Nigeria Times – Page 349

Xiamen’s Yundang Lake: A Chinese practice of man-nature harmony

By Zhao Yongping, Yan Ke, Wang Yinxin, People’s Daily

Xiamen, capital of southeast China’s Fujian province, with its many “green accolades” such as the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honor Award, International Garden City, and national-level ecological city, is a garden city that is beautiful and ecologically friendly.
The city’s Yundang Lake, with its picturesque scenery, is known as an eco-signature of Xiamen.
However, the mesmerizing scenic spot today used to be a “stinky lake” that locals never wanted to come near.
With a water area of 1.6 square kilometers, the Yundang Lake was once an inner-bay fishing port. In the 1970s, it became an inner lake due to the seaward embankment. The rapid development of factories around the lake resulted in a large amount of sewage discharged directly into the lake, causing severe pollution.
“Back then, people passing by would run away quickly, covering their noses,” said Chen Qingfu, a water quality administrator at the Yundang Lake conservation center.
At that time, the Xiamen Special Economic Zone was just established, and huge efforts were made to advance development, which led to a shortage of funds for environmental governance.
The pollution in Yundang Lake became a challenge for Xiamen – whether the city should sacrifice the ecological environment in exchange for economic growth and how it can strike a balance between development and environmental protection.
On March 30, 1988, Xi Jinping, who then served as Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Xiamen Municipal Committee and executive vice mayor of Xiamen, convened a special meeting on strengthening the comprehensive treatment of the Yundang Lake, creatively putting forward the request to carry out law-based governance of the lake, intercept and treat sewage, dredge the lake and build embankments, revitalize the water and beautify the environment.
This marked the beginning of a transformation of the Yundang Lake.
The lake was then comprehensively managed by law. About half a year later, the Xiamen Municipal People’s Congress adopted a motion on accelerating the comprehensive treatment of the Yundang Lake, which made clear the principles and direction of the governance.
Interception of sewage solved the problem of water quality from the source. Back then, there were 125 polluting enterprises by the lake. After a thorough investigation into them, many of these polluters were shut down, relocated or transformed as requested by the treatment plan.
In December 1991, just one week after the last batch of wastewater from an MSG plant was discharged to a pipe network, the water quality of Yundang Lake began improving.
However, it was difficult to further lift the water quality if the lake was not dredged over years of deposited pollutants. Therefore, the government launched large-scale dredging operations, followed by the construction of embankments, as well as the building of a lake island. This not only improved water quality, but also significantly enhanced flood control capabilities.
Besides, innovative efforts were made to connect the lake and the sea utilizing the sea’s natural tidal difference. Sluice gates were installed in the seawalls to let water in during high tide and release water during low tide. At the same time, guide banks were built to circulate the water and effectively enhance the overall flood control and water exchange capacity of the lake area.
In order to restore the water ecology, since 1999, an initiative to restore the aquatic ecosystem has been underway along the shores of Yundang Lake through the experimental planting of mangroves. As the planting area gradually expanded, the marine ecosystem was revitalized, and water birds could once again be seen frolicking on branches.
The right approach produced immediate results. After three years of intensive efforts, the first phase of the comprehensive treatment of Yundang Lake was completed, achieving the goal of basically removing the foul smell from the lake. Improved water quality brought back egrets, and Xiamen’s nickname – Egret Island – finally matched reality.
In 1992, a long-awaited dragon boat race was held on the Yundang Lake, joined by crowds of people. This was the best test of the achievements in the lake treatment.
The treatment of the Yundang Lake is not an overnight task. Over the past 30 years, Xiamen has adhered to the principle of the 1988 meeting and continuously promoted the governance of the Yundang Lake focusing on source control, intermediate reduction, and end treatment. Approximately 1.13 billion yuan ($158.72 million) has been invested in the first four phases of comprehensive treatment, and the fifth phase is currently being implemented.
According to data released by the Yundang Lake conservation center, the ecological improvement of the water environment in the lake area is significant. The concentration of ammonia nitrogen in the water body has decreased from 39.4 milligrams per liter in 1987 to 0.076 in 2022.
A total of 63 species of swimming organisms, 123 species of phytoplankton, 73 species of zooplankton, and 14 species of benthic organisms have been discovered in the lake area. Additionally, 95 species of birds have been recorded in the lake area. The Yundang Lake has become an ideal destination for migratory birds to winter each year, including cormorants.
“The water quality has improved year after year, and citizens have become happier and more satisfied with life,” said Chen. According to him, in the past, most local residents would complain about the lake, but the Yundang Lake today is very popular.
“Many people come to inquire about the opening time of the sluice gates because they want to be there early to capture photos of the egrets,” he told People’s Daily.
Ecological advantages have become development advantages. Nowadays, the picturesque Yundang Lake area has attracted a large number of corporate headquarters and modern service enterprises, serving as an administration, finance, commerce, tourism, and residence center of Xiamen.
Ecology concerns the well-being of the people. How to handle the relationship between development and environmental protection is a global challenge. The remarkable transformation of the Yundang Lake is a vivid reflection of China’s ecological progress.
Promoting harmony between humanity and nature is one of the essential requirements of Chinese modernization. China is pursuing high-quality development and high-level environmental protection simultaneously, adhering to the path of sustainable development that seeks win-win outcomes for both environment and development.
China respects nature, follows its ways, and protects it. Its practical exploration of the building of a beautiful China has offered replicable Chinese solutions to the rest of the world.

China makes efforts to ensure power grid safety while protecting birds

By Ding Yiting, Yao Xueqing, You Yi

China is one of the countries with the richest avian resources in the world and serves as a crucial pathway for the transboundary migration of migratory birds.

With the largest power system globally, China boasts a transmission network spanning over 2.26 million kilometers of 35 kilovolts and above. How can the country ensure a secure power supply while also providing a safe habitat for birds to inhabit and reproduce around transmission towers? People’s Daily journalists had an interview to find the answer.

With swift acceleration and a sharp dive, a raptor seized its prey. After finishing the “meal,” it hovered momentarily and landed on a transmission tower, which 110-kilovolt lines run through. At the top of the tower, there was an artificial nest woven from vines, serving as the “home” for this formidable bird.

It was in Zoige county, Aba Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture, southwest China’s Sichuan province. In this region, situated at an average altitude of around 3,500 meters, the staff of the Aba branch of State Grid Sichuan Electric Power Company have built a number of artificial nests for falcons, black kites, and other raptors.

“The Zoige wetland is abundant in water and grass, providing a habitat for over 200 species of birds. In the past, these birds used to build nests on transmission towers, using materials such as iron wire and cow hair. However, bird-related faults have become the third leading cause of line tripping, after lightning strikes and external damage,” said Liu Yong, director of the digitalization department of the Aba branch of State Grid Sichuan Electric Power Company.

There aren’t too many tall trees in the grassland, which makes transmission towers the preferred nesting sites for many bird species. In the past, local authorities attempted to deter birds from perching on the towers by installing repellent devices, but the effect was limited. Pondering over this issue, power workers came up with the idea that instead of trying to prevent birds, they should create artificial bird nests to guide the birds towards safer locations for nesting.

Last April, the Aba branch installed 32 artificial bird nests and 14 sets of high-definition video devices along a 110 kV transmission line. Additionally, partial insulation treatment was applied to the tower structure, in order to avoid large birds from coming into contact with exposed live wires while perching on the top of the towers.

“Our artificial bird nests are spacious and comfortable, and the locations of installation were carefully chosen. They are typically placed in non-electrified sections of the transmission towers, guiding birds to engage in safe activities within the designated areas, and ensuring the safety of both the birds and the power grid,” Liu explained.

According to officials from State Grid Corporation of China, since 2016, the corporation has launched a public welfare project aiming to study the habits of rare raptors around the transmission lines in grassland areas on plateaus, develop artificial bird nests suitable for different regions, and label each nest with a unique “house number” for easy monitoring and management.

So far, the project has been extended to the grassland areas of six provincial-level regions, including Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Sichuan province, Xizang autonomous region, Gansu province, Qinghai province, and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

Over 5,200 artificial bird nests have been installed, resulting in the successful hatching of nearly 4,000 chicks. This initiative has effectively protected the grassland ecology on Chinese plateaus.

Many transmission lines are situated in remote areas with limited accessibility, long distances and dispersed locations, thus it is necessary to enhance protection efficiency and accuracy. Jiangsu province has utilized technologies such as big data to develop nest site prediction models, which have proven to be highly effective.

The Tiaozini wetland in Yancheng, Jiangsu province serves as a crucial stopover point on the East Asian-Australasian flyway for migratory birds. From November to the next June each year, a large number of bird species, including the oriental white stork, a first-class nationally protected animal, choose to stay or winter in this area.

At the transmission operation and maintenance center of State Grid Yancheng Power Supply Company, a large screen displayed real-time footage from a transmission tower located over 90 kilometers away near the Tiaozini wetland. In the footage, a pair of oriental white storks with white feathers and fiery red legs were busy constructing a new nest.

“This is a system that monitors biodiversity around the power grid. Whenever a nest is detected by the cameras, drones are automatically deployed to inspect and capture images. Once our employees confirm the presence of rare bird species like the oriental white stork, we immediately install protective equipment on-site. This not only enhances the effectiveness of protection but also reduces patrol costs,” said Song Yanqiu, a staff member of the digital technology department of State Grid Yancheng Power Supply Company.

Song told People’s Daily that with the monitoring system, the utilization rate of bird protection devices on the transmission lines has increased by approximately 20 percent. This system allows for observing and safeguarding the birds without causing disturbance or intervention.

In Anhui province, power grid workers have launched a biomimetic light emission project for birds, utilizing visual micro-cameras to identify birds and emit ecological light beams to guide their flight paths without causing harm.

In Shandong province, a new type of composite insulation bird guard has been developed, significantly reducing the rate of bird-related faults in power grids.

The continuous application of technological methods has yielded more effective results in the protection of power lines and birds.

Since 2021, State Grid Corporation of China has implemented the bird-protecting project at 23 sites across 18 provincial-level regions, including Tianjin, Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, and Shandong. This project aims to promote multi-party collaboration, technological innovation, and patrol and rescue efforts, resulting in the successful rescue of over 13,000 birds protected at various levels.

Ganduje’s visit: Nasarawa residents demand reversal of March 18 mandate, call on Tinubu to end killings, criminalities in Nasarawa

Visit by the All Progressive Congress, APC national chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje to Nasarawa Saturday was characterized by spontaneous demand for the return of the March 18 governorship mandate given to the opposition PDP in the state.

Residents who expressed pain over prevailing insecurity, killings and criminalities across the state asked Ganduje to be Democratic and manly enough to ensure the return of the mandate stolen in Nasarawa.

A cross session of women carrying placard with various inscriptions, lamented that the visit of the APC national chairman to the state to commission a 1.7km street and the remodeled lodge was not just ridiculous for a national chairman of a party when insecurity has become the order of the day.

In Lafia, residents who expressed their disappointment over poor development of the state since Governor Abdullahi Sule took over from Almakura, noted that the Sule’s achievement is only a lips service with nothing to show.

Mrs. Fatima Adamu lamented that the road construction that governor Sule is celebrating and bringing the Vice president, Shettima and the APC national chairman to commission put together were not up to 8km.

“Governor Sule is rather painting a picture showing that he has done nothing serious in areas of infrastructure. Bringing the Vice president and the national chairman of his party to commission a less than 8km road is ridiculous when other state governors are commissioning hundreds of kms of roads and other infrastructures.

” How can a Vice president come to a state to not only commission a 3.5km road but commending the governor for doing nothing to justify his about five years in office?. We should not celebrate mediocrity”, Fatima lamented.

On the decamping of Senator Solomon Ewuga, residents who spoke with our correspondent in Lafia and Karu said that the former senator Ewuga does not have any political value but only looking for where he could eat

David Adagazu, a youth leader Karu said that “Ewuga is a political business man who only swing to where he could take care of his stomach.

“How many people followed him to APC? All the people he contacted to follow him to APC declined, including some youths who are his ardent followers from his community.

Residents call on president Bola Tinubu to address the prevailing insecurity that has plagued the state in recenGanduje’s visit: Nasarawa residents demand reversal of March 18 mandate, call on Tinubu to end killings, criminalities in Nasarawa

David Adagazu, a youth leader Karu said that “Ewuga is a political business man who only swing to where he could take care of his stomach.

“How many people followed him to APC? All the people he contacted to follow him to APC declined, including some youths who are his ardent followers from his community.

Residents call on president Bola Tinubu to address the prevailing insecurity that has plagued the state in recent time leading to reckless killing of citizens by bandits rampaging the state.

*Pls, act with ripped attention. Appreciate you kindlyt time leading to reckless killing of citizens by bandits rampaging the state.”

Nasarawa: Women boo Ganduje, Sule and Ewuga as the APC National chairman commissions Gov. Sule’s 1.7km road

Nasarawa protesting women on Saturday booed the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress Abdullahi Ganduje, Gov. Abdullahi Sule and other dignitaries enroute to the government house via Jos- Shendam road, Lafia, to witness the rejoining of Senator Solomon Ewuga, who had prior to the 2023 elections, indicated that he was done with partisan politics opting to contest for the vacant stool of Aren Eggon following the passing of the late revered paramount ruler of the Eggon people His Royal Majesty Dr Bala Abaine Angbazo.

Sen Ewuga, therefore, stayed away from the PDP campaign to persuade Engr Sule to support him in his bid to become the Aren Eggon.

Through the Governorship campaign. Sen Ewuga worked underground for Engr Sule in pursuit of his chieftaincy ambition. On election day, it was reported that he sent words to his polling unit and pleaded with the youths to vote for Sule but received a shock of his life when the Youths advised him to vote and go away to avoid physical embarrassment.
He reportedly voted for Engr Sule and took off following threats from the youths who voted overwhelmingly for Dr. David Ombugadu of the PDP. It was further reported that his candidate Sule roundly lost in his unit and in his Ward to Dr. Ombugadu.

In an interview with Awinyi Alushi, a youth leader in his village said they believe it was to demonstrate the total loss of support among his people as a result of the politics of stomach infrastructure which has been his style for a long time that has caught up with him, in the contest for the vacant Aren Eggon stool, when Ewuga didn’t get a single vote from the Kingmakers!

Yesterday, he along with Ganduje and other Nasarawa APC leaders drove to the venue of the so- called defection while protesting women booed them along Jos Road in Lafia.

Governor Sule had reportedly approached Ganduje and Vice-President Shetima to entice Ewuga to formally go back to the APC before the Supreme Court Judgment to give the public impression that Dr. Ombugadu’s camp is divided, hoping this will help Sule hold on to the daylight election robbery at the Supreme Court.

The planned defection was to take place before now, but according to sources, all the people Ewuga approached to decamp along with him refused to follow him, knowing it was a political distraction organized and payed for by Governor Sule and his godfathers to distract the public and the judiciary from his daylight robbery of the popular mandates given to the PDP flag bearer Dr. David Ombugadu.

It was stated that other political actors who refused to join Senator Ewuga in this commercial defection reportedly include Nathaniel Aboki, immediate past Senatorial candidate of the PDP in Nasarawa North Senatorial Zone; Senator Patricia Akwashiki, Sen John Danboyi among several others including elders and youths, his age long supporters. They reportedly declined Ewuga’s invitation to follow him into Governor Sule’s political doldrums meant to cover his shameful defeat even in his own local government area in the last governorship election.

Nigerians are aware that Sule could neither deliver President Tinubu nor a single senator to the APC in Nasarawa state.

The Ewuga gravy train is meant to be a cover for Sule, but it has ended up a futile effort to hide the massive rejection of Governor Sule in Nasarawa state.

However, In a move that sparked public scrutiny, the former governor of Kano state and the current APC chairman Abdullahi Ganduje had earlier arrived in Akwanga Local Government to commission another 1.7 km internal road and a remodeled VIP lodge located in Akwanga, home local governmentof Engr Sule, a significant achievement for him after almost 5 years in office.

In a statement sent to journalist, Ibrahim Yusuf leader of the concerned citizens of Nasarawa state Akwanga chapter articulated the sentiments of the community, stating, “We appreciate any effort towards development, but it’s disheartening to see such a high-profile delegation commissioning what appears to be a relatively small-scale project after over 4 years of our son as governor of the state adding that “we are a laughing stock.”

There are more pressing needs and larger infrastructural gaps that require urgent attention in our community.”

“While any development is welcomed, it feels like a disproportionate expectation and resource use at this time. There are schools without proper facilities and roads in dire need of repair within our locality and this?. He asked.

The group continued to voice their discontent, drawing comparisons between the scale of development projects in Kano State under Ganduje’s tenure and the seemingly disproportionate projects being commissioned in Nasarawa state most especially, this one in Akwanga.

“It’s baffling to witness a stark contrast between the magnitude of road projects in Kano, all exceeding 100km, and the insignificance of a 1.7km road being celebrated here,” Ibrahim Yusuf further remarked.

He then challenged Ganduje, stating, “We demand an explanation on how a VIP lodge, in any way, addresses the pressing developmental needs of our community.”

Addressing Ganduje’s remarks on Lafia, the state capital as developed’ the group condemned what they perceived as derogatory comments towards Nasarawa people.

“Disparaging our state capital as “developed” only reflects a lack of respect for our people. Lafia does not match any local government in Kano in terms of infrastructural development or otherwise.
“It looks like Ganjude and their returnee colleague, Solomon Ewuga, are hired to shore up Sule’s very sagged popularity, and both are not the best models.”

He reiterated that Sen. Ewugu had already made public his reason for returning to Nasarawa APC politics while Ganduje’s antecedents speak for itself, and if this is their style, then they have an upheal task convincing the already determinedNasarawa people at this time.”

Nasarawa: Women boo Ganduje as he commissions Gov. Sule’s 1.7km road

Nasarawa protesting women on Saturday booed the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress Abdullahi Ganduje, Gov. Abdullahi Sule and other dignitaries enroute to the government house via Jos- Shendam road, Lafia, to witness the rejoining of Senator Solomon Ewuga, who had prior to the 2023 elections, indicated that he was done with partisan politics opting to be either a traditional rule or a resting elder statesman.

In a statement sent to journalist, Ibrahim Yusuf leader of the concerned citizens of Nasarawa state Akwanga chapter articulated the sentiments of the community, stating, “We appreciate any effort towards development, but it’s disheartening to see such a high-profile delegation commissioning what appears to be a relatively small-scale project after 4 years of our son as governor of the state adding that “we a laughing stock.”

There are more pressing needs and larger infrastructural gaps that require urgent attention in our community.”

He then challenged Ganduje, stating, “We demand an explanation on how a VIP lodge, in any way, addresses the pressing developmental needs of our community.”

Addressing Ganduje’s remarks on Lafia, the state capital as developed’ the group condemned what they perceived as derogatory comments towards Nasarawa people.

Discovering "new world" in Barcelona

By Cui Shixin, People’s Daily
The 20-story-tall Columbus Monument, having witnessed the vicissitude of the times, is
unquestionably the most eye-catching structure, when looking at downtown Barcelona from a
rooftop near the piers.
Perched atop the towering monument is a statue of Christopher Columbus, whose right arm raises
high and points to the sea, as if proclaiming his belief that drove him beyond his peers – beyond
the ocean lies land.
It was 530 years ago in 1493 when Columbus, triumphant from his first voyage to the Americas,
walked up the curved steps leading to the gates of what was then the royal palace, situated at the
corner of what is now Plaza del Rey in Barcelona. There, he informed his sponsors of the findings
of his voyage, and Barcelona became the first place to hear his discovery of the New World.
Columbus, an Italian, now “stands” above the Barcelona skyline as one of the city’s most striking
landmarks. This reveals the spirit of exploration and openness to new ideas that characterize
Barcelona, known as the “Pearl of the Mediterranean.”
The old alleys and passages in Barcelona give an initial impression of the eclectic mix of East and
West. There are remnants of ancient Roman walls, old Gothic-style structures standing in the core
area, and buildings adorned with mosaic patterns that evoke the city’s history with the Arabs. The
solemn King Martin’s Watchtower recalls the glorious past of Barcelona’s rise in the
Mediterranean Sea.
Barcelona’s most iconic buildings are the works of the “maverick architect” Antoni Gaudi. Born in
1852 into a family of blacksmiths making boilers for generations, Gaudi developed a strong ability
to deconstruct space and a unique intuition for sculpture. His childhood leg disability left him
unable to play with other children, so he spent more time alone observing nature, inspiring his
later architectural concept that emulates organic forms.
Gaudi keenly observed that nature contains no straight lines and very few perfect circles.
Therefore, his buildings shun the two geometric figures, instead featuring undulating shapes,
uneven surfaces, twisted door panels, leaning columns, meandering benches, and parapets of
varying heights.
In his design, chimneys resemble huddles of helmeted warriors and ancient beasts, while doors
and windows resemble mystical masks and gaping mouths. Mushroom-like works, candy-like
buildings, rainbow lizards, and walls decorated with splashes of colorful mosaics all create his
fantastical, fairy-tale world.
Some of Gaudi’s contemporaries regarded his architecture as “madness.” Yet today, seven of his
works have been designated UNESCO World Heritage sites. Over half of Barcelona’s tourist
attractions are Gaudi’s creations, including Park Guell, La Pedrera, and Casa Batlló. In other
words, Gaudi’s imaginative architectural works have practically upheld Barcelona’s tourism
industry.
Gaudi’s most “insane” work is undoubtedly the Sagrada Familia. The structure commenced
construction in 1882 and still remains unfinished today, but it has already been designated a
UNESCO World Heritage site.
Although the Sagrada Familia is surrounded by cranes and scaffolds, all who behold this edifice,
into which Gaudi poured 43 years of effort, cannot help but be moved and awed by its imaginative
details and intricate craftsmanship.

Still under construction, it is an undiscovered “new world” inviting imagination and exploration,
because its final form remains unknown. This makes the Sagrada Familia one of Barcelona’s most
thought-provoking marvels.
Barcelona nurtured not only Gaudi but many other brilliant masters, including artistic geniuses
like Pablo Picasso.
Next to the whimsical Casa Batlló is the graceful, lace-like Casa Lleó i Morera, and the Neo-
Gothic style Casa Amatller. Their contrasting styles earned the street the nickname the “Block of
Discord.”
But through a lens of innovation and inclusiveness, such beauty of the differences is the harmony
that is most in keeping with the form of nature. Meandering Barcelona’s vibrant streets, which
embrace diverse inspirations, one may chance upon delightful discoveries of the “new world.”
This is the allure that draws visitors from afar.
Barcelona has had its share of struggles between the old and the modern, between heritage and
innovation. In June 1926, when the city was celebrating the opening of a tram, an elderly ignorant
of the novel transport was struck down and soon passed away after being taken to the hospital.
The elderly was Gaudi. He was then immersed in his architectural imagination. This misfortune
seems to symbolize the clash between the old and the new. Yet Barcelona’s spirit, nurtured through
centuries as a port city open to the sea and the world, persevered in embracing both heritage and
progress.
In the early 1990s, after decades of effort to win the 1992 Olympics bid, Barcelona’s concern was
to integrate modern stadiums with the natural Mediterranean landscape.
Despite massive construction, the main Olympic complex redesigned from the prior World’s Fair
site on Montjuic Hill retained the original facade and style, as well as the hill-shaped form.
Looking up from the harbor area at the bottom, one can behold verdant slopes, which evoke a
sense of natural harmony between the mountains and the sea.
Yet, just as the 1992 Olympics pioneered igniting the cauldron with an archer’s arrow in tribute to
the ancient, Barcelona’s spirit of innovation endures. The Torre Glories, World Trade Center
Barcelona, and Montjuic Communications Tower still showcase cutting-edge designs.
Even vintage sites like Casa Batlló and La Pedrera have become a part of the Gaudi Digital
Museum built under China-Spain cooperation.
Wearing virtual reality and augmented reality devices, visitors to these sites can see fish
materializing in abstract windows, and a giant turtle swimming from a fireplace painted with a
tortoise back pattern. While rooms stand vacant in reality, devices fill the space with furnishings
and objects from Gaudi’s era in visitors’ eyes.
This immersive experience is made available by the digital technology of Chinese tech giant
Baidu, which brings Gaudi’s concepts and imagination to life and gives visitors an immersive and
fresh experience.
As people have “personas” online, cities have “city personas” too. Barcelona’s seems like
innovation and inclusiveness. In fact, innovation and inclusiveness complement one another, like
wings on a bird. Exposure to diverse innovations nurtures acceptance; an inclusive mindset, in
turn, draws in more innovation. This symbiosis – a discovery of the “new world” in Barcelona – is
the true enlightenment of the “Pearl of the Mediterranean.”

China speeds up fostering new drivers in foreign trade

By Du Haitao, People’s Daily

The recently hosted central economic work conference stressed that it will be imperative to foster
new drivers of foreign trade, reinforce the stable performance in foreign trade and foreign
investment, and expand trade in intermediate goods, trade in services, digital trade and exports of
cross-border e-commerce.
In 2023, China’s foreign trade sector has withstood external pressures and continued to
demonstrate its resilience.
Recently, the first batch of 50 new energy buses made by Chinese bus manufacturer Higer Bus
were shipped from the Taicang port in east China’s Jiangsu province, heading to Brazil.
With the support from the local customs, hawthorns grown in Laiwu, east China’s Shandong
province were exported to Thailand for the first time.
Last year, China faced a complex and challenging external environment, as well as multiple
difficulties at home. Precise policy implementation, proactive efforts from businesses, and active
market exploration have promoted stability and improved quality in China’s imports and exports
of goods amid uncertainties.
Since October 2023, China’s foreign trade has shown year-on-year growth for two consecutive
months. In November, the total imports and exports increased by 1.2 percent compared to the
same period in 2022, 0.3 percentage points higher than that in October. These figures fully
reflected the good momentum for steady and improving growth of China’s foreign trade.
Foreign trade is one of the important driving forces of economic growth. Promoting the sector to
stabilize the scale and optimize the structure has a crucial supportive role in maintaining stable
growth and employment, building a new development pattern, and advancing high-quality
development.
Currently, the number of foreign trade enterprises in China with import and export records has
increased to 597,000, and the import and export value of enterprises that have stayed active since
2020 accounts for nearly 80 percent of of the whole.
In the first 11 months of 2023, the imports and exports of general trade, which features longer
industrial chains and relatively higher added value, accounted for 64.8 percent of China’s total
foreign trade, growing 1 percentage point year-on-year. This further reinforced the high-quality
development of foreign trade.
In the first three quarters of 2023, the combined exports of new energy vehicles, lithium batteries,
and photovoltaic products rose 41.7 percent year-on-year, with their share in China’s total exports
up by 1.3 percentage points from a year ago.
The world has entered a new period of turbulence and change. The momentum of world
economic growth is sluggish. Destabilizing, uncertain and unpredictable factors are increasing.
Faced with a complex external environment, various regions and departments in China have
enhanced the internal driving force with reform and opening up. They coordinated efforts to
promote deepened reform and high-level opening up, continuously liberated and developed social
productive forces, stimulated and enhanced social vitality, and accelerated the cultivation of new
drivers of foreign trade, thus promoting the sustained improvement of foreign trade.
From the perspective of development trend, China’s foreign trade in 2023 continued to consolidate

the foundation of “stability” and kept the momentum of “progress,” expanding the space for
economic and trade cooperation.
China’s exports of goods have been moving up the value chain. The share of electromechanical
product exports in the total has expanded, and the exports of green, low-carbon and smart products
have grown rapidly.
While fostering new drivers of foreign trade growth, China has not only focused on leveraging the
new advantages of traditional products, but also continuously expanded new areas of growth such
as new energy vehicles, lithium batteries and photovoltaic products, so as to further utilize its
advantages in new arenas.
China has employed digital technologies to improve the efficiency in all links of foreign trade,
facilitate the foreign trade sector and unleash the vitality of foreign trade entities. At the same
time, it has actively expanded trade in intermediate goods and expedited the growth of service
trade.
With the continued strength of domestic policies to stabilize foreign trade and the steady progress
of foreign trade reform measures, China’s foreign trade will maintain stable growth, with
continuous optimization of trade structure and strengthening of internal growth drivers.
Various regions and departments across China will prioritize efforts to accelerate the optimization
and upgrading of the foreign trade structure. They will focus on cultivating new drivers of foreign
trade growth that are technologically advanced, high value-added, green and low-carbon, to
further promote high-quality development of the country’s foreign trade sector.

China to work with rest of world for common good of humanity

By He Yin, People’s Daily

Chinese President Xi Jinping reviewed the remarkable achievements China had made in 2023 and
expressed the firm confidence of the Chinese people in forging ahead with resolve and tenacity in
his 2024 New Year message, conveying a sincere desire of China to create a better future together
with the rest of the world.
“We Chinese are keenly aware of what peace means. We will work closely with the international
community for the common good of humanity, build a community with a shared future for
mankind, and make the world a better place for all,” Xi said in the message.
The past year was the first year for fully implementing the guiding principles from the 20th
National Congress of the Communist Party of China. With an aim to advance the rejuvenation of
the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization, China has marched
forward with solid and robust steps, in high spirits and with great confidence.
China achieved a smooth transition in its COVID-19 response efforts. The Chinese economy has
sustained the momentum of recovery. Steady progress has been made in pursuing high-quality
development.
Thanks to years of dedicated efforts, China’s innovation-driven development is full of energy. The
Chengdu FISU World University Games and the Hangzhou Asian Games presented spectacular
sports scenes, envisioning an inclusive and confident China for the rest of the world.
All these exhilarating activities have made the lives of the Chinese people richer and more
colorful, and they mark the return of bustling life across the country. They embody people’s
pursuit of a beautiful life, and present a vibrant and flourishing China to the world.
China’s long history and profound civilization have developed and flourished while being
inherited, shining with brilliant glory and becoming the source from which Chinese people’s
confidence and strength are derived.
The world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation. At the critical juncture of
history, China firmly upholds world peace and promotes common development, bringing valuable
certainty and stability to the world filled with change and instability.
Last year, China held the China-Central Asia Summit and the Third Belt and Road Forum for
International Cooperation, and hosted leaders from across the world at many diplomatic events
held in China. Xi also made four visits to foreign countries, attended international conferences,
and met many friends, both old and new. He shared China’s vision and enhanced common
understandings with them, conveying China’s confidence in jointly facing challenges and
overcoming difficulties with all parties.
While pursuing its development, China has also embraced the world and fulfilled its responsibility
as a major country. No matter how the global landscape may evolve, peace and development
remain the underlying trend, and only cooperation for mutual benefit can deliver.
For any country or nation to thrive, it must follow the logic of history and develop in line with the
trend of the times. What people in various countries long for is definitely not a new Cold War or a
small exclusive bloc; what they want is an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys
enduring peace, universal security and common prosperity. Such is the logic of historical advance
and the trend of the times.
The overall direction of human development and progress will not change, the overall dynamics of

world history moving forward amid twists and turns will not change, and the overall trend toward
a shared future for the international community will not change. Building a community with a
shared future for mankind is the right direction for human society leading to common
development, lasting peace and security, and mutual learning between civilizations.
In the face of risks and challenges, China will always work with other countries to uphold the
correct views of the world, of history and of the world’s overall interests, and act to translate the
vision of a community with a shared future for mankind into reality.
Next year will mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
Steadfastly advancing Chinese modernization, China will remain clear-eyed and undisturbed in a
volatile world, and stand firmly on the right side of history and on the side of human progress.
Dedicated to peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, China will promote the
common values of all humanity, implement the Global Development Initiative, Global Security
Initiative, and Global Civilization Initiative, and build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful
world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security, and common prosperity.

To usher in bright future of peace, security, prosperity, progress for world

By Guo Jiping, People’s Daily
The year of 2023 was the first year for fully implementing the guiding principles of the 20th
National Congress of the Communist Party of China, and also marked the 10th anniversary of the
vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind put forward by Chinese
President Xi Jinping.
Under the personal guidance of Xi, major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics has
made solid steps. Pursuing the noble goal of building a community with a shared future for
mankind, major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics has created a proactive and
favorable external environment for achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and
made significant contributions to the cause of world peace and development.
The world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation, with profound changes
occurring in the relationships between major countries. In 2023, China always kept its strategic
focus, comprehensively planned its relations with relevant parties, and worked to build major-
country relations featuring peaceful coexistence, overall stability, and balanced development.
Together, the Chinese and Russian heads of state charted the course for future growth of bilateral
relations and cooperation across the board. The meeting between Xi and his U.S. counterpart Joe
Biden in San Francisco achieved important results, identifying the direction for the sound, steady
and sustained development of bilateral ties. Besides, China-EU relations have shown a sound
momentum of full recovery and steady progress.
In the past year, China firmly promoted regional peace, stability, and development. The successful
China-Central Asia Summit resulted in the signing of seven bilateral and multilateral agreements
between China and the five Central Asian countries. Additionally, over 100 cooperation
agreements were inked across various fields.
Announcing a new characterization of the relationship for the two parties and two countries, China
and Vietnam will work together for a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries
strategic significance on the basis of deepening the comprehensive strategic cooperative
partnership between the two sides.
As a developing country and a member of the Global South, China breathes the same breath with
other developing countries and pursues a shared future with them.
Last August, Xi attended the 15th BRICS Summit, promoting the historic expansion of the BRICS
mechanism. He joined the BRICS-Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue, where he worked
together with relevant parties to pool strength for building a community of shared development.
During his visit to South Africa, Xi and the South African head of state agreed to build a high-
level China-South Africa community with a shared future. He also attended the China-Africa
Leaders’ Dialogue and raised new proposals on and assisting in Africa’s integration and
modernization.
In 2023, China established diplomatic relations with Honduras, set up or upgraded partnerships
with more than 10 countries, and continuously deepened and expanded a global network of
partnerships based on equality, openness, and cooperation.
In October 2023, the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation was hosted. China
worked with all parties involved to deepen Belt and Road partnerships of cooperation,
ushered this cooperation into a new stage of high-quality development, and announced eight

major steps China will take to support the joint pursuit of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.
At present, all the 458 outcomes delivered at the forum are being implemented.
Taking results-oriented actions in implementing the Global Development Initiative, China
promoted the establishment of cooperation platforms and partnerships in key areas including
poverty reduction, food security, industrialization and digital-era connectivity, to deepen practical
cooperation and strengthen knowledge sharing, which benefited other developing countries.
In 2023, China worked with the international community to actively implement the Global
Security Initiative. In March, Saudi Arabia and Iran achieved significant results in their dialogue
in Beijing, agreeing to restore diplomatic relations. This highly anticipated diplomatic mediation
has inspired a trend of reconciliation in the Middle East and provided an important model for
countries to resolve conflicts through dialogue and negotiation.
On the Ukraine crisis, China always stands on the side of peace. What it calls for boils down to
supporting talks for peace. After the outbreak of a new round of Palestinian-Israeli conflict, China
proposed solutions that take into account both the immediate and long-term interests, making
arduous efforts to protect civilians, ease the situation, restart negotiations, and achieve peace.
In the face of various non-traditional security threats such as climate change, cybersecurity, and AI
security, China has always been committed to promoting international cooperation and
strengthening global security governance.
In March 2023, Xi solemnly proposed the Global Civilization Initiative, providing a systematic
explanation of China’s approach to promoting tolerance, coexistence, exchanges and mutual
learning among different civilizations. Last year, Xi made personal efforts to promote mutual
understanding and friendship between the Chinese people and people in the rest of the world.
The Communist Party of China exchanged with and learned from political parties of other
countries, helping all parties understand and comprehend the civilizational foundation and vivid
practice of Chinese modernization, and building confidence and consensus in strengthening
cooperation and creating a shared future.
Major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics will follow the principles of self-
confidence and self-reliance, openness and inclusiveness, fairness and justice, and win-win
cooperation, and act with a stronger sense of historical responsibility and a more vibrant spirit of
innovation, so as to make new Chinese contributions to building a community with a shared future
for mankind.

China's first domestically-made large cruise ship makes commercial maiden voyage

By Liu Shi’an, Shen Wenmin, People’s Daily
China’s first domestically-built large cruise ship, the Adora Magic City, bathed in the morning
sunlight on the first day of 2024, was docked at the Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise
Terminal, awaiting its commercial maiden voyage.
Thanks to optimized customs and border inspection procedures, it would take less than 10 seconds
for each passenger on average for clearance. On the cruise ship, nearly 1,300 crew members and
staff were in position to welcome over 3,000 tourists who were about to embrace the seven-day
journey on the route to Jeju in South Korea as well as Fukuoka and Nagasaki in Japan.
When stepping into the cruise terminal, Feng Yanxin and her family beamed with excitement.
“In 2014, I took a luxury cruise in Europe and learned that China didn’t have its self-developed
large cruise ships,” said Feng.
“When I heard in 2019 that a domestically-built large cruise ship was being developed, I had a
wish at that time that my family would take its maiden voyage,” she added.
Ever since, she has been following the updates on the cruise ship, and she booked tickets as soon
as they became available.
“Today, the first day of 2024, we feel so fortunate and thrilled to witness and be part of the maiden
voyage of this large cruise ship built by our Chinese people,” Feng said.
The captain of the Adora Magic City Niklas Peterstam, who comes from a Swedish seafaring
family, boasts rich experience in cruise sailing. According to him, he barely hesitated before
accepting the offer to captain the ship.
After multiple test voyages, Peterstam has been fully confident in the capabilities of the Adora
Magic City. The ship is very stable with powerful engines, he noted.
Third mate Ding Wenxuan previously worked on another cruise ship Piano Land. “The Adora
Magic City is more intelligent and modernized with flexible performance and smooth sailing,” he
told People’s Daily.
“As a helmsman, I feel proud of Chinese shipbuilders,” the young man noted.
Large cruise ships are known as the “pearls” atop the crown of the shipbuilding industry, reflecting
a nation’s comprehensive technological and manufacturing capabilities.
The Adora Magic City stretches 323.6 meters long and 37.2 meters wide, with 25 million parts –
five times those of the C919 jet and 13 times the Fuxing bullet train. The cables on the ship extend
a total of 4,200 kilometers, equivalent to the distance between Shanghai and Lhasa, capital of
southwest China’s Xizang autonomous region.
According to Zhou Qi, chief builder of large cruise ship projects at Shanghai Waigaoqiao
Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), from the official contract
signing in November 2018 to the Adora Magic City’s naming and delivery in November 2023, the
group overcame countless difficulties and dedicated tremendous efforts.
“It’s like a city floating at sea,” said tourist Chen Yahua, who put down luggage and excitedly
wandered around on the ship.

The Adora Magic City has 2,125 guest rooms that can accommodate 5,246 passengers. Its 16-
story living and entertainment area spans a total of over 40,000 square meters, featuring theaters,
themed restaurants, shopping plazas, art galleries and water parks.
The Adora Magic City is operated by Adora Cruises, a subsidiary of CSSC Cruise Technology
Development Co., Ltd. “The Chinese crew are excellent and diligent. I hope China will train its
own cruise captains soon,” Peterstam said.
As the Adora Magic City started its commercial maiden voyage, the second domestically-
developed large cruise ship was being built by Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.
“The second ship will cut construction time by 4 million hours than the Adora Magic City with
lower costs and higher efficiency,” said Zhou.
According to statistics, China’s cruise economic prosperity index reached 101.55 in 2023, a
significant increase over 2022. By 2035, China’s cruise economy will total 500 billion yuan ($70.4
billion).
Qiu Ling, deputy director of the Shanghai International Cruise Business Institute, believes the
manufacturing techniques and management experience accumulated from China’s first
domestically-built cruise ship will further accelerate the construction of the second one, realizing
the development of the whole cruise industry chain in China.
The delivery and operation of China’s first large cruise ship has effectively expanded the supply of
domestic cruise capacity, enabling a more comprehensive and differentiated fleet structure. This
enriches consumers’ choices of cruise ships, promotes differentiated operations among local cruise
companies, and elevates the industry’s overall competitiveness.
At around 3:00 p.m., all passengers boarded the ship. At 4:45 p.m., the Adora Magic City departed
the port after several whistles, sailing towards the blue ocean.