Continuous innovation injects growth momentum to Chinese enterprises

By Li Hongxing, People’s Daily

In a busy, dimly lit production workshop on the second floor of a building of a Chinese pharmaceutical company in Guangzhou, south China’s Guangdong province, no workers were found, except a staff member overseeing the high-speed production line for packaging of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

“If we didn’t have visitors, we wouldn’t even need these few lights on. The robots work ‘silently’ here,” said an executive of the company, namely Guangzhou BaiyunshanZhongyi Pharmaceutical Company Limited, a subsidiary of China’s leading TCM manufacturer Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Limited (GPHL).

The workshop is a digital workshop, according to the executive, who noted that operations such as pill packaging, sealing, inspection, and boxing are basically handled by intelligent control technologies and advanced sensor detectors.

The digital workshop does more than just save energy. Compared to traditional pharmaceutical manufacturing methods, the digital production line has increased productivity by 148 percent, reduced labor costs by 74 percent, and improved per capita efficiency by 289 percent.

By empowering development with digital and intelligent technologies and building smart factories for TCM production, the time-honored TCM brand is sprouting new buds in its transformation and upgrading.

As the world’s first TCM company to enter the Fortune Global 500 list, GPHL has turned to digitalization and intelligentization for breakthroughs in injecting new vitality into TCM, a treasure of ancient Chinese science, as well as the production of TCM decoction pieces and Chinese patent medicine, a part of traditional manufacturing.

The group has explored digital traceability for medicinal herbs, pioneered smart TCM pharmacies, and built benchmark digital factories.

Through a series of reform measures for innovation, the group has empowered over 30 types of its products with digital and intelligent technologies, promoting the transformation and upgrading of the TCM industry while giving a powerful boost to the modernization and internationalization of TCM.

The experience of GPHL has shown that by seizing the initiative in transformation and upgrading, companies, regardless of their industry, can enhance their competitiveness and gain a market edge.

In fact, more companies in the country have experienced the effectiveness of intelligent and digital transformation in addressing various common problems.

In particular, many companies have carried out transformation based on their products and specific situations, finally standing out in competition by leveraging digital technologies in a targeted manner to address their weaknesses.

For example, a dairy company in Guiyang, southwest China’s Guizhou province, has integrated data chains across milk sources, factories, and marketing to determine production based on sales and breeding based on production, achieving cost reduction and efficiency improvement.

A manufacturing company in Mianyang, southwest China’s Sichuan province, has reduced its product defect rate by 5 percent and annual production costs by over 10 million yuan through technological means including intelligent sensing and visual inspection.

By focusing on development needs, addressing key challenge, and adopting targeted means, companies have avoided detours and carried out effective transformation and upgrading, gaining fresh momentum for high-quality development.

Believing that an innovation and quality-oriented path is the inevitable choice for driving high-quality development, companies are marching forward toward bigger ambitions.

“Only by constantly striving for progress can we move forward,” said the above-mentioned executive of Guangzhou BaiyunshanZhongyi Pharmaceutical Company Limited.

Many Chinese enterprises are promoting technological innovation and industrial progress based on their actual situations, continuously unleashing innovative and creative vitality to help cultivate new quality productive forces.

The concept of “progress coming from the desire to advance” has also served as a method for the development of various companies, fields, and industries across the country.

Maintaining a consistent pursuit of high-quality development, China has been tirelessly expanding and extending the breadth and depth of development, overcoming difficulties, and innovating boldly to write new chapters and reach new heights in its growth.

How ASEAN fruits efficiently, conveniently enter China

By Zhang Niangsheng, Bai Yuanqi, Zhang Yunhe, People’s Daily

Fruits from ASEAN countries are entering the Chinese market more efficiently and conveniently in recent years.

This favorable trend is attributed to the full implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the China-Laos Railway, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC), and other projects promoting regional connectivity, along with the rapid development of e-commerce platforms and cross-border cold-chain logistics systems, as well as China’s favorable policies and measures facilitating customs clearance.

People’s Daily reporters recently visited Chanthaburi province, the renowned fruit capital in eastern Thailand, Youyi Port in Pingxiang city, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, and the China-ASEAN (Chongzuo) Fruit Trading Center in Chongzuo city.

They tracked the journey of ASEAN fruits from their place of origin to the dining tables of Chinese consumers.

Chanthaburi province, Thailand

At 10 a.m., People’s Daily reporters arrived at a mangosteen orchard in Chanthaburi province, where they received a warm welcome from an 84-year-old woman named Mary. She handed freshly picked mangosteens to everyone.

“These mangosteens are all picked from century-old trees. We have over 70 such old trees in our orchard,” said Mary’s daughter, Chenisa.

Before the break of dawn the next day, the Thai Mangosteen Association (TMA) headquarters was brightly lit and bustling with activity.

“Farmers have been bringing in the day’s mangosteen harvest since sunset,” explained Pippat, vice president of the TMA. In less than two years since its establishment, the association has already gathered a membership of over 1,000 farmers.

“The huge Chinese market has brought opportunities for our rapid development,” he added.

At 6 a.m., several trucks were waiting to unload and transfer goods outside a mangosteen processing factory in Chanthaburi.

Inside the processing workshop of the factory, giant sorting machines rumbled as over 10 workers carefully checked each mangosteen passing by, sorting them according to size and ripeness.

“These fruits are destined for China. In recent years, our products have been selling increasingly well, largely because of the vast Chinese market,” said Nye, one of the workers.

“Eastern Thailand’s Chanthaburi, Rayong, and Trat provinces are major tropical fruit-growing regions especially famous for mangosteens and durians,” said Monsit, governor of Chanthaburi province.

The development of the fruit industry in eastern Thailand has created numerous job opportunities, with tens of thousands of local people now working in this industry, Phaisanthanawat said.

Now, farmers enjoy a better quality of life due to their growing income. Meanwhile, the thriving fruit industry has contributed greatly to local economic and social development, Phaisanthanawat noted.

“We are looking forward to more and closer cooperation with the Chinese market,” added the governor.

Youyi Port, China

At 8 a.m., Youyi Port in China’s Pingxiang city was bustling with the stream of cross-border vehicles loaded with ASEAN fruits, filling the air with the aroma of fruit and the echoing sound of train whistles.

After pre-declaration, inspection at checkpoints, and weighing, refrigerated truck No. 98C18232 cleared customs smoothly.

Gan Jianxing, a person responsible for customs declaration for this batch of imported fruits, used his mobile phone to log into an app named “smart Youyi Port,” where information such as license plate numbers, cargo classification, and inspection platform codes was clearly displayed.

In an effort to facilitate customs clearance for imported fruits, Youyi Port has established a durian-dedicated channel and a green channel for imported and exported agricultural products, according to Huang Feifei, a customs officer from Youyi Port. 

The port has also introduced an intelligent auxiliary management system for inspection, Huang noted.

“Currently, the system automatically assigns inspection tasks to all 76 inspection platforms at the port. Refrigerated trucks carrying imported fruits are given priority in inspection, leading to a significant increase in the overall vehicle turnover rate,” Huang explained.

Youyi Port is China’s largest land port for fruit imports and exports. In recent years, the port has been advancing its intelligent transformation, achieving remarkable results.

Inspection space turnover efficiency has increased by 35 percent, and the quarantine processing time has been reduced by nearly 70 percent at the port.

In 2023, fruit imports through Youyi Port totaled 23.92 billion yuan ($3.3 billion), a year-on-year increase of 262.9 percent.

The full implementation of the RCEP and the accelerated development of the ILSTC have helped streamline cross-border transportation procedures, leading to a notable enhancement of customs clearance efficiency and substantial time and cost savings, contributing to the booming fruit trade between ASEAN and China, said Pattama Namwong, president of the TMA.

China-ASEAN (Chongzuo) Fruit Trading Center

Stepping into the China-ASEAN (Chongzuo) Fruit Trading Center, reporters were greeted by digital screens showing live updates of fruit transactions.

As of June 30, 2024, the online platform of the center had completed a cumulative total of 174,654 international fruit trade transactions, with a trading volume of nearly 3.41 million tonnes and a transaction value of around 15.04 billion yuan.

“Thanks to the combination of an online trading platform with traditional trading models, ASEAN fruits can flow more smoothly to China,” explained Tan Weiping, an executive of the center.

Ye Hongsheng, a 24-year-old man who sells fruits via livesteaming at the center, said that ASEAN fruits like durian and jackfruit are selling well, and langsat and mango have also become popular choices for consumers looking to try something new.

“Now more and more consumers like to shop during livestreaming shows, and we’ve gained quite a number of loyal online followers,” he said.

“We help sell durians from over 1,000 mu (about 66.67 hectares) of orchards in Chanthaburi, Thailand, and we also cooperate with growers in Buon Ma Thuot city of Dak Lak province, and Tien Giang province in Vietnam on durian planting,” said Ye’s mother, while checking the durian import list.

Sources say that fresh fruit transportation primarily relies on cold-chain air freight and road transport.

Fresh fruit can generally be delivered to central China’s Hunan and Hubei provinces within 12 hours, while transportation to east China’s Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces and the country’s northern regions can typically be completed within 48 hours.

“The trade relations between China and ASEAN are becoming increasingly close, and Chinese consumer demand for ASEAN fruits has surged. We are optimistic about the market prospects of ASEAN fruits in China,” said Lou.

Continuously shortened negative list for foreign investment unleashes market vitality in China

By Zhao Zhanhui, He Linping, Luo Shanshan, People’s Daily

In recent years, China has been steadily pushing forward the reform of its market access system, one of the fundamental systems underpinning the country’s socialist market economy. By continuously lowering market entry thresholds, increasing transparency of market rules, and creating a fairer market environment, China has fully stimulated the endogenous power and innovation vitality of various business entities.

China’s negative list system allows all types of business entities to equally enter industries, fields, and businesses that are not forbidden by the list in accordance with the law, without the requirement for further government approval.

In 2013, with the establishment of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ) in east China’s Shanghai, the country’s first negative list for foreign investment was unveiled and implemented. The list was extended to other pilot FTZs in 2015 and implemented nationwide in 2016.

Apart from the negative list for foreign investment, China has also established the negative list for market access, the first country in the world to introduce the market access negative list into its domestic economic governance.

In 2016, the negative list for market access was piloted in four provinces and municipalities in China, and then expanded to 15 provinces and municipalities in 2017. In 2018, a nationwide unified negative list for market access was launched, marking the expansion of the list to the whole country.

By implementing the system of a negative list for market access, China has clearly defined the boundaries of government responsibility at the entry stage, fully leveraging the decisive role of the market in resource allocation and institutionalizing this approach.

Both the negative list for foreign investment and the negative list for market access started with pilot programs before gradually expanding to more regions based on the experience gained.

The negative list system has driven relevant institutional reforms in approval, investment, and regulation, effectively modernizing China’s governance system and capacity.

At the same time, China has constantly improved the mechanism for dynamic adjustment of the negative list. For instance, the current market access negative list for 2022 has reduced the number of prohibited and restricted items by 64 percent compared to the 2016 pilot edition.

The negative list system represents an important arrangement of China’s institutional opening up.

The gradual shortening of China’s negative list for foreign investment parallels the growth of foreign-invested enterprises in China.

The 2018 edition of the country’s negative list for foreign investment specified that by 2022, China would remove foreign ownership limits in the automobile industry and lift the regulation preventing foreign automakers from forming more than two joint ventures in the country.

In October 2018, the German carmaker BMW Group drafted an agreement to acquire a 25-percent stake in its Chinese joint venture, BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. (BBA).

In 2022, as China fully implemented the shortened negative list for foreign investment, the agreement was formally implemented, increasing BMW Group’s stake in BBA to 75 percent.

In April this year, the German automaker announced an additional investment of 20 billion yuan ($2.75 billion) in BBA’s production base in Shenyang, capital of northeast China’s Liaoning province, ready to start localized production of its new models.

The improved negative list system represents China’s efforts to promote institutional opening up. China has been committed to promoting high-standard opening-up, expanding market access, shortening the negative list for foreign investment, and enhancing the opening up of modern service industries. It has already announced the removal of all restrictions on foreign investment access in the manufacturing sector.

The continuously shortened negative list has helped accelerate the opening up of China’s service sector.

In March this year, Standard Chartered Securities China Limited (SCSCL), the first newly-established wholly foreign-owned securities firm in China, officially began operations.

The removal of market access restrictions in China’s financial sector has motivated Standard Chartered Group to accelerate its business expansion in the country.

“The Chinese market has been the largest contributor to Standard Chartered’s global network revenue for many years, and we look forward to the broader opportunities brought by China’s continuous opening-up,” said Jerry Zhang, CEO of Standard Chartered Bank (China) Ltd.

From the initial 190 items to the current 31 items in the national version and 27 items in the FTZ version, the shortened negative list for foreign investment has not only facilitated the growth of foreign-invested enterprises in China but also witnessed China’s accelerated high-standard opening up.

Institutional opening-up in China’s trade sector has also been advanced continuously.

On November 4, 2020, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech via video at the opening ceremony of the third China International Import Expo held in Shanghai. He noted that China will continue to leverage the pioneering role of pilot free trade zones and free trade ports in steering opening up, and will introduce a negative list for cross-border services trade,

Eight months later, China released its first negative list for cross-border services trade. Shortly after, Khoo Wut Fat William, a lawyer from China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), registered and obtained certification from the department of justice in south China’s Hainan province, becoming the first legal consultant from Hong Kong SAR to join a Hainan law firm.

This year, China’s Ministry of Commerce rolled out national and pilot FTZ versions of negative lists for cross-border trade in services, extending the negative lists for services trade to the whole country and promoting the tiered opening-up for cross-border trade in services.

In the first five months of this year, the number of newly established foreign-invested enterprises in China increased by 17.4 percent year on year.

China attaches great importance to steadily expanding institutional opening-up and market access. By shortening the negative list for foreign investment and creating a more market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized business environment, China will undoubtedly provide a broader market space and more opportunities of win-win cooperation for countries worldwide.

Rehashing so-called South China Sea arbitration cannot conceal rights infringement and provocation

By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily

Recently, the Philippines, in collusion with certain countries, has once again brought up the so-called South China Sea arbitration. They claimed to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea, but kept exaggerating the so-called award on the South China Sea arbitration, which is illegal, null and void.

Their true intention is to persist in infringing on China’s territorial sovereignty and provoking tensions in the South China Sea, using the South China Sea issue to disrupt regional peace and stability.

Rehashing the so-called South China Sea arbitration cannot conceal the Philippines’ infringement of China’s lawful rights and interests, nor can it change the fact that the Philippines’ frequent provocations, backed by external forces, have led to tensions in the South China Sea.

The so-called South China Sea arbitration was a political farce disguised as a legal proceeding, and the so-called arbitral award is riddled with errors and biases, which have violated China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and undermined peace and stability in the South China Sea.

This unilateral and malicious arbitration on the South China Sea by the Philippines eight years ago has never aimed to resolve disputes nor safeguard regional peace and stability, but rather to deny China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the region.

The ad-hoc arbitral tribunal in the South China Sea arbitration established at the Philippines’ unilateral request had neither legitimacy nor jurisdiction, and the arbitral award rendered by it has clearly overstepped its authority and has no binding force.

China neither accepts nor participates in the South China Sea arbitration, nor does it accept or recognize the award or any claims and actions based on it. China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall under no circumstances be affected by illegal awards.

The Philippines’ treatment of this illegal award as gospel does not help resolve its maritime disputes with China, still less add legitimacy to its illegal claims in any way.

By repeatedly claiming that the arbitral award is “legally binding,” the Philippines and certain countries have disregarded and trampled on international law.

The rights and wrongs in the South China Sea dispute between China and the Philippines are crystal clear: China’s sovereignty and rights in the South China Sea were established in the long course of history and duly recognized by international treaties and accords which are not to be infringed upon by any illegal awards.

The Philippine territory is defined by a series of international treaties, which have never included

China’s Huangyan Dao and any islands or reefs of Nansha Qundao.

The Philippines’ illegal claims have no historical or legal basis. By repeatedly taking actions that complicate the dispute, what the Philippines truly attempts to do is expanding its illegal occupation of some islands and reefs of China’s Nansha Qundao.

The Senate of the Philippines has approved the so-called “Maritime Zones Act,” attempting to further enforce the illegal arbitral award on the South China Sea by domestic legislation and illegally include China’s Huangyan Dao, most islands and reefs of China’s Nansha Qundao, and their adjacent waters into its maritime zones.

Later, the Philippines further unilaterally submitted information to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf on the extent of its undersea shelf in the South China Sea, which has infringed upon China’s sovereign rights and jurisdiction.

These actions by the Philippines seriously violate China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea.

Since last year, the Philippine government has breached its commitments and the common understandings with China, violated the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and repeatedly acted in bad faith.

It frequently infringed on China’s rights and made provocations at sea, brought in forces outside the region to form blocs and flex muscles in the South China Sea, and spread disinformation to vilify China and mislead the international perception on this matter.

Who is provoking and causing trouble in the South China Sea? Who is violating international law and endangering peace and stability in the region? The fact is crystal clear.

Anthony Carty, a British professor of international law, said in his book The History and Sovereignty of the South China Sea Islands that China has indisputable sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea and the Filipino claim to the Nansha Qundao is absurd. He noted that the so-called arbitral award violates the basic norms of the order of international relations and is part of the strategy of the United States (U.S.) and NATO to contain China.

The U.S. hypes up the so-called arbitral award as “legally binding” completely out of its hegemonic ambition of undermining regional peace and stability and containing China’s development.

The U.S. has a hand in a series of actions that escalated regional tensions, including groundlessly attacking and criticizing China’s legitimate and lawful actions aimed at safeguarding its rights in the South China Sea, deploying the land-based Mid-Range Capability missile system, known as Typhon, to the Philippines, and conducting joint military exercises with the Philippines.

The U.S. has covertly influenced the South China Sea arbitration and established a so-called “legal foundation” for the Philippines’ territorial claims. Now it is using the Philippines as a tool to maintain the hegemony, endorse and back the Philippines’ provocations that infringe upon China’s lawful rights.

The U.S. actions seriously disrupt regional peace and stability and run counter to the common aspirations of the region for peace and development.

Attempting to pull chestnuts out of the fire for the U.S., the Philippines will only get itself burnt.

Maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea is the trend of the times and the common wish of countries in the region.

History and facts have proven that properly managing and resolving disputes through dialogue and consultation between parties directly concerned is the best approach to maintaining overall stability in the South China Sea, while making willful and arbitrary infringement and provocation will only add obstacles to resolving relevant issues.

China is a staunch defender and builder of international maritime rule of law. Firmly upholding the international maritime rule of law, China does not and will never accept or recognize the so-called award on the South China Sea arbitration.

Relevant countries shall respect history, honor their commitments, stop provocations, and stop connivance. They shall return to the right track of dialogue and negotiation, and take concrete actions to uphold the authority of international maritime law and international fairness and justice.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.)

NASS Working With Tinubu to Rebuild Trust of Nigerians – Deputy Spokesperson

..says Ndume’s derobing in line with international parliamentary practices

The Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Hon. Philip Agbese, says the 10th National Assembly is working with President Bola Tinubu to rebuild the trust of Nigerians.

Speaking to newsmen on Thursday, Agbese asked about the relationship between the President and parliament and said it is strong, cordial and wonderful.

He describes it as a working partnership and collaboration, which is reviewed on a routine basis to ensure that the needs of Nigerians are being addressed.

Agbese said the House’s decision to cut their salaries by 50 per cent shows their solidarity with Nigerians and sacrifice to support the economic hardship and hunger in the nation.

He said this is born out of patriotism and the exceptional leadership of the House led by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.

“Mr President feels the pains of our constituents as if they all live in the house with him,” Agbese emphasised.

“This is evident in the recent reforms being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture to address hunger and food security in the country.

“Since the inception of this dispensation, the executive and legislature have collaborated seamlessly, passing several landmark bills and resolutions that have positively impacted the lives of Nigerians.

“These bills have addressed long-standing issues in diverse sectors and enhanced the nation’s economic growth.

“The 10th National Assembly has been instrumental in supporting the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, and their collective efforts have yielded remarkable results.”

Agbese commended the 10th National Assembly for their dedication to the nation’s growth and development.

“The 10th National Assembly has demonstrated a high level of maturity and patriotism in their legislative duties,” he added.

“Their commitment to the nation’s progress is laudable, and we appreciate their support in our efforts to rebuild the trust and correct the failures of the past.

“The 10th National Assembly is working tirelessly to correct the failures of the past, including the inability of previous assemblies to pass critical legislation.

“We are committed to learning from the mistakes of the past and charting a new course for our nation’s growth and development.”

Reacting to Senator Ali Ndume’s recent comments, Agbese stated that his demotion as Majority Whip was a standard parliamentary practice worldwide.

“Some persons don’t have the understanding of the parliament and the executive as two parallel lines of necessity,” Agbese said.

“Members of the House of Representatives are carrying out their duties with the highest level of maturity, thanks to Mr. Speaker’s pro-Nigeria posture to leadership”.

Agbese cautioned Ndume to “embrace the principles of teamwork and collaboration, rather than seeking to divide and distract the government from its laudable reforms.”

He also urged Ndume to “support the President and the National Assembly in their efforts to rebuild broken trust and deliver on their campaign promises to Nigerians.”

Agbese assured Nigerians that President Tinubu and the National Assembly will not fail the nation.

“We are committed to working together to address the challenges facing our country, and we will not be distracted by individual interests or personal agendas,” Agbese concluded.

“We appreciate the support and trust Nigerians have placed in us, and we will continue to work tirelessly to justify that trust.”

NSCDC: Audi’s Transformative Scorecard, Paradigm Shift- CWAI Recounts

A civil society and pressure group, non-profit and anti-corruption organization has stated that the crackdown on illegal miners has saved the economy huge financial revenue loss as a result of securing the mining sector which is a vital component of Nigeria’s economy. The CSO further observed that this destruction of over 350 illegal refineries has also assisted to reduce the menace of oil theft in the Niger Delta region as well as the arrest and recovery of critical assets and railway materials worth over 5 billion Naira.

It is instructive that the creation of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC’s Special Mines Marshals to combat the menace of illegal mining has also enabled the reduction of mining theft, oil and gas sector of the country as the present management of the NSCDC under the leadership of Dr Abubakar Audi is determined to nip in the bud these challenges once and for all.

Howbeit, the creation of the Civil Defence Academy in Jos, Plateau State, for career development and progression; the creation of NSCDC Arms Squad Training School at Ugede Development Area in Nasarawa LGA of Nasarawa State is very instructive; the massive acquisition of mini fire fighter tankers for disaster management in case of emergencies are worthy of note and big morale booster for the corps and the procurement of Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) vehicles for the NSCDC to use in fighting criminalities across the country is a welcome development under the present administration.

In a press release signed in Warri, Delta State by the Executive Secretary of Citizens Watch Advocacy Initiative (CWAI), Omoba Kenneth Aigbegbele on Tuesday, the CSO identified bad governance, abject poverty and unemployment as some of the root causes of attacks on our critical oil and gas assets including the mining sector in the country. He stated that poverty and hunger have contributed to the damages being recorded in the oil and gas facilities and that the degradation of the environment due to exploration and oil spills has not helped matters as it has deprived communities’ access to their traditional methods of livelihoods.

The organization observed that: “There is therefore the need to confront and tackle poverty and other issues, so as to reduce the menace.” That government should deploy special equipment, create forums to engage the various communities, collaborate and partner with private security guards, armed forces and intelligence services to stem the tide of oil theft and mining plundering.

In an effort to curb Illegal mining and create safe mining environment recently, the Federal Government commissioned 350 additional operatives of the NSCDC as mining marshals. This is happening barely few months after the first batch of 2,220 mining marshals were inaugurated. This is as the marshals underscore the Federal Government’s commitment to reforming the unlicensed operators across the country. According to reports, since the inauguration, over 200 illegal mining suspects have been arrested, 133 prosecutions underway and confiscated illegally mined minerals forfeited to the Federal Government. CWAI gathered that as part of its efforts to strengthen, protect and safeguard schools across the country, the Save School Initiative was launched for the protection of vulnerable schools and to reduce the menace of kidnapping in schools and the creation of the NSCDC Female Squad to aid in tackling kidnappings and other restiveness in schools which has yielded enormous dividends by the reduction of this heinous crime.

CWAI noted the various institutional nationwide reformations presently taking place across the corps as well as the new sense of belonging, increase in welfare packages for the corps, prompt payment of emoluments, allowances including the zero tolerance for corruption initiated by the new management. This, without doubt, has given the corps a pride of place in the paramilitary organizations in the country and has raised the ‘esprit-de-corps’ of the men and officers like never before seen. The robust welfare, motivated packages through massive promotions, conversion, upgrading and other benefits-in-kind are really commendable and not to mention the construction of official and residential buildings within and outside the NSCDC headquarters, including the procurement of operational and office equipment and the purchase of over 200 operation vehicles are also worthy of note.

The arrest of students for acts unbecoming of them across institutions of learning in the country; arrest of practitioners of same sex marriages is a major milestone; the commendations given by governors of Zamfara, Gombe, Ogun, Jigawa and Katsina states recently are also worth mentioning; the reduction of the incessant herders’ and farmers’ clashes and cattle rustling; the deployment of undercover corps officers to schools;  the collaboration with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to reduce criminal activities across the country with the toga ‘See Something, Say Something;” the robust relationships of inter-agency corporations and partnerships with sister agencies such as the Navy, Army, Customs, Immigration, NNPC, and civil society organizations, is a major achievement that must be applauded; the consistent advocacies carried out by the CG to intimate and assure Nigerians to believe in the corps’ operations to engender faith in security agencies, are all worthy of note.

The continued fight against cyber-crimes, child abuse and the flushing out of illegal guard private operators; the arrest of smugglers, vandals and pipeline/oil thieves in the Niger Delta region have become an Herculean task that must be achieved, according to the CG, saying that the Service “is presently doing all it can to curb the proliferation of small arms across the length and breadth of the country.” He also read the Riot Act to the Corps’ commandants in the Niger Delta states, assuring them that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has a zero-tolerance to civil theft. He asked them to do all they can to nib crimes in the bud in line with a presidential order to rid the nation’s oil sector of economic saboteurs, vandals, criminals, oil thieves and other nefarious activities inimical to the growth of the sector.

CWAI can attest to the fact that the giant strides achieved so far by the current leadership are as a result of the strategic directions taken on the commissioning of the Standard Curriculum for NSCDC for entrenching career progression, effective supervision and transparent regulation of the Private Guard Companies in Nigeria which has reduced insecurity across the country. CWAI asserts that this is connected to a new reinvigorated legal department, successes in anti-vandalism, protection of farmers’ physical security at mining sites and the establishment of Special Female Squad (SFS) targeted at boosting the fight against insecurity and the location of the squad in all Commands across the country. This has also enhanced the safe school response coordination and the protection of schools in remote areas and border communities, which is done in collaboration with other security agencies of the Army and the Department of State Services (DSS) to foil attempts to attack schools. This is endorsed by all stakeholders.

Similarly, the Commandant-General has continuously urged security agencies/operatives to shun inter-agency rivalry to foster national security. The CG gave this charge at a recent security seminar tagged “Promoting Inter-Agency Collaboration Among Security Agencies.” He noted that “the rivalry was capable of eroding relationships building over time between security agencies and consequently rubbed off negatively on the provision of adequate security.”  

CWAI also endorsed the amicable settlement of conflicts and dispute resolutions between herdsmen, farmers, cattle rustlers and villagers, community leaders and bandits – all championed by the current management of the NSCDC. The pressure group also applauded the vision, mission and the ability to implement its mandate as regards the settlement of disputes through Alternative Dispute Resolute (ADR) between warring parties.

CWAI recognizes the importance of conflict and dispute resolution mechanism in today’s contemporary issues and conflict management, and commended the leadership for thinking out of the box and finding lasting solutions in today’s crises-prone society, where conflicts have become the order of the day with the support of the proactive Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Ojo.

CWAI emphasized a renewed vigour for the increment of national budget allocated to the NSCDC in view of the pivotal role it plays in the reduction of criminal elements in the protection of critical national assets and the reduction of kidnapping in our schools as a result of the school initiative, which if properly funded will give the NSCDC the impetus to do more for the nation and its workforce.

We are encouraged to commend the public procurement and contract approvals, accountability in procurement process and payments. We also applaud the transformation, vision and forthrightness of the leadership in changing the narrative to make the Corps the cynosure of all eyes through discipline, promotion of officers when due and capacity building of officers and men, including building strategic alliances with various ivory towers across the land, to upgrade the service institutions to meet with what is attainable globally and build robust sister inter-agency collaborations.

CWAI, therefore, has no hesitation in passing a vote of confidence on the Dr. Abubakar Audi-led management and calls on the international community and well-meaning Nigerians to support the NSCDC management and allow them to concentrate on their mandate and continuously support the proactive leadership to enable it further its commitment and efforts to the general wellbeing of the nation.

Group Reacts To Court Order Stopping Bayero From Parading Himself As Emir

The Kano Democratic Vanguard has condemned the recent judgement by Justice Amina Aliyu, which restrained Aminu Ado-Bayero and four other deposed Emirs from parading themselves as Emirs. 

This ruling according to Isah Jafar, the Convener of the group is a clear violation of justice.

Jafar said: “We urge the people of Kano to stand firm against the judgement and fight for the restoration of their beloved Emirate.

“The Kano Democratic Vanguard will continue to support the rightful Emir, Ado Bayero, and the people of Kano in their struggle against oppression.

“We demand that the judiciary reverses this judgement and restores the rightful Emir of Kano.

“The Kano Democratic Vanguard calls on all citizens of Kano to rise up against this injustice and demand the restoration of their traditional institution.”

Flourishing port development reveals China’s reform and opening up in new era

By Ye Qi, Luo Shanshan, People’s Daily

Ports serve as the gateways through which China opens up to the outside world.

As China continues to deepen reform across the board, a vast majority of ports in the country have flourished, from the north to the south, from the east to the west, and from border regions to inland areas.

For instance, Alashankou Port in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region sees around 60 trains and 350 vehicles passing through on a daily basis. Thanks to the development of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC), a trade and logistics passage jointly built by provincial-level regions in western China and ASEAN members, Xinjiang is becoming a core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt though far away from China’s coastline.

In southwest China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, the Youyi Pass, or Friendship Pass, is currently under construction on the China-Vietnam border, which will turn the vision of intelligent and modern cross-border transportation into reality.

Port activity is a barometer of the national economy.

On the west coast of Bohai Bay, giant vessels are frequently seen arriving and leaving the coal terminal of Huanghua Port in Cangzhou, north China’s Hebei province. Huanghua Port serves as a crucial link for transporting coal from west and north China to the eastern and southern regions of the country. The port handles more than 200 million tons of coal every year, but its development was hindered by dust pollution in the past.

To solve the problem, the new philosophy of innovative and green development was adopted by the port, and an intelligent whole-process dust suppression system has been developed to control coal dust throughout the entire process of port operations. Today, the port is completely free of coal dust, with wastewater effectively recycled and reused.

In China, traditional ports are embracing the intelligent, digitalized, low-carbon and green development of the shipping industry, providing strong support for high-quality economic development.

At Yangshan Port, east China’s Shanghai, bridge cranes are bustling with activities while large vessels come and go at a high frequency, demonstrating the dynamic and robust Chinese economy to the world. In recent years, Shanghai has been actively pushing for the clustering of shipping service companies, the integration of industrial chains, and the development of market-oriented factors.

Fujian province in southeast China is striving to build a large-scale, intensive, and specialized port cluster that serves the whole country and faces the world. Based on ports in the Beibu Gulf, Guangxi is making every effort to build a cooperative network of port cities between China and ASEAN countries.

In the first half of this year, China’s coastal and inland waterway ports saw over 15.21 million arrivals and departures of vessels, with total cargo throughput reaching 9.18 billion tons, representing year-on-year increases of 14.35 percent and 4.85 percent respectively.

To address the obstacles in customs clearance processes, efficiency, and costs, China’s ports and customs authorities have been innovating their management approaches and continuously deepening reforms to streamline administration, delegate power, improve regulation and upgrade services.

At a multimodal transport center of a national logistics hub port in Alashankou, Xinjiang, the average customs clearance time has been reduced from 34.5 hours last October to just 5 hours. In the first half of this year, the number of inbound and outbound freight vehicles through the highway port of Alashankou increased by 42.6 percent year on year.

The “green channels” for fast customs clearance of agricultural and sideline products now cover all highway ports between China and Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. The sixth port area of the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in Yiwu, east China’s Zhejiang province, has adopted a unique approach known as “single declaration, single inspection, single release” to handle export containers on sea-rail intermodal trains, helping commodities made in Yiwu reach global markets more efficiently.

China has been promoting high-standard opening up, steadily expanding institutional opening up with regard to rules, regulations, management, and standards, and building new systems for a higher-standard open economy, creating more space for China’s development and providing new opportunities for global growth.

While pursuing its own development, China has also been making greater contributions to global development. In particular, the rapid development of Chinese ports has provided essential support for the country’s high-standard opening up.

China has launched special freight trains for importing bananas from Southeast Asia. Many high-quality products of ASEAN countries, such as Lao Beer and Angkor Beer, now have their Chinese distributors. An ILSTC tourism promotion alliance has been established. Rapid construction is underway for the modern agricultural industrial park in Lao capital Vientiane.

At the Horgos International Border Cooperation Center on the China-Kazakhstan border in Xinjiang, citizens from both countries can engage in face-to-face negotiations and transactions within the enclosed cross-border economic and trade cooperation zone. So far, the center has attracted over 3,500 businesses.

Today, the China-Europe freight train service reaches over 200 cities in 25 European countries, while the Silk Road Maritime shipping routes link more than 100 ports in 43 countries worldwide. As the major trading partner of over 140 countries and regions, China is making steady progress on the path of high-standard opening up.

South China Sea issue should be resolved by countries directly concerned

By Koh King Kee

Recently, countries like the United States (U.S.) and the Philippines have been fueling fire on the South China Sea issue.

On April 11, the leaders of the U.S., Japan and the Philippines held a trilateral summit in Washington and issued a Joint Vision Statement after the summit, smearing and attacking China on the South China Sea issue.

Besides, the U.S. and the Philippines carried out joint military exercises in the South China Sea, and the U.S. has deployed the Mid-Range Capability missile system, also known as Typhon, in the Philippines.

These moves have escalated tensions in the South China Sea, further complicated the situation, and posed grave threats and dangers to regional peace and stability.

The U.S. has been frequently building exclusive blocs in the Asia-Pacific region, including its attempts to strengthen the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) among the U.S., Japan, India and Australia, advance the AUKUS security partnership among the U.S., the United Kingdom and Australia, and host the U.S.-Japan-South Korea trilateral meeting at Camp David and the U.S.-Japan-Philippines trilateral summit.

The intention is to further its geopolitical interests in the region and contain China’s development. Such attempts by the U.S. and some of its allies to create division and confrontation in the South China Sea have raised concerns among ASEAN nations.

Under the instigation of external powers, certain Philippine politicians have been actively engaging in reckless confrontations and provocations in the South China Sea in disregard of the interests of their nation and people. Such acts serve no purpose other than undermining the joint efforts of regional countries in addressing the South China Sea issue and will ultimately damage the long-term interests of the Philippines.

The South China Sea issue should be resolved by countries directly concerned through dialogue and negotiation. The intervention of external forces only complicates the situation and hinders the resolution of the South China Sea issue.

The Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), signed by China and the ten ASEAN countries in November 2002, is a milestone in the dialogue relations between ASEAN and China. It reflects the shared aspirations of ASEAN countries and China to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea and is instrumental in stabilizing the situation in the South China Sea.

The countries involved in the South China Sea issue should adhere to the principle of the DOC, exercise restraint, and avoid any actions that could complicate or escalate disputes.

ASEAN has always stayed independent and self-reliant, believing that its own affairs should be decided by ASEAN itself. ASEAN countries value their stable and sound relations with China, advocate for jointly promoting peace and stability in the region, and pursue win-win outcomes through cooperation. ASEAN is neither willing nor likely to participate in any U.S.-led exclusive blocs aimed at confronting China simply to please the U.S.

The South China Sea issue should not be exaggerated. As long as dialogue and consultation are maintained and differences are handled properly, the issue is not insurmountable. In October 2023, China and ASEAN announced the start of the third reading of Single Draft Negotiating Text of the Code of Conduct (COC) and agreed to accelerate negotiations so as to reach at an early date an effective and substantive COC that is consistent with international law.

ASEAN countries and China should work together to actively promote negotiations on the COC, strengthen cooperation on marine fisheries, scientific research, ecology, and security, and build the South China Sea into sea of peace, friendship and cooperation.

(Koh King Kee is president of the Centre for New Inclusive Asia, a Malaysian think tank)

Coalition Dismisses Former Rivers Lawmakers’ Attempt to Shut Down State Govt Expenditure

The National Vanguard for Rule of Law (NVRL) has laughed off the attempt by former Rivers State Assembly lawmakers to shut down the state government expenditure.

In a statement signed by Comrade Johnson Babatunde, the group described the move as “illegal, null and void”.

Recall that the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly purportedly shut down all expenditures of the government until Governor Siminalayi Fubara presents his budget before the House.

The former lawmakers voted to block the Rivers State Consolidated Revenue Account thus preventing Governor Fubara’s administration from spending any money on behalf of the state.

However, in response, Babatunde reminded Amaewhule and 24 others that their seats were declared vacant on December 13, 2023, after they dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“We read a report in the media, credited to former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by the former Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, wherein the former lawmakers passed a resolution shutting down all expenditures of the state government, pending when His Excellency Governor Siminalayi Fubara re-presents the 2024 budget estimates of the State before them,” the statement said.

“We view the action of the former lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike as illegal, null and void.

“For the records, Governor Fubara had in December, 2023, signed the budget of N800 billion into law after presenting it before lawmakers led by the former speaker, Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie, who passed it into law.

“We use this opportunity to remind Amaewhule and 24 others that there seats were declared vacant on December 13, 2023, after they dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“They remain former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and not current members. How then do they expect Governor Fubara to present the 2024 budget of Rivers State before them?

“We use this opportunity to remind the courts that Amaewhule and his group are no longer members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, therefore, any attempt to secure an injunction to deny Governor Fubara access to the consolidated revenue fund of the state, or deny ministries, departments and agencies in Rivers State access to their accounts to implement the 2024 budget be denied or thrown out of the by courts.

“The banks too must be aware of the current status of the former lawmakers and not deal with them as current members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

“We have observed that the enemies of Rivers State have decided to target the Rivers State Government budget and accounts in their bid to scuttle the giant strides recorded by Governor Fubara in the course of implementing the 2024 budget, which has earned the governor accolades across the state and beyond.

“Recall that, immediately after signing the 2024 budget into law, Governor Fubara flagged – off the Trans-Kalabari road project phase 2 as well as the Elele-Omoku Road project that cuts through Ikwerre, Emohua and Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Areas of the state and many other laudable projects.

“These achievements have unsettled the pro-Wike camp and they have decided to attacks the finances of the state to slow down the provision of dividends of democracy to Rivers people by Governor Fubara.

“We call on the good people of Rivers State and Nigerians to ensure the former Rivers lawmakers Don’t succeed in their evil against Rivers State. “