Nigeria Times

By Wang Zheng, People’s Daily

In 2023, China’s production and sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) exceeded 9.58 million and 9.49 million units, surging 35.8 percent and 37.9 percent year on year, respectively. NEV exports soared 77.6 percent to more than 1.2 million units. These remarkable figures added new splendor to Chinese manufacturing.

In a test building of a global R&D center of Chinese automaker Changan in Chongqing municipality, a 56-day reliability test involving 544 charge-discharge cycles was completed just before the New Year’’s Day.

““The model Changan CD701 to be launched in the first half of the year will come with an 800V high-voltage platform with silicon carbide technology, which enables the vehicle to run 200 km on a 10-minute charge,”” said test engineer Liao Xingyu.

In recent years, Chinese NEVs have made great strides in innovations like 800V ultra-fast charging systems, all-in-one electric drive systems, parallel and serial plug-in hybrids, CIB (cell integrated body), “human x car x home” smart ecosystem, and map-less urban assisted driving. China’s NEV industry has entered the fast lane of developmentThese advancements have helped Chinese NEVs transition from conforming to standards to taking the lead in forming them. 

On Dec. 22, 2023, Chinese NEV giant BYD announced its plan to establish a NEV production base in Szeged, Hungary. The construction of this base will be carried out in phases and is expected to create thousands of jobs for the local community. 

Prior to this, BYD had also announced a total investment of approximately 4.5 billion yuan ($633.29 million) in a large production complex consisting of three factories in Camacari, Bahia, Brazil. This complex is scheduled to commence production in the second half of this year.

Southeast Asia has also become a hot investment destination for Chinese car companies. On Nov. 8, 2023, the construction of the first phase of a Changan manufacturing base in Thailand officially began. This base is designed to have an annual production capacity of 100,000 vehicles and scheduled to start production in early 2025. 

Other Chinese car companies that announced plans to build factories in Thailand in 2023 include SAIC Motor, BYD, and NETA. Together, their total planned investment exceeded 10 billion yuan.

Yu De, managing director of SAIC Motor’s international business department, noted that SAIC has already established four complete vehicle productionmanufacturing  bases overseas in Thailand, Indonesia, India, and Pakistan. 

In 2023, SAIC Motor sold more than 1.2 million vehicles overseas, representing a year-on-year growth of 18.8 percent, and ranking first among all Chinese peers for eight consecutive years. In particular, SAIC brand MG has entered 28 European countries, with sales in Europe surpassing 100,000 vehicles in 2023. 

“SAIC Motor is currently selecting the location for its first complete vehicle production plant in Europe,” Yu said.

The accelerated establishment of overseas factories was a major highlight of China’s NEV industry in 2023. Chinese NEV startups gaining recognition from international capital also demonstrated China’s globally leading position in intelligent electric vehicle technology.

In July 2023, Volkswagen announced that it would acquire a 4.99 percent stake in Chinese EV startup Xpeng via a $700 million capital increase. The two companies also signed a technological framework agreement for long-term cooperation. 

Audi signed a memorandum of understanding with SAIC Motor, in which SAIC will leverage its technological advantages to participate in the joint development of new EV models of SAIC-Audi, one of Audi’s two joint ventures in China.

In October 2023, Stellantis Group, a multinational automotive company ranking among the top five in global sales, announced its strategic investment of 1.5 billion euros in Chinese EV maker Leapmotor. This investment will make Stellantis a strategic shareholder in the Chinese company. 

Additionally, the two parties will establish a 51/49 Stellantis-led joint venture, which aims to accelerate the sales of Leapmotor’s high-tech and cost-effective products starting from the second half of 2024.

According to Yan Zhaokai, senior manager of die-casting at Xpeng’s manufacturing engineering center, what traditional automakers need over 160 parts and multiple production steps to accomplish can be achieved in around 10 minutes with just two machines at the center – one 7,000-ton and one 12,000-ton intelligent die-casting units, along with shaping and cleaning production lines, machining and assembly lines, and online inspection lines.

The all-new process featuring high integration and fewer welds not only significantly improves product performance, but also reduces investment in the body welding shop line by 30 percent, saves 40 percent of floor space, boosts material utilization to over 97 percent, and greatly shortens production cycle at Xpeng’s Guangzhou plant. This ensures stable deliveries.

The high performance, low cost, and high efficiency of integrated aluminum die-casting technology have made it popular among Chinese NEV manufacturing companies, and also nurtured leading domestic die-casting machine companies such as LK Machinery and Haitian Die Casting. 

It is learned that the intelligent aluminum die-casting unit at Xpeng’s Guangzhou factory is currently the world’s largest one in terms of tonnage. Among global integrated aluminum die-casting equipment suppliers, LK Machinery has the highest market share worldwide.

An official with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology noted that as China’s NEV sector rapidly develops, it integrates various new technologies such as 5G, mobile internet, big data, and artificial intelligence. The industrial chain and value chain are continuously expanding into the fields of transportation, energy, information communication, etc., and an efficient and collaborative industrial system has been established. The automotive industry ecosystem is undergoing a comprehensive transformation.

By He Yin, People’s Daily
China and its partners have taken steady steps to jointly pursue high-quality cooperation under the
framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) since the start of 2024.
As long whistles echoed through the air, China-Europe freight trains left stations of cities across
China, including Xi’an, Hefei, Lianyungang, and Chifeng, embarking on their first trips of the
year.
A Lancang-Mekong Express freight train running on the China-Laos Railway entered China from
the Mohan railway port in southwest China’s Yunnan province, bringing a new shipment of Thai
durians to the Chinese market.
China and the Maldives signed cooperation documents, agreeing to focus on pursuing high-quality
Belt and Road cooperation in the efforts to better synergize their development strategies.
The Phoenix Park Industrial Estate, a flagship project of China-Trinidad and Tobago cooperation
under the BRI, was officially inaugurated, marking the leap-frog cooperation between the two
countries from trade and infrastructure construction to industrial docking and upgrading.
In the autumn of 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping, with profound insights into historical
development and a deep understanding of the trend of the times, put forward the BRI.
The major initiative is a creative development that takes on and carries forward the spirit of the
ancient silk routes – two of the great achievements in human history and civilization. It enriches
the ancient spirit with the zeitgeist and culture of the new era.
By proposing the BRI, Xi expressed the hope to put into practice the concept of building a
community with a shared future for mankind, providing a practical platform and blazing a trail for
creating an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security
and common prosperity.
Turning the BRI into a road of peace, prosperity, openness, green development and innovation and
a road that brings together different civilizations is highly consistent with the idea of building a
community with a shared future for mankind.
Over the past decade or so, China and its partners have carried out high-quality cooperation under
the BRI, which has become the world’s most broad-based and largest platform for international
cooperation.
Adhering to the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits,
upholding the concepts of open, green, and clean cooperation, and following a high-standard,
people-centered, and sustainable approach, the BRI stages a symphony played by all partners,
which features the “hard connectivity” in infrastructure, “soft connectivity” in rules and standards,
and “heart connectivity” with the people of the partner countries.
The BRI transcends differences between civilizations, cultures, social systems, and stages of
development. It has opened up a new path for exchanges among countries, and established a new
framework for international cooperation. The initiative represents humanity’s joint pursuit of
development for all.
Practices have fully proven that the BRI, with its ultimate goal to build a community with a shared
future for mankind, has proposed a range of regional and bilateral initiatives on building
communities of shared future in relevant fields, effectively contributing to world peace, security,

and common development.
Belt and Road cooperation is based on the belief that flame runs high when everyone adds wood
to the fire and that mutual support can get people far. Such cooperation seeks to deliver a good life
not only to people of just one country, but to people in other countries as well. It promotes
connectivity, mutual benefit, common development, cooperation and win-win outcomes.
The BRI has created more than 3,000 cooperative projects, galvanized nearly $1 trillion of
investment, and helped lift about 40 million people out of poverty, facilitating the delivery of an
array of national landmarks, livelihood projects, and milestones of cooperation. It has profoundly
demonstrated to all parties that humankind is a community with a shared future.
Signature projects of the BRI, including the China-Laos Railway, Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed
Railway, Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, and Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway, have
effectively promoted connectivity for relevant countries and regions.
The establishment of Luban workshops, programs for the introduction of Juncao technology and
hybrid rice technology, as well as other “small yet smart” people-centered programs launched
under the BRI, have continuously benefited people of relevant countries.
These vivid stories about how Belt and Road cooperation has turned deep chasm into
thoroughfare, land-locked countries into land-linked countries, and places of underdevelopment
into lands of prosperity have demonstrated that win-win cooperation is the sure way to success in
launching major initiatives that benefit all.
Facts have shown that the BRI has broadened the consensus on building a community with a
shared future for mankind and accumulated valuable experience for its realization.
As the world faces severe challenges including insufficient development momentum and a
widening development gap, it is more imperative than ever before that the international
community pools consensus and strength for openness and cooperation so as to advance
universally beneficial and inclusive development through joint efforts.
In his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the third Belt and Road Forum for International
Cooperation (BRF) held in October 2023, Xi announced eight major steps China would take to
support the joint pursuit of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, setting a new direction,
opening new vistas, and generating new momentum into international cooperation under the BRI.
By joining hands with various parties to comprehensively implement the outcomes of the third
BRF, improve the quality of cooperation and explore more areas of cooperation for high-quality
development of the BRI, China will inject new impetus into the building of a community with a
shared future for mankind.
Building a community with a shared future for mankind is a beautiful goal, that requires
generations of efforts to achieve, and demands concerted efforts, confidence, determination,
breadth of vision, openness of mind, action, and a sense of responsibility from all countries.
As China advances national rejuvenation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization, it
will align its own development with that of the world, and align its people’s interests with those of
all peoples, while working together with various parties to pursue high-quality Belt and Road
cooperation, thus jointly building a community with a shared future for mankind.

By He Yin, People’s Daily
China’s economy took center stage at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2024,
which was themed “Rebuilding Trust”. Participants actively praised the enhanced resilience of
China’s economy and businesses over the past two years. They acknowledged that China’s efforts
would create more opportunities for global economic growth and employment.
China’s pursuit of high-level opening-up was seen as having a positive impact on promoting
international economic and trade development. The attendees widely recognized that China’s
solution was indispensable in addressing the global trust deficit.
Currently, the global economic recovery is fragile and sluggish and lacks momentum, the
development gap is widening. The impact of geopolitical conflicts on global development is
becoming increasingly evident.
More than 2,800 representatives from over 120 countries and regions gathered at the WEF Annual
Meeting 2024 in Davos, Switzerland with a common goal of promoting global economic
governance and helping the world economy overcome difficulties and sail towards a brighter
future.
China has always been sharing the same goal with the WEF. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s
important remarks on promoting economic globalization and upholding true multilateralism, as
articulated at WEF platforms, hold profound practical significance in addressing global
challenges.
While striving for high-quality development of its own economy, China has always been sincerely
committed to fostering an open world economy and has made tremendous efforts to improve
global economic governance. The facts have proven that China is the most trustworthy partner.
China’s economy is steadily advancing, providing sustained strong impetus for global economic
development. Over the years, China’s contribution to world economic growth has stayed at around
30 percent. In 2023, China’s economy showed positive overall growth, with a year-on-year
increase of 5.2 percent in GDP. It has been repeatedly emphasized by international media outlets
that China’s economic growth rate was among the top in the world’s major economies.
According to the World Bank’s latest Global Economic Prospects report, driven by China’s
economic recovery, the economic growth in East Asia and the Pacific region is projected to
increase from 3.4 percent in 2022 to 5.1 percent in 2023.
China has established sound and solid fundamentals in terms of the industrial base, production
factors and innovation capacity. The conditions supporting high-quality development continue to
gather and increase. The overall trend of long-term growth will not change.
Saadia Zahidi, managing director of the WEF, noted that China’s healthy economic development
brings very positive spillover effects to other parts in the world.
China remains firmly committed to opening up, and continues to create favorable conditions for
the world to share in its opportunities. China is a major trading partner of over 140 countries and
regions, with the overall tariff level cut to 7.3 percent, relatively on par with the developed
members in the World Trade Organization.
Currently, global demand remains insufficient, and the market is the scarcest resource. The
Chinese market, with its vast space and growing depth, will play an important role in boosting

aggregate global demand.
China warmly welcomes foreign companies to continue investing in China and strives to create a
first-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized. China
will steadily expand institutional opening up, continue to shorten the negative list for foreign
investment, follow through on removing all restrictions on access for foreign investment in the
manufacturing sector, and guarantee national treatment for foreign businesses.
According to the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, the return on FDI in the Chinese
mainland had been around 9.1 percent over the past five years, while in Europe and the United
States, it was around 3 percent. The facts have already proven and will continue to prove that
choosing the Chinese market is not a risk but an opportunity.
China advocates for a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization and continues to
contribute wisdom to improving global economic governance.
Economic globalization is an inherent requirement of developing productive forces, a natural
result of scientific and technological advancement, a sure path to human progress and more
importantly, an irreversible trend of the times.
In order to promote economic globalization for the greater benefit of people around the world,
China advocates for a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. A universally
beneficial and inclusive economic globalization means meeting the common needs of all
countries, especially the developing countries, properly addressing the development imbalances
between and within countries resulting from the global allocation of resources.
It is important for the international community to resolutely oppose the attempt to roll back
globalization and abuse the concept of security, oppose all forms of unilateralism and
protectionism, firmly promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, overcome the
structural problems hindering the healthy development of the world economy, and make economic
globalization more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial to all.
In response to the prominent challenges facing the global economy, China advocates for
strengthening coordination of macroeconomic policies, enhancing international division of labor
and cooperation, promoting international scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation,
fostering collaboration in green development, and strengthening North-South and South-South
cooperation. These proposals provide practical and feasible solutions for rebuilding trust in the
international community.
Only when all sides treat each other with sincerity and work in the same direction can there be a
stronger foundation of trust and more fruits of cooperation. While focusing on effectively
managing its own affairs, China will uphold solidarity, cooperation, openness, and sharing, and
work together with all parties to improve global economic governance, so as to promote the steady
and sustainable recovery of the world economy.

By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily
Following the elections of China’s Taiwan region, over 100 countries and international
organizations have reaffirmed their commitment to the one-China principle, their firm support for
China’s effort to safeguard the nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, their opposition to any
form of “Taiwan independence” and their support for China’s cause of national reunification. What
they have made is the voice of justice and peace.
However, the United States and a few other countries sought to use the event to engage in political
manipulation and published so-called statements “congratulating” the election victor. Such
practices are serious interference of China’s internal affairs and violation of China’s sovereignty,
and go against universally recognized basic norm in international relations and a prevailing
consensus among the international community.
The Taiwan question is China’s internal affair and elections in the Taiwan region are purely
China’s internal affairs. Whatever changes take place in Taiwan, the basic fact that there is only
one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China will not change.
The Cairo Declaration, Potsdam Proclamation and other legally binding international instruments
that have established the post-World War II international order all provide the historical and
jurisprudential basis for the fact that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory.
While the two sides across the Taiwan Strait have yet to be reunified, the sovereignty and territory
of China have never been severed. The legal status and the fact that Taiwan is an integral part of
China’s territory have never changed. This represents the true status quo of the Taiwan question.
The one-China principle is the political premise on which China establishes and develops
diplomatic relations with other countries. China has consistently and firmly opposed any form of
official contact between the Taiwan region and countries having diplomatic ties with China, and
interfering in Taiwan affairs in any way or under any pretext.
A few countries have manipulated narratives to mislead the public, with an aim to cover and gloss
over their erroneous practices that interfere in China’s internal affairs and violate the basic norm
governing international relations.
They hyped the so-called “democratic values,” trying to support “Taiwan independence” in the
name of “democracy.” The Taiwan question is not about democracy, but about China’s sovereignty
and territorial integrity.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities, in collusion with external forces, have been
foisting a trumped-up narrative of “democracy versus authoritarianism,” fanning up the
institutional difference between Taiwan and the mainland. Such efforts to pursue “Taiwan
independence” in the name of democracy are very dangerous and go against the interests and
wellbeing of people in Taiwan.
The future of Taiwan lies in China’s reunification. The difference in social systems are neither an
obstacle to reunification nor a justification for secessionism.
A few countries are all talk when it comes to the “peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,”
while turning a blind eye to the actual threats that jeopardize it. The one-China principle is what
underpins peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. “Taiwan independence” is as incompatible
with peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait as fire with water.

The real threat to cross-Strait peace and stability is the DPP authorities’ unwillingness to recognize
the 1992 Consensus which embodies the one-China principle, separatist activities to seek “Taiwan
independence” and attempts to change the status quo that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to
one and the same China.
Certain countries have been fudging and hollowing out the one-China principle, and echoing and
collaborating with “Taiwan independence” forces in political, military and economic dimensions.
They only say they want peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, but ignore the separatist
activities to seek “Taiwan independence.” This will only embolden the “Taiwan independence”
separatist forces to solicit foreign support and cause greater damage to cross-Strait peace and
stability.
These countries only say they want to solve the Taiwan question peacefully, but never show
support for China’s peaceful reunification. In essence, they are hindering China’s efforts to pursue
reunification and separating the two sides across the Taiwan Strait.
Certain countries claimed that they are committed to maintaining the peaceful resolution of
differences, free from coercion and pressure. In recent years, the DPP authorities have damaged
the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, blatantly obstructed cross-Strait exchanges and
cooperation, and continuously escalated the tense and volatile situation across the Taiwan Strait.
A few countries, in an attempt to mislead the public, disguised the DPP authorities as a “victim”
so that the latter could win “compassion” from the international community. They hyped the
rhetoric that they are committed to maintaining the peaceful resolution of differences, free from
coercion and pressure, just to hinder the Chinese government and people from deterring separatist
activities for Taiwan independence.
The Chinese government and people are ready to create vast space for peaceful reunification; but
they will leave no room for separatist activities in any form. They will work with the greatest
sincerity and exert their utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification; but they will not
renounce the use of force, and they reserve the option of taking all necessary measures.
Taiwan has never been a country and will never be one. The recent decision of Nauru to sever
“diplomatic relations” with Taiwan and resume diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of
China once again proved that the one-China principle is where the global opinion trends and
where the arc of history bends.
China believes that the international community will keep supporting the one-China principle,
understand and support the Chinese people’s just cause of opposing “Taiwan independence”
separatist activities, and their striving to achieve national reunification.
China urges relevant countries to earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-
U.S. joint communiques, stop all forms of official contact with the Taiwan, stop sending wrong
signals to “Taiwan independence” separatist forces, and sincerely support China’s peaceful
reunification.
(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy
and international affairs.)

By Zhang Tianpei, People’s Daily
China has rolled out five new measures to simplify the process for foreign nationals seeking to
visit the country, officials from the country’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) said at a
press conference held by the State Council Information Office recently.
The five measures, effective from Jan. 11, include relaxing conditions for foreign nationals
applying for port visa; relieving foreign nationals eligible for 24-hour visa-free transit at major
hub airports, such as Beijing Capital International Airport, from the need to undergo inspection
procedures; allowing foreign nationals already in China to apply for visa extension, renewal, and
reissuance at the nearest public security organs; allowing every foreign national already in China
to apply for a multiple-entry visa in case of need; and minimizing the types of the materials for
visa applications for foreign nationals in China.
China has always been committed to promoting economic globalization and building an open
world economy to better benefit people of all countries.
In response to the current trend of efficient, swift international economic and trade activities,
especially the liberalization and facilitation of investment and trade, China’s immigration
authorities have continued to optimize policies and services for foreigners’ entry, exit and
residence, striving to provide efficient and convenient immigration administration services for
foreigners working, studying and living in China.
In 2023, border inspection authorities across the country inspected 210 million inbound visits,
which was about 62.9 percent of the total seen in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out,
according to Chi Jingyang, director of the Border Inspection and Administration Department of
the NIA.
With global economic and trade development, international air routes and flights have steadily
resumed, and cross-border personnel flows have gradually recovered, Chi noted. Chi said he
anticipated a continued growth in the number of inbound travelers in 2024.
The NIA has actively responded to the practical needs of foreign nationals by launching re-entry
visa facilitation measures to meet the needs of fast-paced, high-frequency international exchanges,
according to Mao Xu, director of the Foreigners Management Department of the NIA.
Foreigners in China who need to enter and exit the country multiple times for legitimate and
reasonable reasons can apply for multiple-entry visas with the exit-entry administrations of
China’s public security organs by providing relevant supporting documents such as invitation
letters, before their current visas expire, Mao said, explaining that the measure was aimed at
stabilizing foreigners’ expectations of exchanges and interactions in China.
In an effort to better serve foreigners’ efficient and smooth inter-regional mobility in China and
facilitate their reasonable travel planning, the newly introduced measure allows foreigners already
in China to apply for visa extensions, renewal, and reissuance,at the nearest public security organs.
Based on preliminary pilot, the new measure has been further expanded to cover all foreigners
staying in China for short-term non-diplomatic, official business activities, visits and exchanges,
investment and entrepreneurship, private matters, tourism, or to visit relatives with legitimate
reasons for extending their stays.
In addition, the measure for simplifying visa application materials for foreigners in China
stipulates that foreign nationals whose accommodation registration records, business licenses, and
other information can be checked through the shared information systems are now exempt from

having to present the physical certificates when applying for visas.
Visa issuance through port visa authorities across the country has increased by 166 percent year on
year since the NIA launched in last August a measure to facilitate port visa application for foreign
nationals who urgently need to engage in commerce and trade activities in China, according to
Mao, who noted that the measure has received positive feedback from many foreigners and
foreign-invested enterprises.
“The measure for relaxation of port visa application conditions for foreigners launched this time
mainly expands port visa application eligibility further to foreigners who seek to visit China for
non-diplomatic, official business activities, visits and exchanges, investment and entrepreneurship,
private affairs, or to visit relatives and unable to obtain a visa beforehand due to time constraints,”
Mao said.
This new measure basically covers most foreigners with urgent needs to come to China, fully
leveraging the functional advantages of port visas and providing more convenient and flexible
pathways for foreigners entering China, Mao noted.
Since China implemented a unilateral visa-free policy for ordinary passport holders from France,
Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia on a trial basis starting from December 1 last
year, around 147,000 visa-free entries from these six countries were recorded as of January 9 this
year, showing an overall upward trend.
On January 8, over 4,300 visa-free travelers from these six countries entered China, which was
more than twice the number on December 1, 2023.
Liu Haitao, deputy head of the NIA, said the administration is committed to working with the
relevant authorities to address the difficulties foreign nationals may encounter when doing
business, studying, and traveling in China, and strengthening the reform of the immigration
management services and innovation of policies and systems, to proactively contribute to the
creation of a world-class business environment, Liu noted.

By Cao Wenxuan, People’s Daily
The world’s first commercial undersea data center, deployed in Qingshui Bay, Yingzhou township,
Lingshui Li autonomous county, south China’s Hainan province, is in stable operation, said Pu
Ding, general manager of the center’s Hainan Pilotdemonstration development project.
Weighing 1,300 tons, the facility is placed on the seabed 35 meters below the sea surface.
Pu said that servers of data centers generate a significant amount of heat while running, and it
takes a substantial amount of electricity and freshwater to cool them down via air conditioning and
other cooling methods. The undersea data center, on the other hand, utilizes seawater as a natural
cooling source, which helps reduce energy consumption and consumes nearly no freshwater, thus
supporting higher power density and improving computing performance.
“Data centers are densely packed with various electrical appliances, posing a high risk of fire.
Therefore, data centers worldwide pay special attention to fire prevention. In the undersea data
center, inert gas is filled to create an oxygen-free and dust-free, sealed environment, further
protecting the electronic components of servers and reducing the occurrence of accidents,” said
Pu.
Locating the data center under the sea significantly saves land resources, keeps it away from
human activities, and provides a stable operating environment for servers, Pu added.
“The first batch of modulescabin of the commercial undersea data center in Lingshui is currently
running smoothly, with all data tests showing positive results. Compared to servers of similar
capacity, it is has an overall energy efficiency 40 percent to 60 percent more power
efficienthigher, featuring high computing power, low energy consumption, high security, and low
latency,” said Pu.
It is learned that a total of 100 data modulescabins will be set up for the undersea data center.
Once completed, the data center will save a total of 122 million kilowatt-hours of electricity,
reduce land usage by 68,000 square meters, and save 105,000 tons of freshwater each year.
The undersea data center is not an “isolated island.” It also includes a shore station, underwater
relay station, and submarine cables.
“The undersea data center itself is green and low-carbon, and we also adhered to ecological
conservation during its construction,” said Pu. When submarine cables were laid, directional
drilling was employed to make sure that they pass through mangroves from below, so as to protect
the plant to the maximum extent possible.
In the control room of the shore station, various parameters are shown on a big screen, and
monitoring devices are recording the operation and load status of each server in real-time. A
digital twin system also presents the operational status of customer’s business.
The shore station occupies an area of only a few hundred square meters and has less than 10 staff
members. With an intelligent remote control system, it can reduce the daily inspection work of the
operations and maintenance personnel, thereby lowering the operational costs in the long run.
“When the data compartmentsmodules were sealed, each bolt must be tightened in the proper
order and with the specified torque, accurate to the millimeter level. To achieve this, we developed
a set of operating procedures.” Pu noted, adding that during the research and development phase,
the team successfully tackled a series of technical challenges, resulting in a design life of 25 years
for the data modulecenter.

The deep sea water serves as a natural barrier for the data center, reducing the risk of natural
disasters. “During the research and development process of the undersea data center, we took into
full consideration the external impacts of extreme conditions such as typhoons and earthquakes,
and formulated corresponding contingency plans,” Pu told saidPeople’s Daily.
According to a semi-annual operational report released in July 2023, Typhoon Talim, the fourth
typhoon of the year, had basically no impact on the undersea data center.
“We have attracted top cloud computing companies to collaborate with us in building a ‘dedicated
cloud’ and have upgraded the business model of the undersea data center,” said Li Jiawen, deputy
general manager of Shenzhen Hicloud Data Center Technology Co., Ltd., the developer of the
project.
What is called a “dedicated cloud” refers to cloud computing services that clients can customize
and purchase, provided by Shenzhen Hicloud Data Center Technology Co., Ltd. and its partners.
This model greatly lowers enterprises’ access to the services of the undersea data center.
“The ‘dedicated cloud’ devices in the undersea data center are like a deep-sea ‘supercomputer’, with
computing power equivalent to 60,000 traditional computers running simultaneously, capable of
processing more than 4 million high-definition images within 30 seconds,” said Li.
Prior to the launch of the data center, Shenzhen Hicloud Data Center Technology Co., Ltd. had
already signed contracts with institutions and companies such as Yazhou Bay Science and
Technology City in Sanya and TRS Information, which accounted for over 50 percent of the total
order volume.

By Wang Weijian, Bai Guangdi, People’s Daily
China’s auto exports hit 4.91 million units in 2023, according to statistics released by the China
Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
From surpassing 1 million units in 2012 to exceeding 2 million in 2021 and 3 million in 2022,
China’s auto exports rocketed past 4 million units in just the first 11 months of 2023. This rapid
growth reflects the increasing globalization of the Chinese auto industry. It is also inextricably
linked to China’s improved logistics capabilities.
Ocean shipping, China-Europe freight train service, and road transportation are the common
methods of exporting automobiles, with ocean shipping being the most popular. The Taicang port
in east China’s Jiangsu province is exactly a good example.
Located on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, 60 kilometers away from the estuary, the
Taicang port was bustling. Semi-trailers from all directions lined up at the entrance of the port,
loaded with various brands of vehicles.
Next to the berth of a vessel of China COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited at the Taicang
International Container Terminal, a 40-meter-high gantry crane was loading containers onto the
vessel’s cargo hold. This vessel was about to set sail for Europe a day later.
Hao Yong, the on-site supervisor for vehicle shipping at the terminal, said that about 7,000 to
8,000 vehicles were shipped monthly from the terminal last year, with the peak reaching nearly
30,000 units in December.
The roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) auto terminal Haitong Taicang Terminal features a higher efficiency.
The currently operational storage yard at the terminal, which houses 20,000 standard parking
spaces, is still not enough to meet the rapidly growing business volume.
“The yard will be full again just a few days after a batch of cars are shipped, ” said Wang Haibo,
the manager on duty of the control center of the logistics company that runs the terminal.
According to him, the terminal is still under construction, with an investment of over 2 billion
yuan ($281.16 million). Once fully operational, it will have an annual throughput capacity of 1.3
million vehicles, Wang added.
The “tight parking space” at the storage yard reflects the bustling activity at the port. According to
statistics from the customs of Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province, 397,300 vehicles were
exported from the Taicang port in the first 11 months of 2023, up 157 percent year on year.
The surge in auto exports has also led to rising demand for RoRo vessels. Improving efficiency
through digital and intelligent upgrading, shipbuilders are working in full capacity to meet this
demand. In the first half of 2023, China Merchants Jinling Shipyard delivered 21 RoRo vessels,
and the company’s order book is full with deliveries scheduled all the way until 2027.
New energy vehicles hold a prominent position in China’s auto exports. In 2023, China exported
1.203 million units of new energy vehicles, marking a remarkable 77.6 percent year-on-year
growth.
It is learned that new energy vehicles must maintain a battery charge level between 20 percent and
50 percent during long-haul transportation. Therefore, there must be charging facilities on board
the vessels. Additionally, specialized fire prevention systems, fire detection equipment, and fire-
resistant materials are required to mitigate risks such as battery leakage, short circuits, and fires.

At a terminal of the Taicang port, a vessel of COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers Co., Ltd.
departed for South America, carrying 2,797 new energy vehicles. Inside the cargo hold, each
vehicle was monitored by an infrared temperature imaging device. Once the temperature exceeded
a certain threshold, the sprinkler system would be activated to ensure the safety of transportation.
An executive from COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers Co., Ltd. said that, in response to the
requirements for transporting new energy vehicles, the company has collaborated with designing
institutes and shipyards to enhance the structural strength of cargo holds.
“Currently, we have over 30 multi-purpose vessels capable of transporting new energy vehicles,”
the executive noted.
Meanwhile, the shipping industry is expediting its transition towards a green and low-carbon
approach. It is reported that COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers Co., Ltd. has ordered 24 large
dual-fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG) vehicle carriers. China Merchants Jinling Shipyard, on the
other hand, has equipped its RoRo vessels with LNG tanks and hybrid battery technology to
reduce the emission of toxic gases.
According to estimates, compared to traditional fuel-powered container ships, these dual-fuel
ultra-large container ships can lower carbon emissions by 20 percent, nitrogen oxide emissions by
85 percent, and sulfur emissions by 99 percent, significantly reducing environmental pollution.
In order to cultivate a competitive advantages in automobile exports, various regions and business
associations in China have facilitated cooperation between automobile and shipping companies
and guided them in signing medium to long-term agreements.
In the first half of 2022, SAIC Anji Logistics Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chinese
carmaker SAIC Motor specializing in automotive logistics business, ordered two dual-fuel vehicle
carriers with a capacity of 7,600 vehicles and three ships with a capacity of 7,800 vehicles from
Jiangnan Shipyard. It also established a joint venture automotive supply chain company with
COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers Co., Ltd. and other partners.
In 2023, Chinese automobile manufacturer Chery, in collaboration with Wuhu Shipyard, built a
production base for vehicle carriers in Weihai, east China’s Shandong province. The base will
focus on the production of carriers with a capacity of 6,000 vehicles, 8-ton Panamax bulk carriers,
among other leading products.
Car makers becoming ship owners is a reflection of the continuous growth and internationalization
of the Chinese automotive industry. Similarly, ship companies that embrace customized orders
will also find new avenues to enhance their strength and expertise in the high-end market.