Nigeria Times

By Qiang Wei, People’s Daily

As geopolitical tensions escalate in the Middle East, oil prices are unlikely to return to pre-conflict levels in the short term.

Around the world, countries are grappling with rising energy bills. In some places, prices are surging; in others, large-scale power cuts and rationing have become unavoidable. 

Against this backdrop, international observers note that China appears comparatively composed.  This resilience is attributed not only to its robust energy reserves and diversified supply chains but also to years of steadfast progress in green energy transition. The widespread adoption of electric vehicles, in particular, has strengthened the country’s ability to withstand external shocks.

While no nation remains untouched by conflict and crisis — Chinese consumers, too, face higher fuel prices — China’s relative stability stands out. Government interventions have played a key role: to mitigate the impact of rising global oil prices, China implemented refined oil price adjustments. For instance, on April 7, planned increases of 800 yuan ($117.12) and 770 yuan per ton for gasoline and diesel, respectively, were capped at 420 yuan and 400 yuan.

Some commentators, however, misinterpret China’s composure as evidence of “benefiting” from the conflict. Such cynical narratives reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of China’s long-term commitment to energy transition and its tangible achievements in this field.

China’s stability is rooted in its commitment to high-quality development. As the world’s largest importer of crude oil, given its vast economic size and sustained growth, China is well aware that true energy security does not lie in how much oil it can purchase or from whom, but in reducing reliance on oil altogether. 

China has ranked first globally in installed wind power capacity for 15 consecutive years and in solar power capacity for 10 years. Its power battery production accounts for more than 60 percent of the global total. By the end of 2025, China had 43.97 million new energy vehicles in use, accounting for 12.01 percent of the country’s total vehicle fleet. 

Besides, charging and battery-swapping infrastructure now extends across both urban and rural areas, while continuous breakthroughs are being made in battery and charging technologies. In this way, China has forged a distinctive path of energy transition.

China’s composure also stems from its deep integration into the global economy. China’s development has never been inward-looking. Chinese-built photovoltaic projects have brought light to households across Pakistan; Chinese electric vehicles have become a new sight on the streets of Southeast Asian countries; and China-supported geothermal power projects are delivering clean energy deep into the African continent. By promoting inclusive global energy development, China is helping make green electricity not a “luxury” reserved for developed countries, but an accessible option for all.

China’s composure further reflects its firm commitment to implementing the Paris Agreement. Under its “dual carbon” goals of peaking carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060, the share of non-fossil energy in China’s total energy consumption continues to rise, while carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP keep declining. The outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan has incorporated the share of non-fossil energy in total energy consumption as a key indicator of economic and social development. 

Last year, China formally submitted its 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change secretariat, clearly outlining its ambition and concrete measures to advance green and low-carbon development.

At the recent China Development Forum 2026, Han Wenxiu, executive deputy director of the Office of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs, shared a key insight drawn from the current international situation: fossil fuels such as oil and gas often rely on imports and international transportation, whereas renewable energy sources like wind and solar are locally available and require neither.

This view may sound simple, but it is grounded in China’s real-world experience and offers food for thought for the rest of the world. China’s composure is not a matter of luck, but of foresight; not accidental, but inevitable. With green development as its defining feature, China will continue to translate this composure into a steadfast pursuit of a global energy landscape that is fair, inclusive, clean, and sustainable.

By He Yin, People’s Daily

Chinese President Xi Jinping recently sent a congratulatory letter to an event commemorating the 55th anniversary of China-U.S. Ping-Pong Diplomacy and the launch of the China-U.S. Youth Sports Exchange Events.

He emphasized that the foundation of China-U.S. relations is laid by the people, and the future of bilateral relations will be shaped by the youth, hoping that people from all walks of life in both countries, especially the younger generation, will draw wisdom and strength from history.

Xi also called on the two peoples to better understand each other through exchanges and cooperation, jointly move forward through mutual learning, tighten their bonds of amity, and make new contributions to promoting the stable, healthy, and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations.

Fifty-five years ago, the older generation of leaders of China and America, with their extraordinary political wisdom and strategic vision, reopened the door to friendly exchanges between the two peoples, creating the much told stories of “the little ball being able to move the big ball.” 

Today, China-U.S. relations once again stand at a critical juncture, and the strategic choices of both countries will once again impact how the global landscape evolves. 

Both sides need to draw inspiration from history, carry forward the spirit of Ping-Pong Diplomacy, and work together to advance the cause of China-U.S. friendship, so as to create more conditions for people-to-people exchanges.

The hope of the China-U.S. relationship lies in the people, its foundation is in the two societies, its future depends on the youth, and its vitality comes from exchanges at subnational levels.

Over the past year and more, despite twists and turns in bilateral relations, the peoples of both countries have consistently expressed a desire to reach out and grow closer. A young delegation from Maryland visited China for pickleball exchanges, making the sport a new bond between young people of the two countries. A U.S. youth education exchange delegation visited China, enjoying enriching and rewarding experiences. Nearly 30 youth choirs from China and the United States gathered in Fuzhou, Fujian province and Beijing to “sing for peace.” 

No matter how circumstances change, the friendship between the Chinese and American peoples will remain, and the aspiration of young people in both countries for exchanges and cooperation will not change.

Fifty-five years on, exchanges between the Chinese and American peoples, especially young people, are unfolding in a vastly different era. 

Over two years have passed since the launch of a “50,000 in five years” initiative, which aims to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs over a five-year period. To date, the initiative has attracted the active participation of more than 40,000 young Americans.

From the choir in Los Angeles, the flag football team in Washington State, and the ice hockey team in Wyoming, to China’s traditional culture, science classes, and featured cuisines, young people from both countries have connected through art, competed on sports fields, and collaborated in technological innovation.

Many Chinese and American teenagers have become pen pals who stay in constant touch, and a lot of primary and secondary schools have established long-term sister-school partnerships. These efforts have further tightened the bonds of people-to-people exchanges between the two sides.

Public perception is a fundamental factor shaping relations between countries. “Experiences in youth shape a lifetime,” noted Justin O’Jack, Chief Representative of the University of Virginia’s Pacific Asia office. 

His experience studying in China 30 years ago inspired him to dedicate himself to U.S.-China student exchanges. He firmly believes that when young people from China and the United States understand and connect with each other, they can jointly shape the future of bilateral relations.

Like O’Jack, many American teenagers see their trips to China as “a life-changing journey.” During their visits, they have explored China’s rich cultural landmarks, wandered through its green mountains and clear waters, experienced cutting-edge technology, and savored its literary and artistic traditions.

They sincerely admire the warmth and friendliness of the Chinese people, the safety and order of society, the rapid development of technology, and the convenience of transportation, refreshing their understanding of China and inspiring their thoughts about the future.

In the course of history, Ping-Pong Diplomacy has become a powerful symbol of friendship between the Chinese and American peoples. Today, both sides still need to renew this spirit through sincerity and concrete actions under new circumstances. 

China is committed to building more bridges and opening more pathways for people-to-people exchanges. It has introduced a 240-hour visa-free transit policy for 55 countries, including the United States, and warmly invites more American youth to take part in the “50,000 in five years” initiative. More American friends are welcome to visit China and experience for themselves a real, multidimensional, and comprehensive China. 

It is hoped that the U.S. side will earnestly implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, create more opportunities for exchanges and cooperation at the people-to-people, subnational, and youth levels, and enable more individuals to become participants, beneficiaries, and supporters of China-U.S. friendship.

By Ding Yiting, People’s Daily

China has achieved a new breakthrough in offshore wind power, as the country’s deepest offshore wind project has now entered full-capacity grid operation, marking further advances in developing large-scale commercial wind farms in deep and distant seas under complex conditions.

The project, located roughly 70 kilometers off the coast of east China’s Shandong Peninsula and situated in waters between 52 and 56 meters deep, was fully connected to the grid on April 7. Developed and operated by China Huaneng Group, the wind farm comprises 42 units of 12MW wind turbines, yielding a total installed capacity of 504 megawatts.

According to Li Weidong, deputy general manager of Huaneng Shandong Power Generation Co., Ltd, assuming a household consumes 10 kilowatt-hours of electricity per day, a single turbine operating at full capacity for just one hour can generate enough electricity to meet the daily needs of roughly 1,200 households.

In general, an offshore wind farm is considered a “deep-sea” one when it is situated in waters with depths of no less than 50 meters, and considered a “far-sea” one when it sits more than 65 kilometers offshore. As near-shore resources become increasingly constrained, China’s offshore wind development is accelerating toward deeper and more distant waters.

Li noted that wind speeds are higher and more stable in deep-sea areas, with annual equivalent full-load hours increasing by 15 to 20 percent compared with near-shore projects, significantly improving power generation efficiency. However, these advantages come with greater challenges in technological innovation, equipment adaptation, and cost control.

What new technologies have been applied in this project?

One key innovation is the use of a four-pile jacket foundation structure, reaching heights of up to 83.9 meters, the tallest of its kind in China. 

Currently, more than 70 percent of offshore wind projects in China use monopile foundations, which involve driving a single steel pipe into the seabed. While simple in structure and convenient for construction, monopiles are mainly suitable for shallow waters of less than 30 meters deep and offer relatively limited resistance to strong winds and ocean currents.

“The four-pile jacket foundation is like providing the turbine with a stable four-legged steel frame base,” explained Li Chunxiao, head of the project. “These four legs are connected through a truss structure, firmly anchoring the turbine to the seabed.”

Another breakthrough lies in the coordinated use of drones and artificial magnetic fields to enable “aerial observation and underwater tracking,” ensuring the successful laying of a 95.6-kilometer ultra-long submarine cable.

Traditionally, directional drilling for submarine cables uses an artificial magnetic signal source placed on a vessel to guide the underwater drill bit. However, vessel movement caused by waves and tides can reduce positioning accuracy and slow progress.

In this project, drones equipped with high-precision detection devices hover steadily and conduct patrol flights, capturing and tracking in real time the drill bit’s position and direction beneath the seabed. This creates a closed-loop navigation system combining aerial monitoring with underwater tracking. The positioning accuracy is five to six times higher than traditional methods, while overall construction time is reduced to about 1/5, effectively addressing the challenges of low efficiency and poor accuracy in ultra-long-distance submarine cable installation.

China’s cumulative installed capacity of grid-connected offshore wind power has now exceeded 47 million kilowatts, ranking first in the world for five consecutive years.

By You Yi, People’s Daily

Deep within Sichuan’s mountainous terrain at 2,800 meters elevation, an innovative computing center now operates inside tunnels adjacent to a major hydropower dam. This facility repurposed tunnels originally destined for backfilling into a naturally cooled, energy-efficient computing hub.

Operational since December 2025, the Lianghekou Hydropower Plant’s integrated computing project in China’s Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture represents the nation’s first high-altitude, subterranean intelligent computing center. Six mountain-embedded modules house 2,000 domestically produced computing chips, delivering processing power equivalent to 240 million standard office computers.

The tunnel environment provides immediate advantages: a constant 5 degrees Celsius temperature with stable humidity. “This significantly reduces energy consumption,” explains Wang Wensong, executive deputy director of the hydropower plant, gesturing toward rows of blinking servers.

Computing power, often described as the “highway system” of the digital age, is a key pillar of new infrastructure. Launched in March 2025, the Lianghekou computing project is a joint effort between Yalong River Hydropower Development Co., Ltd. under the State Development and Investment Group Co., Ltd. (SDIC Group), and the Sichuan branch of China Telecom. It explores how computing resources and power generation can be coordinated for greater efficiency.

Why choose this remote location? “Beyond reliable transport and communications, we require exceptional safety and stability,” Wang notes. The deep tunnels leverage the dam’s seismic resilience, high-altitude natural cooling, and abundant low-cost electricity. “Sharing the hydropower station’s security systems creates multiple advantages.”

Energy efficiency is measured by PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness), where lower values indicate better performance. “Our tunnel’s natural cooling maintains PUE below 1.2—among China’s most efficient facilities,” states operations head Liu Yuanshou. The center’s six modules consume approximately 1,400 kWh hourly, equivalent to powering 1,400 air conditioners simultaneously.

The computing center is part of a broader clean energy ecosystem. By the end of 2025, the Suorong solar power station, part of the Lianghekou project cluster, also began operation. Together with the Kela Phase I and Phase II solar plants and the Lianghekou hydropower plant, it forms the world’s largest integrated hydro-solar project, with a total capacity of 3 million kilowatts from hydropower plus 3 million kilowatts from solar power.

With additional support from pumped-storage hydropower, this integrated system ensures a steady, year-round supply of green electricity for the computing center. The Yalong River Hydropower Development Co., Ltd. is now working to build a 10-million-kilowatt-level comprehensive demonstration zone integrating hydropower, wind, solar, energy storage, hydrogen, and computing resources.

The generated computing resources extend beyond the mountains. Transmitted via optical fiber across hundreds of kilometers, it reaches Mount Haizi in Daocheng county, where a major national scientific facility, the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO), is located.

“Once the project was completed, we began working with the Chinese Academy of Sciences to provide computing support for LHAASO,” Wang said. “Using AI, we can process particle physics data more efficiently.” 

In this way, clean hydropower is transformed into the computational strength needed to explore the origins of cosmic rays, supporting cutting-edge scientific research.

As operations stabilize, the center now develops specialized AI models for weather forecasting and industrial applications. China Telecom utilizes it for internal needs while offering external services via a computing resource platform — serving academic research to smart city initiatives alike.

Yalong River’s flowing waters now power computation driving diverse industries. “We’ll replicate this model using Lianghekou’s tunnel resources,” Wang concludes. “Our mission is to integrate Sichuan’s renewable energy strengths with advanced computing clusters through direct green electricity supply systems.”

By Guo Guanhua, Wang Jie

A significant shift is underway in China’s consumer landscape, with emotional fulfillment emerging as a powerful driver of economic growth. This trend, creating a new frontier — or “blue ocean” — for consumption, is characterized by consumers prioritizing emotional satisfaction over purely material utility. Purchases such as limited-edition seasonal beverages, solo travel experiences, and meticulously crafted collectibles exemplify this movement.

“For me, buying a new co-branded bubble tea during the week and attending a traditional craft workshop on the weekend is a great way to unwind,” explained Qiao Ziyan, a Beijing-based professional born in the 1990s. Her sentiment resonates with many young consumers.

According to a 2025 report on Gen-Z emotion-driven consumption jointly released by the Shanghai Youth and Children Research Center and other institutions, the top five categories of commodities that deliver emotional value include: physical goods such as plush toys, scented products, and stress-relief gadgets; experiential spending like concerts, stand-up comedy shows, and psychological counseling; social consumption; digital consumption such as avatars and virtual pets; and IP- or co-branded purchases.

Globally, emotion-driven consumption has already spread across multiple sectors, from designer toys and retail to culture and tourism, pets, technology, and dining, emerging as a powerful new engine of consumption growth.

Liu Shengzhi, a communication professor at Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, said that consumer values have shifted from practicality and frugality to emotional experience. Young people today are more willing to spend money on rewarding themselves and fulfilling their emotional needs.

Today, emotion-driven consumption is constantly giving rise to new scenarios and business models.

Take Perler beads as an example. Once seen as a children’s educational activity, this craft has quickly become a hit among young people. It is highly social, as people make creations for themselves or give them as gifts to friends.

Data shows that since 2026, searches for multiple keywords related to Perler beads have surged more than 10 times year-on-year, and transaction orders have doubled. People aged 20-25 account for the largest share of searches for Perler beads experiences, at nearly 40 percent. 

Meanwhile, searches for keywords related to pet photography have risen by over 40 percent year-on-year. Those aged 25-35 make up more than half of all searches, becoming the main consumer group.

Simultaneously, “healing travel” has gained immense popularity, as individuals seek respite from urban pressures in mountains, lakes, ancient towns, and villages, finding solace in nature and simpler lifestyles. AI emotional companionship services are also booming, using technology to break the limits of time and space and offer accessible emotional relief.

New experiences such as intangible cultural heritage handcraft workshops and pet companionship have also gained traction.

Together, these new formats continue to enrich the scope of emotion-driven consumption, catering to the personalized needs of different groups.

In 2025, China’s mini-drama sector experienced explosive growth, attracting nearly 700 million domestic users and achieving a projected market size exceeding 100 billion yuan ($14.63 billion), doubling the figure in 2024. Popular filming locations of these micro-dramas have sparked a “micro-drama-themed tourism” trend, boosting local boosted consumption and driving upgrades in related industries.

“Cute, adorable WAKUKU, the fresh and stylish SiiNONO, and ZIYULI with its Hanfu-inspired elements… these trendy toys are hard to resist,” said Zhang Wenbing, a Gen-Z consumer, at a pop-up event near THE BOX shopping mall in Beijing’s Chaoyang district, where he purchased several items.

Emotion-driven consumption has solidified into a major economic driver. According to iiMedia Research, China’s “emotion-driven economy” reached 2.3 trillion yuan in 2024 and is expected to exceed 4.5 trillion yuan by 2029. 

The ACGN (Anime, Comics, Games, Novels) derivative economy, featuring designer toys and figurines as flagship products, has shown outstanding performance. It achieved a market size of 168.9 billion yuan in 2024, representing a significant year-on-year increase of 40.63 percent.

“The ACGN derivative economy revolves around IP symbols as a core connection,” explained Zhou Zhiqiang, a professor at Nankai University’s School of Literature. “It transforms emotional resonance from the virtual world into tangible consumption. Through activities like collecting and social interaction, it precisely meets Generation Z’s core needs for emotional connection, self-expression, and a sense of belonging.”

This consumption trend is also reshaping commercial spaces, industrial ecosystems, and employment patterns. Major cities like Shanghai and Guangzhou have revitalized older shopping centers by introducing ACGN stores, night schools, and stress-relief spaces, boosting revenue per square meter by two to four times.

According to e-commerce data from short video platform Douyin, consumption trends focused on emotional value are fueling a unique business phenomenon known as interest-driven industrial clusters, boosted by engaging content that stimulates consumer desire. 

Over the past year, more than 9,800 merchants in these clusters have grown their sales from zero to over one million yuan, while over 200 have expanded from one million to more than 100 million yuan. 

The platform is now home to 491 interest-driven industrial clusters with annual sales surpassing 100 million yuan. Among them, 108 are based in county-level regions, accounting for 1/4 of total cluster sales.

Data from Xianyu, China’s leading secondhand and lifestyle services platform, shows that new occupations centered on emotional support have seen strong growth. 

Over the past year, the number of sellers offering emotional companionship services rose by 42.91 percent year on year, with their per capita income increasing by 7.43 percent. 

In total, 96 new types of “emotional support occupations” have emerged, ranging from medical accompanists and pet sitters to emotional healing therapists, greatly expanding new employment channels.

By Zhang Wenhao, People’s Daily

As spring arrives, birdsong fills the air in the Henan Dongzhai National Nature Reserve in Luoshan county, Xinyang, central China’s Henan province. Several crested ibises, with their distinctive red beaks, spread their wings and glided gracefully over the lush mountains and lucid waters.

Early each morning, Cai Dejing, deputy director of the reserve’s crested ibis breeding station, begins his field patrols. The breeding season, spanning January to June, is his busiest period. He spends long hours meticulously documenting nesting, incubation, and chick-rearing behaviors.

“This year, nesting began four days earlier than last year. That’s a good sign, as it usually means a higher breeding success rate,” Cai explained.

The reserve mainly protects rare forest birds and their habitats in mountainous areas. Established to protect rare forest birds and their mountain habitats, the reserve hosts 356 bird species, 74 of which are nationally protected. It attained national-level status in 2001.

The crested ibis, known as the “Oriental Gem,” is critically endangered. Dongzhai shares the crucial north-south climate transition zone found in Yangxian County, Shaanxi Province — the original rediscovery site for the species. Benefiting from a warm, humid climate and a healthy forest ecosystem, Dongzhai was officially designated China’s first crested ibis reintroduction site in 2006.

In 2007, 17 crested ibises were introduced. Reserve staff provided meticulous care, including scheduled feeding and detailed records. These efforts yielded significant results: the reserve has since bred 344 ibises in captivity. Crucially, the wild population now produces over 100 chicks annually, with the total wild population exceeding 700 birds.

“Crested ibises are highly sensitive to environmental conditions. The establishment and steady growth of its wild population are clear signs of the sound ecological foundation in Luoshan county, which provides an ideal home for crested ibises to thrive and reproduce from generation to generation,” said Li Yongqiang, director of the Reserve.

At the breeding station stands a striking structure, a circular aviary. Inside, it recreates a near-natural habitat, complete with ponds, wetlands, streams, rice paddies, dry land, and trees.

“This enclosure stands 32 meters tall and spans 2,850 square meters, designed to mimic the crested ibis’s natural habitat. Here, the birds practice flying, foraging and evading predators to gradually adapt to the wild,” Cai explained.

He noted that introducing breeding stock, captive breeding and pre-release training only form part of the conservation chain; the actual release into the wild is the critical step that measures success.

In October 2013, Dongzhai held its first release, with 34 crested ibises, raised and trained under human care, taking flight into the open sky. Since then, six more release activities have been hosted, with a total of 133 birds returning to the wild.

Dongzhai’s first release occurred in October 2013, with 34 human-raised birds taking flight. Six subsequent releases have returned a total of 133 ibises to the wild. To monitor the population, a dedicated team conducts year-round observations. Each new bird is ringed for identification and tracked using binoculars and satellite devices.

Monitoring data clearly documents the population’s growth: 56 chicks were naturally bred in 2022, 89 in 2023, and the number surpassed 100 for the first time in 2024, remaining above 100 again in 2025.

“This shows that the population of crested ibises in the Dabie Mountains has fully adapted to the wild and achieved self-sustaining reproduction and expansion,” Li said.

The ibis’s return has spurred significant socioeconomic benefits. A thriving bird-watching economy has taken shape. The reserve has trained a team of more than 30 professional bird guides, established 69 bird-watching and photography sites, and developed 66 lodging and dining facilities. Each year, the area receives over 30,000 birdwatchers, including more than 10,000 dedicated bird photographers.

The bird-watching business now generates revenue of over 50 million yuan ($7.32 million) annually, creating more than 2,000 jobs, with each employee earning an additional 20,000 yuan per year on average.

“We used to live off the mountains. Now, by guarding these ‘national treasures,’ our lives keep getting better and better,” a local villager said.

As incomes have risen, so too has environmental awareness. Wang Ke, head of the breeding station, noted that the reserve regularly organizes public education activities. Local residents not only actively protect the ibises but also take part in monitoring efforts reporting nesting sites, roosting locations, and breeding activities to the reserve.

The reserve has also established long-term partnerships with institutions such as Beijing Normal University, Beijing Forestry University, and the Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Together, they conduct research on the crested ibis’s genetic mechanisms, reproductive behavior, and disease prevention, forming a virtuous cycle in which scientific research supports conservation and conservation, in turn, advances research.

In December 2022, Luoshan county shared Dongzhai’s experience in crested ibis conservation with the world at the second phase of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15).

“Wild-born crested ibis chicks have exceeded 100 for two consecutive years. The wild population is expected to reach 1,000,” Cai said.

By Li Maoying, People’s Daily

The recent Qingming Festival holiday saw a surge in visitors at the Pu’er Elephant Boutique Coffee Estate, located in Nanbanghe village of Liushun township, Simao district, Pu’er, southwest China’s Yunnan province. Tourists traveled from across the country to experience the estate and sample its locally produced coffee.

Chen Pingxian, the founder of the manor, expertly prepared hand-brewed coffee for guests, inviting them to taste beans freshly roasted on-site. These beans are cultivated and processed locally, ensuring exceptional flavor.

After each brew, she carefully collected the coffee grounds. Once regarded as waste, these grounds are now seen as a valuable resource to be fully utilized. 

Chen’s estate houses a 13 hectares coffee plantation of its own. Through partnerships with neighboring coffee farmers, the total cultivation area exceeds 260 hectares. The estate sells roughly 20 tons of green coffee beans each year, drawing coffee lovers from all over China.

As the aroma of coffee at the estate has grown stronger, so too has the challenge of dealing with coffee grounds.

“In the past, we simply threw them away. On hot days, they would develop an odor if left too long, and even draw complaints from nearby farmers,” Chen explained. In Yunnan, where coffee production is substantial, how to handle coffee grounds has become a common challenge for industry practitioners.

In 2025, Yunnan produced 138,900 tons of green coffee beans. Each ton of coffee beans generates about 650 kilograms of coffee grounds. In other words, a single 300-milliliter cup of coffee produces roughly 13 grams of grounds. This massive output represents significant disposal pressure, but also enormous potential for resource recovery.

How could this resource be utilized? Chen dedicated considerable time to studying the properties of coffee grounds. She discovered their subtle natural aroma and fine texture, leading her to an innovative idea: transform them into eco-friendly, meaningful cultural and creative souvenirs.

She began collecting and drying the grounds, transforming them into scented tablets, bracelets, and small decorative items. To her surprise, these products, infused with everyday charm and environmental awareness, quickly became popular among visitors. Many tourists now not only enjoy a cup of coffee but also take part in hands-on experiences, making their own coffee-ground crafts.

Seeking further breakthroughs, Chen found crucial support when contacted by a team from Tianjin University of Commerce, known as “Feitong Xiaoke.”

According to Li Jiarong, leader of the team, research has shown that many coffee estates in Yunnan struggle with coffee grounds disposal and low value-added utilization. Landfilling  grounds generates methane, while incineration releases carbon dioxide and particulate matter. Recycling these by-products, however, helps create a closed-loop ecological system and cuts down on pollution and resource waste.

Using a technique combining enzyme hydrolysis with microwave treatment, the team significantly increased the retention rate of chlorogenic acid in coffee grounds from 30 percent to 75 percent, enabling high-value utilization. 

“We can use coffee grounds to make cups and furniture, and even extract coffee essential oil. Our goal is to empower rural industries with technology,” Li explained.

Li added that aerobic composting can significantly reduce carbon emissions. When combined with biofuel for co-composting, processing 1 ton of coffee grounds can cut emissions by about 100 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent. 

“We also aim to pilot organic fertilizers made from coffee grounds to feed back into coffee plantations, reducing chemical fertilizer use and making coffee more natural. At the same time, we plan to connect with carbon-inclusive systems to make emission reductions more measurable,” Li said.

Currently, the team has designed a closed-loop model in Yunnan featuring “dual urban-rural collection networks, centralized processing and re-manufacturing, and diversified sales.” Plans are underway to establish eco-recycling stations in Pu’er and collaborate with local manufacturers for large-scale processing. 

The team has also signed a “three-day collection agreement” with coffee shops and introduced an innovative “carbon credit circulation mechanism,” allowing urban users to exchange donated coffee grounds for product vouchers, creating a win-win outcome.

Chen expressed strong optimism for the collaboration: “We hope to set up a small processing facility at the estate, learn from university partners, and cultivate local talent.” She also plans to jointly develop more coffee-themed cultural products, embedding richer coffee culture into each item.

Beyond the efforts of Pu’er Elephant Boutique Coffee Estate and the team from Tianjin University of Commerce, Ximeng Wa autonomous county in Pu’er has also explored a distinctive path for recycling coffee grounds. 

Partnering with relevant enterprises and overcoming technical challenges, the county has turned discarded coffee grounds into fine, soft yarn. This yarn is then innovatively used in traditional Wa brocade weaving. This approach adds an eco-friendly dimension to a millennia-old craft, achieves deeper resource utilization of coffee grounds, and broadens income channels for local communities.

From discarded waste, coffee grounds have been transformed into a valuable resource that boosts local incomes. In the future, products made from recycled coffee grounds are expected to reach more people, extending the story and fragrance of each cup of coffee far into daily life.

By Dai Kairan, People’s Daily

At the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference recently held in Cameroon, tariffs and market access once again became focal issues. During the meeting, trade ministers from African countries widely praised China’s zero-tariff policy for Africa, noting that it will help advance the continent’s industrialization.

In February this year, China announced that it will fully implement zero-tariff treatment on 100 percent of tariff lines for products from 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations. While African nations widely welcomed the move, some in the West reacted with alarm, falsely labeling it as “economic penetration” and claiming it would “disrupt global trade balance.”

Why does this tariff-eliminating policy generate such concern?

First, this initiative lays bare the hypocrisy of some Western countries that engage in “fake aid, genuine exploitation”.

Whether zero tariffs are beneficial is best judged by Africa itself. As one African scholar aptly observed, this is not merely a change in tariff rates, but a more stable and predictable destination for African exports. Historically, Africa has faced the paradox of possessing quality products while struggling to access global markets. Challenges including volatile export channels, steep market-entry barriers, and infrastructure limitations have prevented many distinctive African goods from sustainable participation in global trade.

China’s zero-tariff policy aims precisely to unblock these channels and lower these barriers, enabling Africa’s competitive products to gain a foothold in international markets. For Africa, access to China’s 1.4 billion consumers — with their growing purchasing power — promises not only stable revenue but also industrial upgrading opportunities, increased foreign investment, and modernization pathways. 

In short, it represents using the subtraction of tariffs to drive the addition of trade and achieve the multiplication of livelihoods.

Some African scholars describe the zero-tariff policy as a “structural opportunity,” not a short-term dividend, but a long-term pathway. 

One can envision a virtuous cycle: as more African coffee, nuts, and fruits enter the Chinese market, foreign exchange earnings will grow, which can then be transformed into agricultural machinery, photovoltaic power stations, and processing lines, precisely the kind of endogenous development capacity Africa needs for industrialization.

Second, the policy reveals fundamentally different trade philosophies. China operates with an “incremental mindset”: expanded channels create new opportunities; cooperation grows markets. Conversely, some Western perspectives reflect a “zero-sum mindset”: finite opportunities mean one party’s gain implies another’s loss. Yet trade isn’t inherently zero-sum — collaboration can enlarge the global economic pie rather than redistribute fixed portions.

Recent global trade conditions have proven challenging. Unilateral tariffs imposed by certain developed nations have increased uncertainty for developing economies, with some African exports facing duties exceeding 30%. In this context, African nations naturally seek reliable partners.

Certain Western narratives mistakenly frame “cooperation” as “alignment” and “market access” as “influence expansion,” overlooking a crucial reality: African nations are active decision-makers, not passive recipients.

At a time when some countries are raising tariffs and building barriers, China is genuinely lowering them. This, in itself, is a powerful response to the tide of protectionism.

Who is paving the way for Africa’s development, and who is obstructing global trade? African people know the answer, and the world can see it clearly.

By Bao Han, People’s Daily

According to rankings released by OpenRouter, a global aggregation platform for large-language models, Chinese large-language models have outperformed their overseas counterparts in usage for a full month. 

In the most recent week (March 30 to April 4), Chinese models took the top six spots among the global top 10, with total token calls reaching 12.27 trillion. This is no fleeting spike, but a sustained trend.

Before going further, it is worth unpacking a technical term that has recently entered the public conversation: the token. A token is the smallest unit of information processed by large models. It can be measured, priced, and traded. Every Chinese character input, every line of generated code, and every image recognized, all consume tokens.

If the industrial era was defined by petroleum, and the internet age by traffic, then the AI era is defined by token usage. It serves as a key barometer of the development of the AI industry.

In March this year, China’s daily token usage exceeded 140 trillion, equivalent to processing the entire holdings of roughly 250 National Libraries of China in a single day. Even more striking is the growth rate: since early 2024, when token usage stood at 100 billion, China has achieved a thousand-fold increase in just over two years. China has undoubtedly become one of the most active countries in the world for AI applications.

What fuels this extraordinary growth? Three fundamental pillars stand out.

The first is a solid foundation of power supply. AI development fundamentally depends on electricity. China possesses the world’s largest and most advanced power supply system, with total installed capacity reaching 3.95 billion kilowatts and a continuously expanding share of clean energy. Converting watts efficiently into tokens is essential. Without power, AI simply cannot function.

The second is China’s strength in computing power. Superior computing infrastructure accelerates token processing and reduces unit costs, while advanced algorithms enhance output quality and increase token utilization frequency. 

National initiatives such as “Eastern Data, Western Computing” and coordinated computing-power systems have built a robust computing network. Continued breakthroughs by technology companies in inference chips and model architectures mean that Chinese large models are not only capable, but also more efficient and cost-effective.

The third is a sound application ecosystem. Tokens serve as the bridge between technological supply and real-world demand. From financial risk control and cross-border e-commerce operations to short-video generation, tokens are being transformed into tangible productivity. 

Behind a daily token call volume in the hundreds of trillions lies a vast array of high-frequency, large-scale and sustainable commercial applications, forming a virtuous cycle of data supply and value realization.

Some analysts have noted that China is building a competitive advantage in what can be called the “token economy,” laying out the entire value chain from energy and computing power to models and applications.

When assessing China’s AI competitiveness through the lens of the token economy, it is clear that the country’s strength lies not in fleeting competition over scale, but in persistent long-termism.

China has laid out clear targets: by 2027, it aims to promote the in-depth application of 3 to 5 general large models in manufacturing and roll out 1,000 high-level industrial intelligent agents.

The outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) has explicitly called for the full implementation of the “AI Plus” initiative to empower all industries across the board.

Furthermore, the government work report has underscored goals to forge new forms of smart economy and advance the large-scale commercial application of AI in key sectors.

Taken together, these form a cohesive strategic blueprint with sustained policy momentum, painting a broad and promising picture for China’s AI development.

Another emerging consensus is that China’s approach to open source is becoming an important force in shaping the global AI technology stack. Large models such as DeepSeek have been made open to the world, helping support digital infrastructure development in Africa and providing solutions such as industrial visual inspection for factories in Southeast Asia. 

From open-source models to shared capabilities, this collaborative approach not only accelerates the evolution of China’s AI industry, but also empowers the global innovation ecosystem and promotes more inclusive access to technology.

In this long run toward the future, China is not developing itself behind closed doors, but is committed to a people-centered, AI-for-good vision featuring fairness, inclusiveness and collaborative governance. China’s response to the intelligent era is inscribed in every dynamic, pulsing token.