles,” Xu said. “I once stepped into one myself. The pain made me determined to clear every single trap.” Over the years, the team has removed more than 4,300 traps. Now, snares are rarely seen, while sightings of wildlife such as red foxes, squirrels, and wild boars have become more frequent.

During heavy snowfalls, when food becomes scarce for wildlife, the team sets up 20 feeding sites along frequently used animal corridors. “We carefully control the amount of feed,” said team member Zhao Hongyu. “It helps animals get through tough times without disrupting their natural habits.”

At a wildlife rescue center managed by the Chaoyanggou protection station, rescued sika deer and roe deer wandered calmly within enclosures. In recent years, the team has rescued around 70 wild animals.

Beyond fieldwork, the rangers are also active in public education. “Do you know how great a tiger’s sense of smell is?” Xu asked students during an ecology class at a primary school in Dongning. “They can track prey by scent and mark their territory on trees.” Her lively explanations drew excited reactions from the children.

Such outreach programs have been running for five years, reaching more than 20 primary and secondary schools. “Every session is an opportunity to spread environmental awareness,” Xu said.

The team also visits local villages, posting notices and explaining regulations door to door, using real cases to highlight laws related to national parks and the prohibition of illegal hunting.

“When we first started, some older villagers still held the outdated belief of ‘living off the mountains,'” Xu recalled. Through repeated outreach and visible ecological improvements, the team gradually helped change their perceptions.

Behind their hard work lies a deep bond with the forest. “Over the years, some members have had to leave due to injuries or other reasons,” Xu said. “But love for the mountains and a strong sense of responsibility keep more of us going.”

By Zhao Peng, Zhou Yajun, People’s Daily

Good news came recently for Piao Huiling, an employee at the South Korea’s Dong-A Pharmaceutical’s Hainan branch. Her company’s dedicated “enterprise secretary” service sent a helpful list of recommended contract manufacturers.

This personalized support is part of Hainan’s push to create a better environment for businesses. Since the launch of island-wide independent customs operations of the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) on Dec. 18 last year, Haikou, capital city of Hainan province has continued to refine this tailored “enterprise secretary” service mechanism, offering customized support to businesses. Across the free trade port, the environment for enterprise development is becoming increasingly favorable.

March 27 marked the first 100 days of this new customs arrangement. The results are promising: policies are taking effect, development is speeding up, and the region is opening up further.

During this period, offshore duty-free sales hit 15.62 billion yuan ($2.26 billion), up nearly 28 percent year on year. Total foreign trade exceeded 80 billion yuan, growing by almost 33 percent.This new customs status gives Hainan a stronger foundation for deeper and wider economic opening.

The benefits are already visible. Take customs clearance: on March 16, a batch of food processing equipment cleared customs smoothly at Sanya Customs under Haikou Customs. “Companies no longer need to submit import licenses. With a smart supervision platform of the Hainan FTP, declarations can be completed seamlessly,” said Gan Jiayong, deputy head of Sanya Customs. He added that customs authorities will continue to ensure the effective implementation of opening-up policies.

Hainan is actively building a comprehensive policy and institutional framework for the FTP. The goal? To create a special customs zone with strong international competitiveness.

Progress isn’t just on the ground. Late last year, Hainan launched China’s first official passenger route operated under the Seventh Freedom of the Air, linking Sanya directly with Prague. 

“As of March 23, more than 1,700 passengers have traveled on the route,” said He Bang, head of the Civil Aviation Office of the Hainan Provincial Department of Transport. In early February, the Terminal 3 of Sanya Phoenix International Airport was officially put into operation, further enhancing the airport’s capacity. Sanya now operates 34 international routes, with international passenger throughput up 11.2 percent year on year.

Placing institutional innovation at the forefront, Hainan is working to foster a first-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized.

At the start of the island-wide independent customs operation, Hainan introduced the first batch of 72 high-quality projects open to private investment. The provincial development and reform authorities have established matchmaking platforms to address mismatches between capital and projects, ensuring that “funds can find projects, and projects can find funding.”

Supportive government policies and an improved business environment have fueled strong investment enthusiasm. At Guoquan International Food Industrial Park in Danzhou, Hainan, the first-phase project broke ground right after land was secured, and land for the second phase has been fully guaranteed, with construction progress exceeding expectations. 

Xiangqiong Sany (Hainan) Intelligent Manufacturing Industrial Park in Dongfang, Hainan has attracted a cluster of about 30 advanced manufacturing enterprises, with a planned total investment of 13.92 billion yuan. A number of landmark foreign-invested projects by companies such as Germany’s Siemens Energy and France’s Mayoly, are also speeding up construction and implementation.

The numbers tell the story: since the customs operation began, 85,000 new market entities have been registered in Hainan, a year-on-year increase of nearly 40 percent.

On March 21, Hainan introduced 20 key measures to stabilize businesses and benefit enterprises, establishing a coordinated service system, promoting market-based allocation of production factors, and advancing the deep integration of innovation, industrial, capital, and talent chains.

The appeal of FTP policies is turning into a driving force for high-quality development. Hainan is now building a modern industrial system tailored to its unique features and strengths, continuously upgrading its four pillar industries: tourism, modern services, high-tech industries, and efficient tropical agriculture. It is also fostering and expanding distinctive industrial chains focused on seed industry, marine economy, aerospace, green development and digital economy, laying a solid foundation for the growth of the FTP.

According to the outline of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), China will build the Hainan FTP to high standards, advance high-level island-wide independent customs operations, and steadily expand opening up in trade, investment, and the flow of production factors, while establishing a framework of policies and institutions that aligns with a high-level FTP.

Today, Hainan is moving forward with greater determination to expand high-level opening up, cultivate new growth drivers, and unlock new potential in domestic demand.

By Chang Qin, People’s Daily

From early-spring sugar tangerines to chilled fresh-cut navel oranges in summer, and to the over 1 billion cups of iced fresh lemonade sold year round — citrus has become a constant presence in Chinese consumption. Now, this ancient fruit is being reshaped by a sweeping transformation across China’s entire citrus industry.

According to the latest data from China’s national citrus industry technology system, the country’s total citrus output exceeded 70 million tons in 2025, with per-unit yield rising by more than 21 percent over the past five years. Globally, one in every three citrus fruits worldwide is grown in China.

China’s citrus family is vast, ranging from mandarins and oranges to pomelos and lemons. More than 90 varieties are grown on a large scale. Over the past two decades, Chinese researchers have developed more than 60 percent of the world’s new citrus varieties. By optimizing early-, mid-, and late-ripening types, they have extended what was once a seasonal fruit into a year-round supply.

That steady supply is fueling new consumption trends — especially among younger consumers. In summer, iced lemonade has become a staple drink across China, with much of the fruit sourced from Sichuan and Chongqing in the southwest.

At a smart factory in Chongqing operated by the beverage chain Mixue Ice Cream & Tea, freshly harvested lemons undergo a rigorous selection process. After multiple rounds of washing, the fruit moves along a high-speed sorting line equipped with infrared sensors and high-definition cameras, capturing dozens of images per second to detect even the smallest defects. Top-grade fruit is then stored under controlled conditions for at least 30 days to naturally enhance juice yield.

This level of industrial precision is reshaping life for growers. 

In Tongnan district of Chongqing, farmer Li Zhi manages a 1,500-mu (100 hectares) lemon orchard. In the past, growers often faced oversupply and falling prices, but now there’s guaranteed purchasing, and pricing is quality-based — the better the fruit, the higher the return, he said. 

Modern orchards are equipped with integrated irrigation and fertilization systems, while drones are used for pest control and monitoring. In winter, they can even help protect crops from frost.

Between 2017 and 2025, China established nine modern agricultural industrial parks with citrus as a leading sector. In Wuming district of Nanning, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, citrus variety Wogan has become a pillar of local economic growth. AI-powered sorting systems achieve nearly 98 percent accuracy in grading, while technologies such as the Internet of Things and digital twin systems improve efficiency and reduce losses. In 2024, the full citrus chain in Wuming generated close to 10 billion yuan ($1.45 billion) in output value, benefiting more than 240,000 people.

Advances in cold-chain logistics and cross-border trade are further pushing Chinese citrus onto global markets. 

In the past, post-harvest losses in China exceeded 30 percent. Today, through technological breakthroughs in green preservation and sterilization, some companies have reduced losses to below 5 percent, significantly extending shelf life. Fresh Chinese citrus is now exported to more than 40 countries and regions.

At the same time, fast-growing cold-chain systems are supporting new retail models. In Qingshen county, Sichuan, organically grown mandarins are harvested and quickly transported via cold-chain delivery networks. In some cases, fruits picked can reach urban consumers within 24 hours.

Thanks to rising quality and reliable cold-chain logistics, Chinese citrus is becoming a major export driver. 

Ganzhou navel oranges from east China’s Jiangxi province, with a brand value of nearly 70 billion yuan, have ranked as China’s top fruit brand for 11 consecutive years, reaching markets in 24 countries and regions. 

Wushan Liancheng oranges from Chongqing are now sold in supermarkets in Singapore via modern cold-chain delivery. Anyue county in Sichuan province exports as much as 100,000 tons of lemons each year, making them the province’s leading fruit export by volume. 

Supported by the overseas expansion of tea drink brands, high-quality Chinese lemons are also gaining global recognition.

Driven by technological innovation and new business models, China’s citrus industry continues to upgrade across the value chain, bringing more high-quality fruits from Chinese orchards to consumers around the world.

By Chen Zihan

On social media platforms, senior users are quietly reshaping perceptions of aging. Today, it’s common to see 90-year-old men sipping bubble tea and playing basketball, or women in their sixties confidently sharing their life stories through short videos.

According to a statistical report on China’s internet development, by June 2025, the number of internet users aged 60 and above in China had reached 161 million, with an internet penetration rate exceeding 52 percent within this demographic. Transitioning from passive users to active content creators, seniors are entering the digital age with a newfound sense of presence.

Take Mr. Wang, a 90-year-old who shares his vibrant life on short video platforms. Bubble tea, traditional Nuo dance, basketball, and urban explorations are regular features of his content.

“I used to plan five ‘one-hour activities’ each day: basketball, dance, music practice, news reading, and outdoor time with my wife. Since starting my social media account, that became six activities, adding an hour for posting, reading comments, and replying,” Wang wrote in his 2025 year-end summary. “It’s been my busiest year since retiring.”

His journey began unexpectedly at the end of 2024 when a video of him ordering bubble tea went viral. Inspired by the response, Wang started sharing his daily life online. Within just over a year, he evolved from a novice who struggled with basic tasks like forwarding links to a popular creator with over 100,000 followers.

His story is far from unique. According to the global travel media platform Travel and Tour World, senior content creators are increasingly influencing audiences’ travel and consumption decisions, thanks to their authenticity and natural relatability.

Why do videos by seniors resonate so strongly with younger viewers?

Jin Yong’ai, a professor at the Population Development Studies Center of Renmin University of China, explained that seniors bring valuable life experience and resonant stories. In the fast-paced online world, their calm and sincere communication offers young people both insight and emotional comfort.

“The warmth and wisdom of older generations can help ease the anxiety and loneliness many young people feel, while also giving seniors a stronger sense of fulfillment,” Jin added.

Xin Tao, a senior engineer at the China Research Center on Aging, noted that the rise of older creators reflects broader social and technological changes. “This trend is driven by multiple factors, including desires for self-realization and social participation, platform incentives and targeted support, intergenerational collaboration, and a more inclusive cultural mindset,” he said. 

Through content creation, Xin emphasized, seniors are not only boosting digital engagement and cultural preservation but also transforming their rich human capital into a new driver of social development.

There’s another influencer who calls herself “Chaoyi” online, which means “fashionable aunt.” From sharing her energetic daily life as a sanitation worker to showcasing her creativity in handcrafting a baby room, the 61-year-old woman has gained over 300,000 followers in just over a year with her optimistic and humorous style.

Like many older creators, she is curious about new things. However, she still relies on her son and daughter-in-law for much of the video production work.

Her experience reflects a broader reality. For many seniors, fully mastering digital tools and independently producing content remains a challenge. To help bridge the digital divide, China has introduced a national standard on age-friendly smart multimedia terminals. Communities across the country regularly offer smartphone training, while user-friendly AI-powered devices are being rolled out, combining technological accessibility with human-centered support.

Meanwhile, Deng Hong, a 72-year-old Chinese expatriate in France, greets her audience cheerfully: “Hello everyone, I’m Hongjie, living in France.” Creating short videos has added a vibrant new dimension to her life. “I want to show my confidence in life and share positive energy through my videos,” she said. “I’m planning to learn video editing myself. With today’s powerful AI tools, I will be able to add scripts to my videos in the future.”

“Older people should not be seen simply as a group in need of care,” Jin emphasized. “They are actively participating in society.” Recent survey data from her research team showed that in areas such as instant messaging and online payments, seniors’ internet usage is now largely on par with other age groups.

From Wang’s six “one-hour activities,” to Chaoyi’s family-assisted creativity, and to Deng Hong’s exploration of AI, a growing number of older creators are finding their unique rhythms in the digital world, redefining what it means to age in the modern era.

By Lin Lili, Han Junjie, Zhong Ziwei, People’s Daily

Smartphones, televions, computers, and e-readers — display screens have become an unavoidable part of modern life. As technology advances, next-generation innovations are expanding into new areas including in-vehicle displays, virtual reality, and wearable devices, offering users richer and more immersive visual experiences.

What vision of the future can we see through these increasingly sophisticated screens? To explore this question: People’s Daily recently spoke with industry experts and innovators.

“A 98-inch LCD TV costs only five or six thousand yuan ($724-$869). My first 40-inch LCD TV back in 2006 cost 13,000 yuan,” recalled a resident surnamed Sun in Chaoyang district, Beijing. Today, a similar-sized 40-inch LCD TV sells for roughly 1,000 yuan, a drop of over 90 percent in just two decades.

Behind this dramatic decline in prices lies a key factor: China’s technological innovation.

At the heart of LCD panels is the TFT-LCD glass substrate. An 8.5-generation TFT-LCD glass substrate — measuring 2.5 meters by 2.2 meters, roughly the size of six 50-inch TV sets — has long been regarded as the “jewel on the crown of the information display glass industry.” For years, the core technology behind this advanced material was controlled by a small number of foreign companies.

That changed in September 2019, when China successfully produced its first domestically developed 8.5-generation TFT-LCD float glass substrate with full independent intellectual property rights. 

“This ended foreign monopolies, reduced production costs, and brought substantial economic and social benefits,” said Yang Jianqiang, deputy chief engineer at China National Building Materials (CNBM) Bengbu Design and Research Institute for Glass Industry.

An industry expert noted that China now operates nearly 20 LCD production lines, accounting for about 70 percent of global capacity.

But achieving “something from nothing” was only the beginning. China is continuing pushing for further technological breakthroughs.

At a state key laboratory of advanced glass materials under the institute, an ultra-thin flexible glass has been developed, which is just 30 micrometers thick, only a quarter the thickness of a sheet of printing paper.

According to Shan Fayong, deputy general manager of the institute, this glass can be bent more than 1 million times without breaking, placing its flexibility and foldability among the world’s best.

Previously, ultra-thin glass thinner than 0.1 millimeters — produced by foreign companies — was both expensive and monopolized. In 2020, the institute, working with partner companies, successfully developed the 30-micrometer flexible foldable glass, reshaping the global landscape of ultra-thin glass technology and reducing downstream industry costs by nearly 100 billion yuan.

Today, foldable smartphones and laptops are in mass production, while rollable televions, flexible displays, and bendable medical devices are rapidly moving from concept to reality.

“I saw a digital clock on the window and tapped it out of curiosity — and it felt like stepping into a whole new world,” said a passenger surnamed Meng on an intercity train traveling from Zhengzhou to Kaifeng in Henan province. 

On the train, the window doubles as a smart screen: passengers can check arrival information, watch videos, and “scroll” through content just as they would on a smartphone. With a simple tap, the screen reverts to a transparent window, allowing passengers to enjoy the view outside or dim lighting for rest.

This “smart window” uses OLED self-emissive technology, functioning as a touch-enabled “magic screen” that delivers an immersive audiovisual experience.

Today, glass itself is becoming smarter, more energy-efficient, and more versatile.

In automobiles, glass can act as “sun-protective clothing.” Coated heat-insulating windshields can block over 60 percent of solar radiation. It can also serve as a “mobile power source”: by embedding solar cells within laminated glass, sunlight can be converted into electricity to power onboard systems. 

“In the past, consumers mainly cared about impact strength and durability. Now, automotive glass has evolved into an intelligent terminal integrating multiple technologies,” said Shen Junlong, head of automotive glass engineering at Chinese glass manufacturing company Fuyao Group.

In architecture, glass serves as both “armor” and “power station.” Microcrystalline glass offers rich colors along with resistance to wear, acids, alkalis, extreme temperatures, and freezing. Meanwhile, by coating glass substrates with copper indium gallium selenide thin films, ordinary insulating glass can be transformed into power-generating glass.

“This type of glass can generate electricity even under low-light conditions,” said Shan. “At the Bengbu Olympic Sports Center in Anhui province, over 5,000 square meters of our power-generating glass produce about 680,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, saving 255 tons of coal and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 475 tons.”

Chinese researchers are currently accelerating the development and industrialization of next-generation materials, including 11- and 10.5-generation LCD glass substrates, OLED glass substrates, semiconductor glass, and even glass designed for space stations — ensuring that this versatile material continues to enhance everyday life.

By Meng Haiying, People’s Daily

As March brings warmer temperatures to northeast China, the snow and ice blanketing its forested mountains begin to thaw.

At 8:30 a.m., a People’s Daily reporter arrived at a research base of the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park in Hunchun, northeast China’s Jilin province, and joined Feng Limin — director of the monitoring and research center for siberian tigers and amur leopards under the National Forestry and Grassland Administration and a professor at Beijing Normal University (BNU) — for a trek into the mountains. The trip offered both a field survey and a glimpse into the daily work of researchers deep in the forest.

Not long after entering the woods, the crisp air and birdsong set the scene, while herds of sika deer could be seen leaping through the trees.

As they moved deeper into the forest, Feng suddenly stopped, his eyes lighting up. On a patch of unmelted snow lay a dense cluster of tracks — interwoven footprints of sika deer and roe deer, mixed with signs of wild boars. Pointing to a larger, rounder print, he said excitedly, “That’s a tiger’s footprint!”

“Imagine youself as a tiger, how would this forest feel?” Feng said, mimicking a tiger’s gait with childlike enthusiasm. 

“When I enter the forest, I instinctively step outside the human perspective. Only by seeing the forest through the animals’ eyes — observing how they move, forage, and live — can we advance meaningful research and conservation,” Feng explained.

The rich variety of tracks in the snow serves as tangible evidence of the park’s improving ecosystem.

In Miaoling, a rural village, two elderly residents strolled along a local road. “In my youth, deer sightings were rare,” remarked Diao, a septuagenarian. “Now we watch herds graze on the hills right from our windows. The environment here has truly transformed.”

Infrared cameras, each fitted with solar panels, lined the forest trails. “More than 20 years ago, we had to go into the mountains to replace batteries and retrieve film from these cameras, which meant long delays,” Feng explained. “Now, with solar power and real-time data transmission, most camera sites in the national park can send back real-time images and videos in real time.”

Feng’s team at BNU developed an integrated ground-air-space monitoring platform, enhancing transparency and efficiency in species tracking, patrols, anti-poaching operations, and fire prevention.

He displayed a sequence of clips: a villager carrying wire appeared before a camera; days later, a roe deer passed the same spot; then, a hunter dragged the deer downhill. By the next day, forest police were documented collecting evidence against the suspected poacher.

In recent years, Jilin province has carried out special campaigns to remove illegal traps from the park. With the comprehensive real-time monitoring system, illegal activities have virtually nowhere to hide. 

Today, the national park operates a large-scale, integrated monitoring network: nearly 30,000 ground-based infrared cameras run around the clock, supported by satellite remote sensing from space and drone patrols in the air, achieving near-complete coverage.

With advanced technology and sustained conservation efforts, results are becoming increasingly evident. The populations of Siberian tigers and Amur leopards have grown from 27 and 42 to around 70 and 80, respectively.

“Another discovery!” Feng exclaimed after discovering tiger scat following the earlier footprint. “Collecting feces is an important non-invasive sampling method. It contains valuable information about the tiger’s diet, genetic makeup, and health — crucial for research.”

Reflecting on key milestones, Feng outlined a timeline: Jilin province banned hunting of terrestrial wildlife in 1996; national nature reserves were established in Hunchun and Wangqing in the early 2000s; commercial logging in key state-owned natural forests was halted in 2015; and in October 2021, the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park was officially established, covering 14,100 square kilometers.

At 3 p.m., the group returned from the mountains. Still full of energy, Feng headed off to meet a group of a high school students from an affiliated school of BNU, where he was scheduled to give a science outreach lecture. No matter how busy his is, he always makes time for public education — reaching an audience of over 1 million people.

By Cao Wenxuan, People’s Daily

Beneath the tropical waters of Qingshui Bay, south China’s Hainan province, lies the world’s first commercial underwater data center — a cluster of capsule-like modules operating steadily at 35-meter depths for nearly three years. This innovation addresses critical challenges facing Hainan’s digital expansion: limited land resources, freshwater scarcity, and energy-intensive cooling demands in its humid climate.

“The development of the Hainan Free Trade Port, especially in digitalization and cross-border data services, requires a large number of servers,” said Pu Ding, general manager of the underwater data center, which is partly contracted by Shenzhen HiCloud Data Center Technology Co., Ltd.

“But as a tropical island, Hainan faces constraints such as limited freshwater and land resources, as well as a hot and humid climate year-round, making it challenging to build traditional data centers,” Pu added.

To leverage its abundant marine resources, Hainan partnered with Shenzhen HiCloud Data Center Technology Co., Ltd. at the end of 2021 to introduce this commercial underwater data center project, which is scheduled to be developed in three phases in Lingshui. 

“Our research showed that Lingshui hosts landing stations for international submarine cables operated by major telecom companies. The underwater data center can make use of these existing connections and is well positioned to handle more cross-border data services in the future,” Pu explained.

But how do servers function underwater? “Submerging them is like a refreshing plunge on a sweltering day,” Pu analogized. Servers require continuous cooling, which on land consumes large amounts of electricity or freshwater. Underwater, however, the natural flow of seawater provides efficient cooling. 

The coastal waters of Qingshui Bay lie within an upwelling zone in eastern Hainan, where temperatures remain below 24.5 degrees Celsius year-round, making it an ideal natural cooling environment that saves energy, water, and land.

How significant are the savings? Li Jiawen, deputy general manager of Shenzhen HiCloud Data Center Technology Co., Ltd., offered an example from the project’s first phase: “At full capacity, compared with a traditional land-based data center of the same size, it can save 26,000 tons of water and 3.4 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, reducing carbon emissions by about 2,720 tons, the equivalent of planting nearly 150,000 trees.”

Waterproofing and sealing are critical, as servers are highly sensitive to moisture. “When sealing the data modules, every bolt must be tightened in a precise sequence and direction. We developed strict operating procedures to ensure this,” Pu said. 

During the research and development phase, the team overcame a series of technical challenges to create a stable operating environment underwater, featuring constant humidity, stable pressure, and a dust-free, oxygen-free setting.

The underwater data center consists of sub-sea data modules, power distribution stations, optoelectronic composite cables, and an onshore control station. The onshore control station acts as the system’s “brain.” 

“With intelligent remote control systems, daily operations can be managed from land, which greatly reduces the need for on-site inspections and lowering operating costs,” Pu explained, adding that fewer than 10 staff members are needed at the station.

While human interaction is minimal, marine life thrives around the modules. Monitoring systems show schools of fish gathering and swimming around them. Tests indicate that after heat exchange with seawater, the temperature within a two-meter radius rises by less than 1 degree Celsius — less than what would be caused by an hour of midday sunlight. The slightly warmer water and reduced currents actually make the modules a kind of “shelter” for marine life.

“As AI and related infrastructure develop rapidly, energy consumption for computing power is becoming an increasingly pressing issue. Green development is now a key priority for data centers,” Li said. 

The Lingshui underwater data center has been operating smoothly, achieving over 30 percent higher overall energy efficiency compared with conventional facilities of the same scale. With AI computing modules and advanced systems rolling out, it is evolving into a high-efficiency, energy-saving green computing cluster.

By Gu Zhongyang, Dong Siyu, People’s Daily

A drone featuring innovative “bamboo wings” represents a significant advancement in the emerging low-altitude economy.

Earlier this year, a bamboo-based tilt-rotor drone successfully completed its maiden flight in north China’s Tianjin municipality, marking a major breakthrough in the application of bamboo-based composite materials in aviation in China.

“Bamboo materials constitute over 25% of the drone’s fuselage, with the entire skin structure crafted from high-performance bamboo composites developed in China. This level of bamboo integration is unprecedented globally for fixed-wing drones,” said Qin Daochun, director of the International Center for Bamboo and Rattan. 

The drone offers advantages in both performance and cost: compared with lightweight, high-strength carbon fiber, the overall weight is reduced by more than 20 percent, while the cost of bamboo strips is only about a quarter that of conventional carbon fiber fabric.

China houses the world’s richest bamboo resources, with nearly 8 million hectares of bamboo forests and an annual output of 150 million tons.

In November 2022, China and the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization jointly launched an initiative to deepen global cooperation on replacing plastic with bamboo, aiming to better leverage bamboo’s strengths as an alternative to plastic products.

Over the past three years, China’s bamboo industry has continued to expand, forming a diversified system with a wide range of products, business models, and distinctive features. To date, the number of bamboo product categories in China has exceeded 15,000, and the industry’s annual output value has surpassed 520 billion yuan ($75.35 billion).

Innovation within the sector is evident. Ganzhou Sentai Bamboo & Wood Co., Ltd. in east China’s Jiangxi province has developed a bamboo pipe organ. When struck with bamboo mallets, it produces a clear, pleasing sound.

“By combining the mechanical structure of traditional pipe organs with innovative bamboo soundboards and resonance components, we retain the instrument’s core performance features while incorporating the unique tonal qualities of bamboo,” said Xu He, the company’s general manager. 

According to Xu, the company also produces more than 1,500 types of high-quality products, including structural bamboo materials for construction, decorative bamboo materials, and indoor and outdoor bamboo furniture and accessories.

Beyond musical instruments, bamboo is becoming increasingly integrated into daily life and industry. Bamboo tableware and film bags are now widely used in daily life. Bamboo grilles and cooling tower packing materials are increasingly applied in construction and industrial cooling systems, while bamboo fiber composites have been successfully used in automotive interiors. As a green, low-carbon, and biodegradable material, bamboo is finding broader applications and is becoming an important substitute for traditional materials such as plastic and steel.

Technological breakthroughs are continuously expanding the boundaries of bamboo applications. At a construction site in Dazhu county, southwest China’s Sichuan province, bamboo-wound composite pipes have been laid into trenches.

“Our independently developed bamboo-winding composite technology enables bamboo to be processed into large-diameter pressure pipes, urban utility tunnels, and even high-speed train carriages,” said Ye Ling, chairman of Xinzhou, a company developing bamboo-based composite materials in Zhejiang province, and the developer of the bamboo-wound composite pipes in Dazhu.

“These materials are lightweight yet strong, offer insulation and soundproofing, resist weathering and corrosion, and are cost-effective and easy to install. They can replace high-energy-consumption materials such as steel and cement across a wide range of applications,” Ye added.

As a new infrastructure material pioneered in China, bamboo-wound pipes have already been applied on a large scale in municipal, water conservancy, and transportation projects. They have been installed across more than 700 kilometers in 11 provinces, increasing production efficiency by 25 percent while reducing unit costs by 13 percent.

Technological innovation remains the core driver of the bamboo industry’s transformation. The National Forestry and Grassland Administration has released 37 key technological achievements related to bamboo-for-plastic substitution. From sodium-ion battery hard carbon anode materials to trendy furniture and fashion, new bamboo-based materials are continually breaking traditional boundaries.

Across the value chain, China is building a comprehensive bamboo industry ecosystem: cultivating large-scale producers upstream; strengthening core sectors such as bamboo home products and bamboo fiber goods while developing emerging industries like bamboo-based pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and bioenergy in the midstream; and promoting the integration of bamboo with tourism, wellness, and cultural industries downstream.

Regions across China are leveraging local conditions to build industrial systems that are integrated, multifunctional, and high-value, with a growing number of “whole-bamboo” utilization models that make the most of every part of the plant. 

The industry is expanding beyond bamboo shoot processing and basic manufacturing into areas such as bamboo technology, bamboo-related tourism, and bamboo carbon sinks. 

In Nanping, southeast China’s Fujian province, the total output value of the bamboo industry exceeded 50 billion yuan last year. In Xingwen county, Sichuan province, a bamboo-themed tourist destination attracted 1.8 million visitors in the first half of last year with full-chain experiences.

Currently, China has more than 10,000 bamboo processing enterprises, employing over 29 million people throughout the entire industrial chain.

As the industry upgrades, China is also actively promoting bamboo products, technologies, and equipment overseas, offering Chinese solutions for global efforts to replace plastic and protect the environment. 

In Youxi county, Fujian province, 280,000 mu (about 18,667 hectares) of bamboo forests have received FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification. A local paper company has developed eco-friendly tableware from bamboo fiber as an alternative to plastic products, with exports rising 35 percent year on year in 2025.

By He Yin, People’s Daily

Recent surveys reveal shifting perceptions of China among Western publics. A recent survey conducted by Politico and the UK-based polling firm Public First found that among four traditional U.S. allies — Canada, Germany, France, and the UK — a considerable share of respondents view China as more reliable than the United States, with many believing China will play a defining role in shaping the 21st century. 

Parallel findings from the European think tank European Council on Foreign Relations, surveying 21 countries, indicate U.S. allies — particularly in Europe — feel increasingly distant from the United States, with fewer people seeing it as a consistently dependable partner.

Collectively, these findings reflect noticeable shifts in Western public sentiment. Analysts in Europe attribute much of this change to evolving U.S. policies. Over the past year, transatlantic friction has surfaced across security, economic, and political domains. 

As divisions with the U.S. widen and attention turns toward China, this trend signifies a return to more rational and objective judgment. Within Western developed countries, public perceptions of China are gradually shedding the influence of political narratives such as “decoupling” and “systemic rivalry,” reflecting a deeper shift away from entrenched biases toward balanced assessments.

Beyond surface observations, what explains this growing view of China as “reliable”?

First, it reflects recognition of China’s stability. Following China’s annual “two sessions,” the annual meetings of China’s top legislature and top political advisory body, much of the international community has observed that China has become, and will remain, an “oasis of certainty” in a turbulent world. 

Amid profound global transformations, China’s distinctive strengths include policy continuity and the certainty of progress. Whether advancing high-quality economic development or expanding high-standard opening up, once a direction is set, China consistently moves forward. 

This long-term commitment provides businesses, investors and governments with greater confidence and clearer pathways for cooperation.

Second, perceptions are becoming “de-filtered.” The UK-U.S. poll indicates respondents aged 18 to 24 are more supportive of strengthening ties with China than older generations. 

Alicja Bachulska, a policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, notes that Western youth increasingly contrast America’s portrayal portrayal of China as a democratic threat with challenges within the U.S. democratic system itself — prompting critical reassessment of established narratives. 

As “information cocoons” dissolve, more young people in the Westerners directly observe China’s economic growth, technological applications, and social dynamics through social media. 

Meanwhile, visa-free policies enable firsthand experiences of China’s safety, convenience, vitality, and cultural appeal, leading to more authentic, multidimensional, and objective perceptions.   The progression from “seeing China” online to “experiencing China” in person continues to build momentum, reflected in growing interest among Western youth to engage with Chinese society.

Third, tangible cooperation drives this trend. China-EU trade surpassed $1 trillion last year, with over two million European tourists visiting China visa-free. Since the beginning of 2026, leaders from Canada and several European countries have visited China in succession, reaching a number of new cooperation agreements. 

From trade and industrial collaboration to green transition and cultural exchange, China’s “reliability” manifests not as an abstract notion but as concrete dividends from pragmatic cooperation in an uncertain world.

This year marks the start of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030). Looking ahead to the next five years and beyond, as China continues to pursue innovation-driven development, it will cultivate new competitive advantages, unlock sustainable growth drivers, and broaden cooperation horizons, providing the world with an ever-growing “list of opportunities.”

Thoughtful Western perspectives increasingly characterize China as “a trustworthy and stable partner,” “the optimal choice,” and “a predictable partner” rather than a rival. Sustained by robust development momentum, China remains positioned to serve as a pivotal engine for global economic growth.

China is not an alternative to anyone, nor does it need to prove itself through comparison. The evolving perceptions of China among the publics of some Western countries fundamentally stem from the fact that, China, as a responsible major country, has maintained strategic resolve amid global turbulence and done its utmost to, inject positive momentum into global openness and cooperation.

Fostering a sound and objective understanding of China is essential to ensuring stable and productive engagement. In an increasingly diverse world, differences among countries are natural. As long as nations uphold mutual respect, mutual appreciation, and mutual learning, they can achieve shared development, realize shared success, and together shape a brighter future for the world.

By Wang Wenzheng

China’s newly revised Foreign Trade Law officially came into effect on March 1, 2026. The legislation aims to strengthen legal safeguards as China accelerates its transformation into a trader of quality. The revision reflects China’s specific conditions while aligning with international rules and practices.

The revision aims to advance high-standard opening up, promote high-quality development of foreign trade, maintain foreign trade order, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of foreign trade dealers.

China currently ranks first in global trade in goods and second in global trade in services, with new business forms such as cross-border e-commerce and digital trade developing rapidly. At the same time, the domestic and international environment for China’s foreign trade has undergone profound changes.

An official from the Legislative Affairs Commission of China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee emphasized the critical importance of expanding high-standard open up and building China into a trader of quality for advancing Chinese modernization. “The rule of law and opening up are intrinsically linked,” the official stated. “Progress in opening-up must be matched by corresponding advancements in the rule of law concerning foreign-related matters.”

The official highlighted that the revision incorporates reform achievements into the legal framework, optimizes the foreign trade environment, and enhances China’s legal mechanisms for addressing trade challenges.

A key highlight of the revision is the clarifying China’s foreign trade direction. The revised law adds provisions to advance China’s efforts to become a trader of quality and safeguard a fair and just international economic and trade order. It also encourages the development of international trade in services across multiple modes.

More specifically, the revised law sets out provisions on proactively aligning with high-standard international economic and trade rules, actively participating in the formulation of such rules, upholding the multilateral trading system, and safeguarding a fair and just international economic and trade order. It mandates the establishment of a trade policy compliance mechanism aligned with internationally accepted rules.

It integrates reform measures into the legal framework, including the implementation of a negative-list management system for cross-border trade in services, and support for the construction of trade promotion platforms and international transport corridors, the development of new business forms and modes of foreign trade, the digital transformation of trade, and the promotion of digital and green trade.

These changes, responding to new developments and changes in the foreign trade landscape, has drawn widespread attention from foreign trade practitioners, particularly provisions on trade promotion platforms and international transport corridors.

In the Langfang Airport Economic Zone of Beijing Daxing International Airport in north China’s Hebei province, the Global Cross-border E-commerce (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei) “Three Centers” integrate an ecosystem hub, a transaction services center, and a digital supply chain center, providing comprehensive support and services for cross-border e-commerce worldwide.

Major platforms like Amazon and Shopee have already joined, fostering an ecosystem focused on platform enablement, business incubation, talent development, and industrial cluster coordination. Such platforms are expected to play a growing role in China’s trade.

As a key node in China’s international transport corridor network, this port has strengthened its sea-rail intermodal transport capabilities. Services now cover 67 prefecture-level cities nationwide. The port continues to expand its global network, connecting with over 600 ports worldwide, and ranks second globally on the port connectivity index.

In northwest China’s Gansu province, cargo volume at the Gansu (Wuwei) International Land Port surged 100 percent year on year in the first month of this year, driven by accelerating construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan international transport corridor.

The revised law calls for diversified and resilient international transport corridors, which will provide lasting support for the high-quality development of foreign trade.

As Chinese companies deepen their involvement in global trade, foreign-related intellectual property (IP) disputes have become an increasingly pressing concern. The revised law clarifies that China will strengthen IP protection related to foreign trade, build and improve a platform for early warning of international risks regarding IP rights and for providing assistance in defending rights, and enhance the IP compliance standards and risk-management capabilities of foreign trade operators.

Data from the China National Intellectual Property Administration show that by the end of 2025, the country had established 99 overseas IP dispute response guidance platforms across the country, six industry-specific platforms focusing on key sectors such as automotive and solar power, and overseas outposts in 11 countries. In 2025, relevant platforms provided guidance and consultation services for enterprises more than 4,800 times, addressing cross-border e-commerce IP disputes and overseas trademark squatting and helping recover losses totaling 2.75 billion yuan (about $398.97 million).

In response to actions by certain countries involving repeated use of “sanctions” and “investigations” targeting Chinese foreign trade enterprises, the revised law also enhances China’s legal mechanisms for addressing trade disputes. It supplements and refines corresponding countermeasures. Industry experts suggest these institutional arrangements will bolster the confidence of foreign trade entities in navigating international trade disputes and managing associated risks.