Nigeria Times

By Xu Peiyu, Zhu Yingxi

Recently, humanoid robots are becoming commonplace at commercial events, corporate gatherings, and cultural celebrations across China. These versatile machines transition seamlessly between roles — greeting guests one day and performing on stage the next — busily taking on short-term engagements in what’s now known as the “robot gig economy.”

The launch of specialized rental platforms has transformed this concept from experimentation to scalable application. Industry analysts note this model lowers adoption barriers, expands use cases, and drives product refinement, service standardization, and supply chain development — creating multiple emerging trends.

Robotics firms AgiBot and Flycode have jointly launched a rental platform featuring scenario-specific packages. A festive celebration bundle, priced at 2,500 yuan ($358.87) daily, includes two humanoid robots and a robotic dog for guest interactions and performances. Custom options are available for corporate events, mall promotions, sports competitions, trade shows, concerts, and tourism services.

According to an AgiBot executive, current rentals focus on emotional engagement and interactive experiences, primarily driving foot traffic, enhancing live events, and providing tech-themed activations. Market-based pricing ranges from hundreds to tens of thousands of yuan daily, varying by model and duration. 

“Since the platform was officially launched on Dec. 22, 2025, it has quickly attracted more than 160,000 registered users. Daily order volumes have stabilized at over 200, and a significant surge is expected during the Chinese New Year period,” the executive said.

Growing provider networks have driven rental prices down over the past year. Standard practice includes an on-site technical operator — typically one engineer per robot — supporting deployments throughout engagements.

Hui Jianzhong, general manager of a Shanghai-based robot rental company, reports more than 95 percent of the current demand is for short-term use. “Most clients don’t need permanent ownership,” he explained. “They seek impactful technology deployments for key moments and high-visibility events.”

Among popular rental models, humanoid robots like the AgiBot X2 series — featuring interactive performance with a futuristic aesthetic — show particularly strong demand. According to market feedback, mid- to high-end models renting for several thousand yuan per day are particularly favored by commercial clients, thanks to their well-rounded functionality and impressive visual presentation.

Industry projections estimate China’s humanoid robot rental market will reach at least 10 billion yuan by 2026.

“The robot gig economy represents a crucial pathway for embodied intelligence to achieve commercial scale,” AgiBot’s executive emphasized. “It transforms high-value fixed assets into flexible on-demand services, significantly lowering usage barriers for enterprises — especially small and medium-sized businesses. Market demand for robots is real, application scenarios are expanding rapidly, and the growth potential is enormous.”

The rental model has found its earliest and most practical application in the entertainment and leisure sector. According to Zhang Lihua, Deputy Dean of the College of Intelligent Robotics and Advanced Manufacturing at Fudan University, robotic performances possess inherent visual appeal and strong potential for audience engagement. There is consistent and broad-based demand for such applications across scenarios including concerts, film and television production, theme parks, commercial events, and cultural tourism activities. This makes entertainment one of the most promising fields for humanoid robots to achieve a commercially sustainable model at present.

Zhang highlighted dual industry shifts: specialized firms are emerging to manage robot procurement, operation, and service delivery, while rental demand reshapes manufacturers’ design priorities. “Companies are increasingly focusing on scenario-specific capabilities rather than pursuing purely general-purpose humanoid robots,” she observed.

The rental model itself is evolving from basic device leasing toward integrated solutions encompassing hardware, motion/skill packages, content choreography, operational support, and safety management. This transition enables sustainable ongoing service rather than one-off deliveries.

“As robotics technology matures and hardware costs steadily decline,” Zhang projected, “humanoid robots will expand into diverse fields, gradually transitioning from gig workers to permanent employees in the workforce.”

By Gu Yekai, Yu Sinan, Li Junqiang, People’s Daily

China is rapidly evolving into a global engine of scientific and technological advancement, marked by surging research output, breakthroughs in fundamental and frontier fields, and deepening commitments to open collaboration. This trajectory reflects an increasingly confident and innovative China, infusing new dynamism into worldwide development.

Among the world’s top 10 cities in the “Nature Index 2025 Science Cities” supplement, six are from China. Of the 2025 Highly Cited Researchers list from Clarivate, one fifth are from the Chinese mainland, with the Chinese Academy of Sciences ranking first globally with 258 entries. 

According to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States, Chinese scientists are rapidly increasing their leadership roles in international collaboration. The World Intellectual Property Organization’s Global Innovation Index 2025 recognized China as one of the world’s 10 most innovative economies.

The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) in south China’s Guangdong province, recently released its first physics results, setting new world records in the precision of measurements for two neutrino oscillation parameters. The achievement highlights China’s steadily growing role in global science and technology. 

As the world’s first neutrino-specific facility of ultra-large scale and ultra-high precision, this project, led by China and built in China, brings together more than 700 researchers from 75 scientific institutions across 17 countries and regions.

Magdalena Skipper, editor-in-chief at Nature said that China’s increasingly mature and impactful contributions to global research have been recognized not only in the Nature Index, but also in other major rankings and evaluation systems for scientific output.

In 2024, China’s total research and development (R&D) spending exceeded 3.6 trillion yuan ($516.58 billion), an increase of 48 percent compared with 2020, and the country’s total expenditure on R&D accounted for 2.68 percent of its GDP, with the total number of R&D personnel ranking first in the world. 

Sustained investment has yielded original breakthroughs in quantum technology, life sciences, physical sciences, and space exploration. For five consecutive years, China has led globally in high-impact journal publications and international patent applications.

“By pivoting on its core talent, China is steadily strengthening its long-term competitiveness in the global research landscape,” said Yi Jiming, a professor at Peking University Law School. He noted that, amid increasingly multipolar global scientific competition, China’s ability to sustain both the scale and stability of its high-caliber talent reflects an innovation ecosystem supported by mature research frameworks, sustained investment, and well-structured talent pipelines — demonstrating notable resilience and long-term potential.

China has strengthened top-level planning and improved its national innovation system. Through a series of practical measures and long-term policies, it has accelerated the formation of institutional mechanisms that support comprehensive innovation. 

Carsten Fink, chief economist of the World Intellectual Property Organization, observed that China has been performing particularly well in innovation in recent years, thanks in large part to the Chinese government’s planning, sustained focus and support for the innovation system.　

At the same time, an increasing number of Chinese technologies are going global, empowering development worldwide.

In farmland on the outskirts of Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, golden waves of rice sway in the wind. By integrating the high-yield traits of Chinese rice with resilient local varieties, Chinese experts have successfully cultivated more than 80 varieties of green “super rice” that are both high-yielding and highly adaptable.

In Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, autonomous driving technologies of Chinese mobility company Didi have been employed by the local smart and autonomous vehicle industry, and will be gradually promoted across a broader Middle Eastern market.

By consistently promoting scientific and technological progress through open cooperation, China’s new products and technologies are reaching the world in more accessible, people-centered ways, making innovation tangible, inclusive and sustainable.

At the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show, often regarded as a “barometer” of global technology trends, innovative products from Chinese companies attracted worldwide attention.

Chinese smart phone manufacturer Honor unveiled the world’s first “smartphone robot,” which comes with a movable mechanical gimbal design, an AI-powered smartphone brain, and high-definition imaging capabilities. 

Lenovo introduced a personal super intelligent agent that enables seamless switching among smart phones, computers, tablets and wearable devices. 

Chinese household appliance manufacturer Dreame Technology, drawing on its self-developed multimodal perception system and bionic robotic arm control algorithms, showcased a robotic vacuum cleaner equipped with a mechanical arm that can autonomously perform “grasping, sorting and storage” through AI visual recognition.

China’s massive market scale and diverse application scenarios propel new technologies onto the global stage and reinforce its position as a critical hub for worldwide R&D. As one BMW Group executive noted, “BMW has established its largest R&D network outside Germany in China, including four innovation hubs and three software centers.”

With clear goals and strong momentum, China continues to prioritize innovation-driven growth, fostering new sources of economic expansion. The country is poised to deliver further globally significant scientific and technological breakthroughs in the years ahead.

By Dou Hanyang, Wang Zhe, Jiao Siyu, People’s Daily

Across China, a form of “spatial alchemy” is transforming overlooked and underutilized urban areas into vibrant sports facilities. This phenomenon ranges from the sound of rackets echoing within office buildings, to former coal depots repurposed as sports venues, and abandoned mining pits equipped with smart running trails.

These innovative approaches to urban development, which maximize limited resources and directly address public demand, offer valuable lessons.

Hangzhou, Zhejiang: Multifunctional Sports Venue on an Office Rooftop

At lunchtime, Hangzhou office worker Lu Jian slung his racket over his shoulder and headed straight for the Jinjiang Times Building. Taking an elevator to the fifth floor, he arrived at a bustling multifunctional sports venue already.

The space features one dry curling court, three tennis courts, and two pickleball courts, all featuring anti-slip flooring.

The Jinjiang Times Building is located in Wangjiang, an area largely composed of resettlement communities. Previously, inadequate supporting facilities meant residents and workers in the neighborhood had very limited access to professional sports venues..

By mobilizing social resources and implementing a public-private partnership model, the local authorities enabled a company to lease and renovate the building’s fifth floor. An investment of 5 million yuan (approximately $717,731) transformed the space into a professional sports facility.

Such transformations are becoming increasingly common in Wangjiang. Space beneath an overpass has been converted into a sports park, while the rooftop of a residential community’s underground garage now features badminton courts and table tennis tables. 

In recent years, the neighborhood has consistently worked to activate urban sports spaces, establishing 10-minute fitness accessibility and steadily improving residents’ fitness experience.

Qingdao, Shandong: An Idle Coal Depot Reborn as a Sports, Culture and Commerce Hub

Stepping into the Zhonglian LOHAS Park in Shibei district of Qingdao, one is greeted by a lively scene. 

“The facilities are new and the atmosphere is great. Breaking a sweat here really refreshes both body and mind,” said Zhou Miao, 40, who works nearby and plays badminton with colleagues in the park almost every day.

This 11,000-square-meter park was once a coal storage yard for Qingdao Energy. As the city advanced its “coal-to-gas” initiative heating initiative, the yard fell idle.

Urban renewal efforts changed its fate. In 2023, Qingdao Energy partnered with Zhonglian Jianye Group, entrusting them to renovate and operate the site.

“We surveyed the area and spotted a huge gap between the large demand of residents for cultural and sports activities and the lack of sports facilities,” said Zhou Hua, chairman of Zhonglian Jianye Group. The renovation transformed the coal depot into a two-story, open-style complex integrating culture, sports, and commerce.

In November 2023, the Zhonglian LOHAS Park was put into operation. It houses nearly 30 multifunctional sports fields and gathers over 20 commercial brands.

With booking rates exceeding 80 percent for its badminton, basketball, table tennis, and billiards facilities, the complex now receives over 1 million visits per year. What was once an industrial rust belt has been successfully turned into a trendy sports space that attracts more than 2,500 visitors per day.

Yinchuan, Ningxia: An Abandoned Mining Pit Transformed into a Sports Park

Viewed from above, the Helan Mountains Sports and Leisure Park in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, looks like a gem set within landscaped grounds, where lakes, waterfalls and pavilions blend seamlessly with running tracks, basketball courts and other fitness facilities.

Spanning 80 hectares, the park was, a decade ago, a subsidence pit left by sand and gravel mining. “I used to come here as a child. Back then there wasn’t a single tree — just howling winds,” recalled Jia Jincai, publicity manager of Chateau Zhihui Yuanshi Co., Ltd.

In 2016, the company undertook the pit’s ecological restoration. “Planting trees in a gravel pit was extremely difficult. Water was scarce, and newly planted trees often died,” Jia said. “But we persevered.” They developed a science-based approach: first planting drought-resistant shelterbelts to stabilize the soil and conserve moisture; then, as conditions improved, introducing diverse landscape species. Today, over 100 tree types thrive.

“With the ecology restored, we made use of the pit’s original terrain to build a modern sports park integrating ecological protection, fitness and leisure,” Jia explained.

In 2023, the park also completed a smart fitness trail, equipped with one event command and control center and nine full-scenario intelligent data collection points.

“Last year, we hosted a half marathon where more than 60 percent of runners were from outside the region,” Jia said. Many participants also visited the vineyard, creating a virtuous cycle in which sporting events boost tourism and tourism supports local industries. “The park restored the ecology, provided public exercise space, and generated economic benefits — a true triple win.”

By Wang Hao, Deng Jianyang, People’s Daily

China faces significant water challenges, with per capita resources amounting to merely 35 percent of the global average and highly uneven distribution across seasons and regions. Under these conditions, conserving water is fundamental to achieving sustainable development, while fostering a water-saving industry has become a key pathway forward.

In recent years, regional authorities and government departments nationwide prioritized the water-saving industry as a key driver for green economic transformation. 

Supported by targeted policies, market cultivation, industrial chain expansion, and innovation promotion,  the sector has seen the emergence of leading enterprises, extension of supply chains, and diversification of water-saving products. 

The domestic market size for this industry is now estimated to exceed 760 billion yuan ($109.41 billion), injecting strong momentum into green development.

Innovation is evident at companies like IEM GM in Yixing, east China’s Jiangsu province, which has developed a high-efficiency rainwater collection and reuse system. The system utilizes modular underground storage tanks to capture and recycle rainwater. “By integrating underground modular storage with above-ground intelligent treatment, our system allows urban streets to ‘breathe’ freely,” said Zhao Xing, a senior executive at the company.

The growth of the water-saving industry has been driven by the rapid emergence of an industrial cluster development model. Across the country, industrial funds have been established, industry associations formed, and leading enterprises encouraged to drive coordinated development along the supply chain. 

The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area continue to lead as three major hubs. Meanwhile, emerging clusters focused on equipment manufacturing and scientific research in Chengdu-Chongqing region, Shandong, and Shaanxi are gaining momentum. This is fostering a diversified and synergistic industrial ecosystem.

As the quality of water-saving products improves, new supply is catalyzing new demand. At a production facility of Hegii, a Chinese sanitary ware manufacturer, in Foshan, south China’s Guangdong province, assembly lines run in an orderly manner, producing more than 2 million sets of water-saving toilets each year for markets across the country.

“Each water-saving toilet reduces water consumption by 2.5 liters per flush, and market demand remains strong,” said Xie Zhenwu, a company representative. Responding to the growing trend of green consumption, the company has developed a range of water-efficient products in recent years.

The expanded use of water‑saving products is accelerating the shift toward green lifestyles and unlocking new consumption potential. China has integrated water‑efficient products into its national green product certification system and has issued four catalogs listing products subject to mandatory water‑efficiency labeling — covering over 110,000 models of household water‑using appliances. 

With consumer trade-in programs and home renovation initiatives for kitchens and bathrooms, the replacement of household water-saving fixtures is also being actively encouraged. Meanwhile, measures such as the water conservation management regulation for public institutions have spurred the upgrade and replacement of water‑saving fittings in more than 1 million public institutions across the country.

According to studies, a family of three can save around 70 cubic meters of tap water annually simply by switching to water-saving fixtures, like toilets, showerheads, and washing machines meeting Level-2 or higher water-efficiency standards. “Popularizing water-efficient appliances improves both quality of life and water usage efficiency, putting real savings back into people’s pockets,” said Jiang Muchen, head of the Ministry of Water Resources’ national water conservation office.

While advancing toward high-quality development itself, the water-saving industry is also driving deep transformation in traditional industries and opening up new development space.

At the production facility of Shaoxing Kerry Printing & Dyeing Co., Ltd. in Keqiao district, Shaoxing, east China’s Zhejiang province, water is essential at every step–from plain fabric to finished printed textile–through processes like scouring, bleaching, printing, and washing.

“By introducing equipment such as high-efficiency hydraulic padders and energy-saving double-layer steam drying cylinders, we’ve reduced water use at each stage. This has cut our annual water consumption by more than 20 percent, saving over 1 million yuan in production costs,” said Xu Shunyong, the company’s general manager.

In the past, excessive water consumption and wastewater discharge constrained industrial development. “Prioritizing water conservation has forced industrial upgrading,” said Qiu Jianping, an official with Keqiao district’s agriculture and rural affairs bureau. 

According to him, the district has guided printing and dyeing enterprises to carry out water-saving technological upgrades and established an integrated system combining industrial clustering, wastewater treatment, and reclaimed water reuse. Last year, the district’s reclaimed water utilization rate reached 40.1 percent.

Water conservation means lower emissions, reduced pollution, and decreased carbon intensity. As an important component of green and low-carbon industries, the water-saving sector has played a vital role during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), when China’s total water use achieved “zero growth.” 

In 2025, water consumption per 10,000 yuan of GDP and per 10,000 yuan of industrial value added had declined by 20 percent and 25 percent, respectively, compared with the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020).

The immense potential of China’s water-saving industry is mirrored in the value of every drop of water. By 2027, the sector is expected to grow into a trillion-yuan market.

By Guo Xiaolong, Dou Hao, People’s Daily

Driven by surging interest in winter sports, China’s winter sports equipment industry has expanded rapidly in recent years. Supported by a maturing industrial ecosystem, Chinese manufacturers continue to deliver high-quality products and steadily strengthen their competitiveness and brand recognition in overseas markets.

Customs data reveal that since the latter half of 2025, China’s exports of ice skates to Central and Eastern Europe and ski apparel to North America have recorded double-digit growth. Globally, Chinese ice and snow equipment is gaining broader acceptance and increasing trust among consumers.

This trend was on evident at the Harbin International Ice and Snow Economy Expo 2026. At a  booth from Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, Belarusian ski enthusiast Sergeyevich examined a pair of competition skis. “They offer better responsiveness in turns, improved flex, and rebound — comparable to leading international brands.”

According to Li Zhibo, general manager of the exhibitor, this pair of skis, emblazoned with a five-star red flag, were developed for the Chinese national aerial skiing team. The product has passed four rounds of rigorous testing and is expected to appear at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.

The skis utilize aerospace-grade composite materials and precision 3D printing technology, achieving superior toughness-to-weight ratios at half the cost of comparable imports. Its R&D team adjusts core materials to match athlete’s power application and technique, shifting from “athlete adapts to equipment” to “equipment adapts to athlete.” This ensures top-tier performance, with multiple technical metrics meeting leading international standards. 

“Using equipment development for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics as a springboard, we plan to expand into elite-grade snowboards and alpine skis, so that our homegrown products can gain traction both on the global circuit and and in overseas markets,” said Li.

Not just skis — Chinese-made ski poles are also gaining popularity among international consumers.

At the showcase of Ninghai Better Outdoor Products Co., Ltd. (Better) in Ninghai county, Ningbo, east China’s Zhejiang province, a wide variety of ski poles are displayed — foldable, telescopic, ultra-lightweight.

A training pole designed for beginner alpine skiers has emerged as a star product, especially popular overseas. Exceptionally light and constructed from aerospace-grade aluminum alloy, each pole weighs under 200 grams. Besides, it offers reliable stability, featuring an ergonomically designed grip made from a special anti-slip material that ensures a firm hold even when wearing gloves.

“To align with European and American consumers, we enlarged the grip size and refined the telescopic mechanism,” said Guo Jinlong, the company’s foreign trade manager. During the 2025 snow season, overseas orders for this model exceeded 400,000 pairs, a 30 percent increase from a year ago.

The company currently exports over 5 million pairs of sports poles annually, primarily to Europe and North America, and is actively expanding into new markets, including South American countries like Chile and Colombia.

Better is not alone in Ninghai. In fact, about 70 percent of China’s exported ski poles originate from this county. Centered around products like ski poles, the local winter sports equipment industry has built a complete supply chain covering tubing, locks, grips, and assembly, with an annual output value approaching 1 billion yuan ($143.96 million).

Today, the journey from an aluminum alloy tube to a finished ski pole can be completed entirely within the county. “We can deliver a sample from a client’s idea in just seven days and move into mass production within 30,” said Zhu Xuefeng, the company’s general manager. 

Thanks to a well-developed industrial cluster and highly efficient, flexible production systems, manufacturers in Ninghai maintain robust capacity and a strong price-performance advantage. For comparable performance, Better’s offerings are priced at around 60 percent of what European or American brands charge.

To succeed in global markets, products must align with international rules and practices. Customs officials frequently visit factories during peak seasons to expedite clearance, offering technical guidance, establishing priority clearance channels for ski equipment exports, and providing compliance briefings to help companies navigate regulatory risks.

“To help enterprises seize opportunities and expand international markets, we actively promote customs clearance models like ‘advance declaration’ and implement facilitation measures to accelerate processing and reduce costs,” said Tian Mingchao, an official with Ningbo Customs.

By He Yin, People’s Daily

Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, located in east China’s Zhejiang province, recently released its 2025 performance results, marking a significant global milestone. figures for 2025. The port achieved a total cargo throughput exceeded 1.4 billion tons, securing its position as the world’s busiest port for 17 consecutive years. It also became the first port globally to enter the “1.4-billion-ton” club. 

This accomplishment is particularly noteworthy given the challenging global context of economic headwinds, complex geopolitical dynamics, and shifting trade policies. Achieving this milestone reflects remarkable foresight in strategic planning and a profound shift in development philosophy.

The conditions that once supported an extensive, volume-driven model of imports and exports have changed, making it necessary to develop new ideas to guide development under the new circumstances, Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed when visiting Ningbo-Zhoushan Port during an inspection tour in Zhejiang province in 2020.

Shortly after, he proposed building a new pattern of development that is focused on the domestic economy and features positive interplay between domestic and international economic flows. The development of Ningbo-Zhoushan Port over the past six years exactly mirrors China’s new landscape of high-level opening up.

China’s trade focus has transitioned from volume expansion to quality enhancement. Ningbo Port’s 2025 export data reveals this shift: shipments of the “new trio”(new energy vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, and photovoltaic products) rose 76.3 percent year on year, while exports of industrial robots surged 113 percent. Concurrently, high-tech imports grew 13.5%, demonstrating China’s upgraded market opportunities and expanding global value.

Despite pandemic disruptions and tariff escalations, Ningbo-Zhoushan Port achieved a historic breakthrough with container throughput exceeded 40 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) . New energy vehicles illustrate this trend. Exports through Ningbo port rose 305.8 percent year on year, with more than 700 vehicles shipped overseas every day on average.

Behind these figures lies the solid strength of highly competitive industrial clusters. In 2025, Ningbo newly recognized 2,666 high-tech enterprises in its first batch alone, with cluster effects continuing to gain momentum and driving comprehensive upgrading from technology to products and along the entire industrial chain. A large number of enterprises are connecting with global markets via Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, securing their position in global industrial chains through strong competitiveness.

The shift from an opening-up model centered on the flow of production factors to one that emphasizes rule-setting and standards alignment highlights the steady progress of institutional opening up.

From exploring rules for cross-border data flows in bulk commodity trading to improving mechanisms for international maritime arbitration and commercial mediation, Ningbo-Zhoushan Port — backed by the China (Zhejiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone — has remained at the forefront of institutional opening up.

Today, the port is working with Germany’s ports of Hamburg and Wilhelmshaven, as well as Spain’s Port of Valencia, to jointly build green shipping corridors and explore unified green standards “from terminal to terminal.” It has also established platforms such as the Maritime Silk Road Port Cooperation Forum to promote international cooperation among friendly ports. From proactive alignment to joint standard-setting, China’s voice and influence in international rule-making continue to grow.

The evolution from a “cargo transport channel” to an “opening-up hub” underscores the expanding network of mutually beneficial partnerships. 

On Jan. 8, the container vessel MSC Jessinia, on its maiden voyage of a new Australia-bound route, berthed at the Chuanshan Port Area of Ningbo-Zhoushan Port. The port now operates more than 300 shipping routes, connecting over 700 ports in more than 200 countries and regions worldwide. Its port connectivity index consistently ranks second globally.

As the port’s global partnerships expand, market structures are diversifying. In 2025, Zhejiang recorded import-export growth with over 180 countries and regions. Its trade with Belt and Road partner countries exceeded 3 trillion yuan ($430.19 billion) for the first time, up 8.7 percent year on year. 

On a broader scale, China is strengthening links with more partners, expanding the convergence of shared interests, and injecting fresh momentum into economic globalization through opening up and cooperation.

Ningbo-Zhoushan Port offers a clear case in point: China’s resolve to open up remains unwavering, despite rising unilateralism and protectionism globally. Its openness is becoming more robust, and it is creating more new opportunities for the world.

By Xiao Le

As evening fell over Jilong Yicun village in Shenzhen’s Futian district, south China’s Guangdong province, a green smart cabinet stood out in the night. 

Following a quick mobile verification, its door clicked open to reveal a free food package. 

This is China’s much-discussed “food bank” initiative. Over three years, nearly 500,000 portions of near-expired or surplus food have been redirected here, benefiting approximately half a million recipients.

The 24-hour food banks introduced in Shenzhen and other cities channel soon-to-expire food to those in need — offering complimentary provisions to vulnerable groups and residents while combating food waste.

Why has this model garnered significant attention? Its innovation lies in addressing a persistent challenge: preventing near-expired and surpluses from becoming waste.

Through a collaborative framework of government coordination, business engagement, and social organizations operation — with public engagement in co-creation and benefit-sharing — Futian district has formed stable partnerships with nearly 100 enterprises, including Freshippo, Ole’ Supermarket, and Yonghui Superstores. This initiative has helped save approximately 202 tons of food and cut carbon emissions by around 404 tons.

Yet this represents only an initial step. Food waste runs through the entire supply chain. According to estimates by relevant institutions, China loses and wastes around 460 billion kilograms of food every year. 

From harvesting and storage to transportation, processing, and consumption, losses occur at every stage. This underscores the need to firmly embrace the idea that reducing loss and waste is equivalent to increasing output, and to promote conservation and loss reduction across the entire chain.

How can these persistent issues be effectively tackled? The “food bank” initiative offers a forward-looking approach. 

At its heart lies a simple yet powerful idea: to prevent near-expiry and surplus food — often considered “hard to sell yet too good to waste” — from ending up as trash, and instead channel it to meaningful use. By intervening at the post-consumption stage, the model builds a bridge between circular resource use and compassionate community support. 

At the same time, it complements upstream efforts: scientific grain storage at the production stage, appropriate processing in manufacturing, and consumption-side initiatives like the “Clean Your Plate” campaign. This integrated approach facilitates resource cascading and efficient use throughout the system.

Food conservation has never been a new topic. Thrift is a traditional virtue of the Chinese nation. “Who knows that of our meal in the dish, every grain comes after hard toil?” This line in a Tang Dynasty (618-907) poem has been passed down for over 1,000 years and remains one of the most effective lessons in saving food. 

Similar models operate globally. Singapore runs the national “Clean Plate Campaign;” Germany promotes food-saving apps for smarter household ingredient management; and Chile’s “Zero Food Waste Outdoor Market” project encourages donating near-expired items while composting inedible waste.

Today, China’s approaches to food conservation are growing more diverse and dynamic. Among young people, initiatives such as “surprise leftover boxes,” pay-by-weight canteens, and dedicated near-expiry food sections in supermarkets are gaining traction. Food saving is evolving beyond mere awareness into tangible, participatory action.

Ultimately, food conservation rests on individual choices. For households, buying only what is needed and preparing sensible portions are simple yet effortless practices. For catering businesses, promoting smaller servings and participating in near-expiry food donation not only fulfill social responsibility but also cut operational waste.

A single smart cabinet weaves together the collaborative efforts of the government, businesses, social organizations, and the public — reflecting, in its own way, the warmth and civility of a city.

By He Yin, People’s Daily

A U.S. media outlet recently noted that China’s high-speed rail network, now exceeding 50,000 kilometers in operation, has set a new global benchmark. It said that China’s experience offers useful reference for other countries seeking to modernize their railway infrastructure.

This milestone transcends numerical significance. It marks a defining phase in China’s modernization journey and provides a lens through which the world can better understand China’s governance approach and the tangible opportunities presented by its development model.

The 50,000-kilometer network reflects China’s commitment to long-term planning. Given the extended timelines and substantial investments required for rail projects, forward-looking strategies have been critical to their systematic development.

From the first edition of the Medium-and Long-Term Railway Network Plan in 2004, which laid out a clear framework for high-speed rail development, to its optimization in 2008, and its further upgrade in 2016, which proposed “eight vertical and eight horizontal” lines, China’s high-speed rail development exactly explains what perseverance is.

Throughout this process, China has fully leveraged the strengths of the new system for mobilizing resources nationwide, integrating enterprises, universities, research institutions, and the user end, and turning the world’s largest high-speed rail market into the most dynamic driver for innovation. 

Such institutional strength enabled China to overcome technological barriers and emerge as a pioneer in fields like intelligent and green rail systems.

International media have attributed China’s achievements to its exceptional focus. This, they note, also reflects a way of thinking — the result of a country building for the next century rather than the next election. While some nations grapple with legislative gridlock on long-term infrastructure, China has demonstrated consistent policy stability. This capacity to transcend electoral timelines has made certainty a hallmark of its development.

The 50,000-kilometer milestone also highlights the value of China’s people-centered approach. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) alone, 128 counties — including Fuping in northwest China, Badong in central China, and Longzhou in south China — ended their history of having no access to high-speed rail. 

Take the recently opened Xi’an-Yan’an High-Speed Railway as an example. The line connects Yan’an, long known as a cradle of Chinese revolution, with the national high-speed rail network, dramatically shortening travel times and improving access to major markets. 

The benefits are tangible: apples from Luochuan and persimmon cakes from Fuping can now reach a much wider consumer base, while new forms of industrial collaboration are taking shape along the route.

By extending high-speed railways to remote and mountainous regions, China advances regional development and common prosperity. The commitment that no one will be left behind on the path to modernization is being translated into concrete progress across the country.

The value of railways lies not only in the extension of tracks, but also in the pursuit of connectivity and shared development. Today, China’s railways are injecting stronger momentum into global modernization. 

The Jakarta–Bandung High-Speed Railway has realized Indonesia’s long-standing goal of developing high-speed rail, accelerating the rise of industrial clusters along the route. The China–Laos Railway has helped Laos move from a landlocked country into a land-linked one, creating more than 100,000 jobs. The Mombasa–Nairobi Railway has reshaped East Africa’s transportation hub, improving livelihoods along the route through public welfare programs and community development. The China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan Railway currently under construction is unfolding a new vision of connectivity across the Eurasian continent. 

Chinese modernization does not seek progress for China alone; rather, it advances global development and prosperity through enhanced international cooperation. 

These achievements demonstrate China’s capacity for both strategic planning and concrete implementation. What expands is not merely track mileage, but globally applicable standards and shared prosperity pathways. 

As observed by Kenyan media, China’s modernization narrative emphasizes partnership over hierarchy and cooperation over dependency, offering countries of the Global South a distinctive and increasingly important framework.

China’s achievements are shared with the world. Turning blueprints into reality and visions into tangible outcomes, What expands is not merely track mileage, but globally applicable standards and shared prosperity pathways. 

Through openness and win-win cooperation, China continues contributing momentum to building a community with a shared future for humanity.