Nigeria Times

An entertainment outfit, the Miss Glam World Shining Star yesterday held the Queens for Peace and Security Conference to commemorate the 2023 Armed Forces Remembrance Day at the Treasure Suites and Conferences, Central Business District, Abuja.

In her address to the mammoth crowd that graced the occasion, the Convener of the Queens for Peace Project, Queen Sarah Bulus called on the Nigerian youths to become more actively involved with the security of lives and property in and around their domains as security is a collective business.

According to her, “as youths, we must become active stakeholders in the security of lives around us through effective intelligence gathering and sharing with relevant the Nigerian Armed Forces to enable them protect us and function more efficiently”.

In attendance at the conference were Beauty Queens across the country with the aim of getting a large coterie of Beauty Queens, female activists and young women to strongly advocate for peace and national security considering its devastating effect.

High point of the event was the inauguration of the Nigerian Queens for Peace and Security Ambassadors with the task to embark on peace and security advocacy visits to IDP camps and rural communities where potential terrorists and dissidents will be dissuaded from following the wrong path as a preemptive security approach.

The Coalition of Arewa Youths for Zero Corruption, a think-tank for anti-corruption and transparency with the vision of eradicating corruption in the Nigerian civil and public service has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other security agencies to immediately swing into action and sanction organisations whose ranking on the Integrity Report was very low to serve as a deterrent to others.

Recall that the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission’s (ICPC) had recently released 2022 Integrity Report that rated 52 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as High Corruption Risk (HCR).

The group in a statement signed and made available to journalists in Abuja, the National Coordinator, Mallam Aliyu Bello Mohammed also commended MDAs that performed exceedingly well in the 2022 Integrity Report despite challenges and distractions from within and outside their organisations.

The statement described the high performance of certain ministries, parastatals and agencies they have been monitoring and engaging with as highly exceptional, adding that they have shown to the whole world that a corrupt free Nigeria is possible.

According to Mallam Aliyu Bello Mohammed “we had expected that agencies such as National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT), Ministry of Education and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) we be indicted due to the many running battles they had with host communities and stakeholders from within and outside but to our greatest surprise, they complied fully with the ICPC integrity test with outstanding results.

“As transparency ambassadors, we call on other agencies, parastatals and ministries who either failed the integrity test or did not respond to the enquiry possibly for fear of indictment to emulate them and follow their template for fighting corruption. They should be chosen and appointed as transparency consultants so that they can share their secrets and strategies with other organisations”.

The group however, expressed displeasure with some top government agencies, ministries and agencies that have been listed as High Corruption Risk (HCR) as highlighted by the ICPC in the 2022 Integrity Report released via its Twitter page on the 12th of January 2023.

“It is appalling that despite the anti-corruption stance of the present adminstration, some 52 MDAs were classified as having ‘High Corruption Risk (HCR)’ by the ICPC. Their failure to respond to an Ethics and Integrity (EICS) enquiry filed by the commission in the year 2022 can best be described as complicity and a desperate attempt to hide their unethical practices. We therefore call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other security agencies to immediately swing into action and sanction organisations whose ranking on the Integrity Report was very low to serve as a deterrent to others”, the statement added.

While commending the President Muhammadu Buhari led government and ICPC for doing a very professional and timely audit into the performance of MDAs, the group insisted that agencies that have failed to comply with the Ethics and Integrity Enquiry and those that performed very poorly in key performance indicators like the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) must be compelled, using all legal instruments available to enforce their compliance. According to the statement “no stone must be left unturned in the fight to finish and eradicate corruption in Nigeria”

By Luo Shanshan, Wang Yongzhan, People’s Daily

Foreign-funded companies have remained upbeat about the development prospects in China, continuously expanding their presence in the country since the beginning of this year.

Recently, a set of new-generation digital power quality equipment rolled off the production line at a factory of Schneider Electric in Xiamen, southeast China’s Fujian province. A new flexible production line also started operation at the factory.

China has become Schneider Electric‘s second-largest market in the world, as well as an important supply chain base and one of the four major research and development (R&D) bases of the company.

In Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan province, European aircraft manufacturer Airbus has been orderly promoting its first aircraft lifecycle service project outside Europe.

In 2023, an important task for China is to make greater efforts to attract and utilize foreign investment. By properly shortening the negative list for foreign investment access, continuing to build a first-class business environment, providing better services for foreign-funded enterprises and facilitating business cooperation and exchanges, China has constantly promoted high-level opening up and improved the quality and level of trade and investment cooperation.

On the first day of 2023, the 2022 edition of the Catalogue of Encouraged Industries for Foreign Investment went into effect. This version contains 1,474 items, with 239 newly-added items and 167 revised ones compared with the 2020 version.

Foreign companies investing in the included industries can enjoy favorable policies such as tax reduction and exemption, as well as priority in land supply.

More encouraged industries for foreign investment and a less negative list for its access have indicated China’s ongoing efforts to attract foreign investment.

In recent years, China has continuously lowered the threshold for foreign investment. Items on the negative lists nationwide and for pilot free trade zones (FTZs) have been cut to 31 and 27, respectively. Opening up has been basically achieved in the manufacturing sector and steadily promoted in the agricultural and service industries.

Nowadays, the service industry has become a major sector that attracts foreign investment to China.

The State Council recently released a circular, approving the launch of a pilot project to expand opening up the service sector in six cities, including Shenyang, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Wuhan, Guangzhou and Chengdu.

The pilot project had previously been carried out in five places including Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Hainan and Chongqing. Nearly 70 innovative policies have been rolled out in Beijing in areas including R&D of the sci-tech sector and financial services for the real economy, and 151 differentiated pilot measures have been launched in four places including Tianjin, accelerating the opening up of the service sector.

Thanks to the pilot project launched in Chongqing and other projects such as the Chongqing and the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity, ICHAM Pte. Ltd., a Singaporean company, obtained a license for conducting Qualified Domestic Limited Partner (QDLP) business in Chongqing and set up a wholly-owned subsidiary in the city.

“By obtaining the license, we can carry out financing activities in China and invest in Singapore and other overseas markets. In 2023, we’ll actively conduct business and build a two-way cross-border channel for financing and investment between China and the international market,” said Chen Peiliang, president of the subsidiary.

The annual Central Economic Work Conference recently proposed to grant foreign-funded enterprises national treatment, guarantee equal participation of foreign-funded enterprises in government procurement, bidding, and standard setting in accordance with the law, and increase the protection of intellectual property rights and the legitimate rights and interests of foreign investors.

The foreign investment law, which came into effect on Jan. 1, 2020, is China’s fundamental law in the area of foreign investment. It sets out unified requirements for the access, promotion, protection and management of foreign investment.

Long Guoqiang, deputy head of the Development Research Center of the State Council, pointed out that China has abolished laws, regulations and normative documents that ran counter to the foreign investment law for three consecutive years, and has carried out the formulation, revision and abolition of over 500 documents. This effort will be continued in the future, Long said.

“We officially kicked off the project only more than 6 months after signing the letter of intent. The Chinese government significantly improved the efficiency of services,” said Hu Yongdong, an executive from Airbus, mentioning the complex aircraft lifecycle service project that involves multiple business sectors.

Hu expressed that to push forward the project, departments from Sichuan province and Chengdu city were proactively engaged in matchmaking, actively enhanced coordination, and innovated cooperation models, greatly relieving financial pressure on the company in advancing the project.

An official from China’s Ministry of Commerce expressed that the country will continue to enhance investment facilitation and ramp up support for foreign investors, solve problems in the operation and construction of projects, and provide greater convenience for foreign investors in carrying out trade and investment activities in China.

The energetic Chinese economy has delivered enormous opportunities for foreign-funded companies, said Yin Zheng, executive vice president of Schneider Electric.

By He Yin, People’s Daily

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

At the beginning of 2023, China signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the joint construction of the BRI with Turkmenistan and signed an updated MoU on the BRI with the Philippines. This fully demonstrated that the BRI meets the needs of world development, conforms to the expectations of the international community, and always enjoys strong resilience and vitality.

The Belt and Road cooperation embraces the historical trend of economic globalization, responds to the call for improving the global governance system and meets people’s longing for a better life, which is the fundamental reason why it always has strong resilience and vitality.

So far, China has signed more than 200 BRI cooperation agreements with 151 countries and 32 international organizations.

In its latest Global Economic Prospects report released on Jan. 10, the World Bank slashed its 2023 global economic growth forecast to 1.7 percent, 1.3 percentage points lower than what it projected last June.

As economic globalization is encountering headwinds and global economic recovery is in the doldrums, the joint construction of the BRI has shown a more important role in boosting the economic growth of relevant countries and regions and promoting the common development of all countries.

A research report released by the World Bank in 2019 showed that transportation infrastructure projects under the BRI, if fully implemented, would generate $1.6 trillion in benefits annually in global revenue by 2030 — accounting for 1.3 percent of global GDP.

More countries will carry out high-quality cooperation under the framework of the BRI, which will be the prevailing trend.

The BRI was proposed by China, yet it generates opportunities and benefits for the entire world.

The initiative has provided new platforms for international trade and investment. Data showed that the cumulative value of trade in goods between China and countries along the BRI routes reached nearly $11 trillion from 2013 to 2021, while the two-way investment hit more than $230 billion.

The initiative has also promoted infrastructure connectivity and made new contributions to the well-being of the people in various countries.

High-quality BRI cooperation conforms to the trend of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The cooperation has injected new vitality into the ancient Silk Road by seizing opportunities of digital, Internet-based and intelligent development, fostering new growth drivers, exploring new development pathways, and building the digital Silk Road and the Silk Road of innovation.

Martin Albrow, a British sociologist noted for his works on globalization, pointed out that the BRI has connected China’s peaceful development with the prosperity and happiness of the whole world.

As an important international public good China has provided for the world to help improve global governance, high-quality BRI cooperation draws on past experience, values innovation, takes the initiative, emphasizes seeking common ground while reserving differences, and promotes incremental reform of the existing international order and rules.

The BRI and its guiding principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits have been included in relevant documents of the United Nations, the Group of 20 (G20), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and other organizations, becoming an important consensus on global governance.

The establishment of multilateral development institutions and cooperation platforms, such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Silk Road Fund, will contribute to the building of a fairer and more reasonable global governance system.

From visionary blueprints to intensive implementation, the BRI has taken a journey from taking roots to achieving sustainable progress. China’s “circle of friends” for joint construction of the BRI has expanded continuously, while the BRI’s quality of cooperation has kept improving and its development prospects have grown more promising.

China will consider holding the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation this year to provide fresh impetus for the development and prosperity of the world.

At a new starting point, China is ready to work together with various parties to continue promoting high-quality construction of the road for peace, prosperity, opening up, green development, innovation, and connected civilizations, so that the initiative, a project of the century, will better benefit people across the world.

By Jiang Xuan, People’s Daily

A report recently released by the GSMA, an international association of mobile operators, indicated that by the end of 2021, more than 500 million people had subscribed to mobile services in Sub-Saharan Africa, representing 46 percent of the population.

There will be 613 million total subscribers by 2025, representing 50 percent of the region’s population, according to the report titled “The Mobile Economy Sub-Saharan Africa 2022.” Nigeria, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Kenya will account for more than half of the new subscribers, the report said.

With a total population of more than 210 million, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. The country has a young population and the median age is around 18 years, boasting enormous potential for consumption. Regarding digitalization as an important tool for boosting the economy, the Nigerian government has taken a series of measures to advance digitalization.

In August 2019, the Nigerian government rolled out the National e-Government Master Plan, starting to implement the Nigeria Digital Governance Foundation Building Project 2020-2026. Two months later, Nigeria’s Ministry of Communications got a new name – the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy. This change showed that Nigeria started to take intensified efforts to promote the digital economy.

In March 2020, Nigeria unveiled the National Broadband Plan (2020-2025), putting relevant telecom infrastructure projects on the list of the nation’s key infrastructure projects. In June 2022, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the Presidential Council on Digital Economy and E-government, pledging to improve the ability of the government to develop, apply, and deploy digital technologies, improve efficiency and transparency of the government and promote business facilitation.

High costs and poor accessibility to broadband Internet services and mobile Internet devices used to hinder the development of Nigeria’s digital economy. In recent years, many Chinese smartphone brands with competitive prices and quality started to enter the Nigerian market, driving the development of the local digital economy.

According to government data, smartphone shipments in Nigeria reached about 8 million in 2022, with Chinese brands among the top-ranked brands in terms of market share. Transsion Holdings, a China-based smartphone manufacturer, accounted for about 60 percent of the market share of Nigeria in 2022, and other Chinese smartphone brands including Xiaomi, OPPO, and Vivo together accounted for about 20 percent of the market share.

Ikenna Emewu, a Nigerian media professional, introduced that as a vital part of the digital economy, smartphones account for more than 84 percent of the total Internet connections in Africa.

Chinese enterprises have made smartphones affordable for more African citizens. Statistics from the Nigerian Communications Commission showed that by June 2022, there were more than 150 million mobile Internet users in Nigeria, and the Internet penetration rate stood at around 70 percent.

In recent years, Chinese enterprises have assisted Nigeria in speeding up the construction of communication infrastructure. Chinese telecom giant Huawei has helped Nigeria design and build the “galaxy backbone network,” which underpins the communications network that has been basically established in Nigeria. The 5G network deployed by Huawei in Nigeria will further improve Nigeria’s network infrastructure.

Chinese enterprises have actively invested in Nigeria’s Internet finance, shopping, movie, and music sectors, firmly supporting the development of the country’s Internet industry.

Stephen Oni, an Internet media entrepreneur in Nigeria, expressed that after entering Lagos, the economic hub of Nigeria, which is also known as Africa’s “Silicon Valley,” Chinese enterprises have helped the city become the most invested market for startups in Africa where many renowned local Internet enterprises have emerged, helping Nigeria’s digital economy move toward prosperity.

Lakemfa Owei, an international affairs expert from Nigeria, believes that Nigeria’s digital economy enjoys a very broad prospect for development and Chinese experience is very helpful.

By He Yin, People’s Daily

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing recently during the latter’s state visit to China.

The two heads of state announced the elevation of the China-Turkmenistan relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, reached important consensus on advancing the building of a China-Turkmenistan community with a shared future, and witnessed the signing of agreements on cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and cooperation in other fields.

This marks China’s success in establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership, advancing the building of a community with a shared future for mankind at the bilateral level, and signing BRI cooperation documents with all five Central Asian countries.

With similar visions and goals as well as intertwined interests, China and Turkmenistan have achieved fruitful results in exchanges and cooperation in multiple fields and at all levels, and seen their bilateral friendly ties grow from strength to strength under the strategic guidance of the two countries’ heads of state.

The two countries’ decisions to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership, continuously deepen bilateral cooperation across the board, and build a China-Turkmenistan community with a shared future is expected to push forward the development of their bilateral relations at a higher level.

Building a China-Turkmenistan community with a shared future is an endeavor that enables the two sides to further deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, better accommodate each other’s concerns, and reinforce their everlasting friendship on the basis of mutual respect, candor, mutual trust, and mutual benefit.

The two sides should support each other on issues concerning their core interests and respect each other’s pursuit of a development path suited to their own national conditions.

It is important for the two countries to synergize their development strategies at a faster pace, make full use of such mechanisms as the China-Turkmenistan Cooperation Committee, and continue to expand the breadth and depth of cooperation, in order to create underpinnings for bilateral relations with tangible cooperation outcomes.

The two sides should deepen cooperation on law enforcement, security and bio-security, and jointly crack down on the three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism, to build strong security shields for the development of both countries.

The two sides also need to increase exchanges in various fields and at all levels, advance people-to-people cooperation, and strengthen the emotional bond between their peoples, so as to consolidate the popular and social foundation for the sustained and sound development of bilateral ties.

These efforts are conducive to the two countries’ national development and rejuvenation and can help improve the well-being of their people. 

The further elevation of the China-Turkmenistan relationship mirrors the high-level development of the relations between China and Central Asian countries.

Thirty-one years ago, China took the lead in establishing diplomatic ties with Central Asian countries, opening the door to bilateral exchanges and cooperation. Over the past 31 years, China and Central Asian countries have blazed a new trail of good-neighborly friendship and win-win cooperation, and set a good example of fostering a new type of international relations.

As Xi pointed out at the Virtual Summit to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations Between China and Central Asian Countries, which was held last January, no matter how the international landscape may evolve or how developed China may grow, China will always remain a good neighbor, a good partner, a good friend, and a good brother that Central Asian countries can trust and count on.

The establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and each of the five Central Asian countries and their jointly pursuing a community with a shared future for mankind at the bilateral level help safeguard regional peace, stability, development, and prosperity.

The China + Central Asia (C+C5) cooperation mechanism, as a new mechanism established for promoting cooperation between China and Central Asian countries, is open and transparent, mutually beneficial, equitable, and pragmatic. It has provided an important platform for deepening all-round cooperation between China and Central Asian countries.

The success of the first C+C5 summit will bring into fully play the guiding role of the head-of-state diplomacy, promote new progress in the relations between China and Central Asian countries, and help both sides better cope with common challenges.

Central Asia is where the BRI was first proposed. Upholding the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, China and Central Asian countries have empowered the BRI to bear rich fruits in Central Asia, bringing tangible benefits to local people of the region.

Under the framework of the alignment of the BRI with the development strategies of Central Asian countries, China and Central Asian countries have made a series of historic, landmark and groundbreaking achievements.

The China-Central Asia Gas Pipeline, the longest of its kind in the world, delivered more than 400 billion cubic meters of natural gas to China as of June 2022; the completion of the Kamchiq Tunnel of the Angren–Pap railway line in Uzbekistan has utterly changed the way of traveling of more than 10 million people; the establishment of the China-Kazakhstan Horgos International Border Cooperation Center and the China-Kazakhstan International Logistics Base has opened the door to the Pacific Ocean for Central Asian countries; and the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan highway has officially opened to traffic, becoming an unimpeded international transport artery that passes through lofty mountains.

The two sides’ efforts to continue promoting the high-quality construction of the BRI and accelerating the alignment of their development strategies will further boost economic development, improve people’s well-being, consolidate friendly ties, and enhance mutual trust in the region.

As a Chinese saying goes, neighbors wish each other well, just as loved ones do to each other. Acting on the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness and the policy of forging friendships and partnerships with its neighbors, China strives to enhance friendly ties, mutual trust, and converging interests with its neighboring countries.

By renewing their friendship, advancing cooperation, and working together to build a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future, China and Central Asian countries will make greater contributions to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

“This is my second visit to Xinjiang, and it feels like I’m back home,” said Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of The World Muslim Communities Council, who recently led a delegation to northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region at the invitation of the local government.

The delegation, which consisted of more than 30 world-renowned Islamic figures and scholars from 14 countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Tunisia, arrived in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang, on Jan. 8.

The delegation visited a thematic exhibition on Xinjiang’s fight against terrorism and extremism at the Xinjiang International Convention and Exhibition Center in Urumqi, where they saw physical exhibits and learned about cases of counter-terrorism and de-radicalization in Xinjiang, and gained a better understanding of the current situation of counter-terrorism and de-radicalization in the region.

Many members of the delegation expressed support and high recognition for Xinjiang’s efforts and achievements in counter-terrorism and de-radicalization.

Osama al-Azhari, Egyptian Presidential Adviser for Religious Affairs[u1] , said that China’s counter-terrorism policies have been very successful and helped people of various ethnic groups live together in peace. China’s experience in fighting terrorism bears great significance for the efforts of various countries to effectively combat terrorism, he noted.

At the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum in Urumqi, members of the delegation stayed for a long time in front of exhibition boards showing information about the ancient Silk Road. They reviewed the several thousand years of history of exchanges between their own countries and China and talked freely about the prospects for cooperation with China.

China is a major country with global influence and has been contributing to global economic recovery in recent years, said Mustafa Cerić, former Grand Mufti of Bosnia and Herzegovina, adding that he hopes that China will continue sharing development opportunities with the rest of the world.

Members of the delegation showed great interest in the Twelve Muqams, a traditional art form known as the “Mother of Uygur Music”. They used their mobile phones to record the melodious tunes and wonderful dances while enjoying performances of the Twelve Muqams, which has been listed among the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage items in China.

The Chinese government has made tremendous efforts to protect intangible cultural heritage of Xinjiang and has promoted it globally, which is of great significance to the diversity of civilization, pointed out Mauritanian writer Abdallah Uld Mohamadi Bah[u2] .

At Yanghang Mosque in Tianshan district of Urumqi, members of the delegation joined local Muslims of various ethnic groups in performing the Salat al Asr (afternoon prayer). The delegation also visited Xinjiang Islamic Institute in Urumqi, where members of the delegation talked about the principles of Islam with students and teachers of the school.

Before the visit to Xinjiang, Serbian Mufti Mevlud ef. Dudić had only seen China on TV and in newspapers, according to the mufti, who said that he has finally seen with his own eyes how his fellow Muslims live in peace and happiness in Xinjiang.

During their visit to the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar, one of the most famous landmarks in Urumqi, members of the delegation were fascinated by various kinds of dried fruits, Atlas silk, a time-honored type of cloth used by Uygur women for centuries, and other specialties of the autonomous region.

They talked cordially and took photos with people at the bazaar, while shop assistants were busy packing the tourist souvenirs and local specialties they bought from the shops in the bazaar before sending them to their countries.

While visiting the Urumqi International Land Port Area in Urumqi, members of the delegation observed the operations of the China-Europe freight trains and ports in Xinjiang, including the Alashankou port and the Horgos port, through real-time video link, and gasped with admiration at the rich fruits Xinjiang has achieved in pushing forward with the opening-up and high-quality construction of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

With sound infrastructure, human resources, as well as other conditions for economic development, Xinjiang can play an important role in making the trade between China and countries along the routes of the BRI smoother, more convenient, and faster, said Sara Falaknaz, a member of the Federal National Council of the UAE. 

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埃及总统宗教事务顾问奥萨马名字不确定，翻译参考以下报道https://egyptindependent.com/egyptian-presidential-advisor-steps-into-sheikh-shaarawi-controversy/

毛里塔尼亚作家阿布达拉的名字不确定，翻译参考以下网址https://www.banipal.co.uk/contributors/1171/abdallah-uld-mohamadi–bah/

By Ouyang Jie, People’s Daily

China’s optimization of COVID-19 response measures is leading to a rebound in the catering industry.

Restaurants across the country have resumed dine-in services and are preparing for a peak period that may arrive with the upcoming Chinese New Year, which will fall on Jan. 22.

Sanlitun, a popular shopping area favored by young people in Beijing’s Chaoyang district, is currently seeing a recovery in foot traffic, and that includes a restaurant of Haidilao, a leading hot pot restaurant chain in China, at Sanlitun SOHO, a shopping-residence-business complex.

“Today we will probably serve over 200 tables, and dozens of tables have already been booked at noon. Reservations just get frequent as the Chinese New Year approaches, which will keep us busier,” said Xu Bin, manager of the hot pot restaurant. 

Over the past year, the restaurant’s business performance went through ups and downs. Fortunately, it is getting better these days.

The restaurant resumed operation on Dec. 7 last year after a short suspension of dine-in services. Its business remained gloomy in the first few days, but has turned better since Dec. 16.

Xu told People’s Daily that the number of diners at night recently was sometimes as many as that before the breakout of COVID-19, which boosted the turnover of the restaurant.

“The foot traffic in other periods of time is also recovering, and it would increase 30 percent on weekends,” Xu said.

According to Chinese internet giant Meituan, the dining industry has recovered across the country to different extents since Dec. 8, 2022, and foot traffic has kept growing.

For instance, the number of online reservations for dine-in services received by restaurants in Guangzhou, south China’s Guangdong province since December has more than doubled from that in the previous stage.

Urumqi, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, has seen a 413 percent weekly growth since Dec. 8 in the number of online reservations for dine-in services.

At noon on Dec. 18, 2022, couriers were seen entering and exiting a mini hot pot restaurant in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan province. Jiang Sanchun, owner of the restaurant, said over 150 delivery orders had flooded in.

This restaurant, which covers only some 60 square meters, is located in an alley of Chengdu’s Jinjiang district. Its dine-in and delivery services are both recovering thanks to the optimized COVID-19 response measures recently announced by China.

“We serve 80 to 100 tables of dine-in customers per day, and delivery orders are growing fast that we receive more than 300 of them on a daily basis,” Jiang said.

Jiang estimated that the business would recover faster, saying his restaurant was fully prepared.

His restaurant sits near to a business district, but its foot traffic was not stable in recent years. Therefore, the restaurant joined an online delivery platform to expand its service range and improve its digital operation. Now, over 60 percent of the restaurant’s revenue comes from delivery service.

Many catering enterprises made innovations amid COVID-19, expanding their online sales channels and integrating online and offline services so as to recover their business.

“Through technological innovation and information sharing, delivery platforms are able to help catering enterprises enhance their capability in digitalization and improve their efficiency in digital operation,” said an employee of Meituan.

According to the employee, Meituan has launched a special service that invites professionals in the food delivery sector to offer training and guidance for inexperienced small- and medium-sized restaurants.

As of mid-November last year, over 70,000 small- and medium-sized restaurants in China had gotten the service for free, and their monthly revenue had increased by nearly 30 percent each.

To help catering enterprises tide over difficulties, a series of policies were issued in China. In early 2022, the National Development and Reform Commission and other departments unveiled measures to guide online food delivery platforms to lower service charge and assist catering enterprises with insurance and loan renewal. In May, the State Council launched a package of policies that would give stronger support to catering and other sectors under pressure. In June, the Ministry of Commerce, together with other 10 departments, issued a notice requesting efforts to recover the catering industry in six aspects.

“Though we are still going to face challenges in the new year, the catering industry will accelerate its steps toward recovery with the optimization of COVID-19 response measures,” said Yang Liu, secretary-general of the China Cuisine Association.