Nigeria Times

By Zhao Peng, Sun Haitian

Driving along the coast of Haikou, the capital city of south China’s Hainan province, all the way west, people would be attracted by a huge facility that resembles a blooming begonia flower. That’s Haikou International Duty Free Shopping Complex, the world’s largest stand-alone duty-free shopping mall. It just opened in Haikou a few days ago.

Located close to Xinhai Port, a key transportation hub in Haikou, the new shopping complex boasts a construction area of around 289,000 square meters, which is equivalent to the size of 39 football fields. It has four floors above ground and two floors underground. A tour of the entire facility by foot would make a trip of more than four kilometers.

Inspired by begonia flowers and the sea, the architectural design of the shopping mall features dynamic and elegant curves. The atrium of the shopping mall is filled with elements of tropical rainforest. In the atrium, there is a giant glass curtain wall, which is 11.3 meters high. The curtain wall reflects the splendid and mysterious tropical rainforest-themed atrium like a mirror. Visitors would be immediately attracted by the curtain wall as soon as they enter the mall and feel as if they were in a jungle as they look around.

As an important part of the tropical rainforests in the world, tropical rainforests in Hainan represent the most concentrated, best-preserved, and largest contiguous tropical rainforests in China.

The thematic design of the shopping mall’s atrium, which is named AURA, not only agrees with the local conditions of Hainan province but also conveys the idea of green consumption to consumers.

In fact, the shopping complex has tried to be environmentally friendly in every link of its design and construction, as well as in every aspect of its operations.

During the planning and design period, the facility adopted a good number of design concepts for energy conservation to reduce its comprehensive energy consumption, including natural lighting, sponge city, cyclic utilization of rainwater, intelligent lighting, and contactless payment.

In particular, the novel design of the large glazed glass dome with a hollow center enables the facility to effectively use natural light, thus saving more than 10 percent of the amount of electricity consumed for indoor lighting.

The shopping mall has vigorously promoted green construction and management through measures targeting many aspects, including energy management, building materials, and pollution prevention and control.

In addition, since it entered operation, the facility has leveraged big data platforms to make use of low-carbon technologies and achievements in environmental protection.

These efforts have made the mega shopping mall a low-carbon facility.

On its first day of business, the new shopping mall received more than 44,000 visitors, while the number of individual visitors on the online shopping platform of China Duty Free Group Co., Ltd. (CDFG), the operator of the shopping mall, reached two million.

On the same day, the 11 offshore duty-free shops in Hainan reported a record high of more than 700 million yuan ($96.18 million) in total sales.

As more and more consumers have shifted from foreign countries to Hainan for overseas products in recent years, the annual sales of offshore duty-free shops in Hainan grew from 990 million yuan in 2012, when the province officially rolled out the offshore duty-free shopping policy, to 49.5 billion yuan last year.

Over the past 11 years, the policy has been adjusted eight times, with the annual tax-free shopping quota being increased from 5,000 yuan to 100,000 yuan per person and the number of categories of duty-free goods expanding from 18 to 45.

By 2021, the annual sales of offshore duty-free products in Hainan had risen more than 10 times, the total sales of duty-free products had exceeded 100 billion yuan, and the annual growth rate of the sales of duty-free products in the province had averaged 44.6 percent.

Last year, sales of duty-free products accounted for half of Hainan’s tourism revenue, the share of duty-free goods imports in the total imports of Hainan reached one-third, and the sales of such goods contributed one-fourth of the total retail sales of consumer goods in the province.

With offshore duty-free shopping experience in Hainan being continuously improved and upgraded, the policy is propelling the high-quality economic development of the entire province. 

The newly opened shopping mall has gathered more than 800 international and domestic brands, among which 25 brands have been introduced to duty-free shops in Hainan for the first time and 78 brands are sold exclusively in shops operated by the CDF in Hainan. The opening of the mall marked an increase in the total area of offshore duty-free shops in Hainan from 220,000 square meters to 490,000 square meters.

In an effort to attract more tourists, Hainan has planned to issue 53 million yuan worth of tourism consumption coupons between Oct. 27 and Dec. 31.

It’s believed that the world’s largest stand-alone duty-free shopping mall will usher in brighter prospects for the economic development of Hainan province.

The first Hainan International Offshore Duty-Free Shopping Festival, which kicked off in Sanya, Hainan province, on June 28, will last until the end of the year, according to a white paper on the tourism retail market of the Hainan Free Trade Port, which disclosed that the Wangfujing International Duty-Free Port will start operation in January 2023 in Wanning city, Hainan province.

The white paper predicted that if Hainan continues to maintain its current growth momentum, it will become the world’s largest duty-free market in a short time.

Cultural exchange has been described as a tool for the enhancement of friendship between peoples and nations.

This is the reason for the 2022 Annual China-Nigeria Cultural Fiesta, Singing and Dancing competition jointly organized by the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory Secondary Education Board (SEB), held at the China Cultural Center in Abuja.

Mr Li Xuda, Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in his welcome address, said the fiesta provides an excellent opportunity for students in FCT schools to acquire cultural knowledge, showcase their talents and win great prizes in return.

His words, “As you know, a long and fruitful relationship has already been built between the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria and the FCT Secondary Education Board through the joint organization of the China-Nigeria Cultural Fiesta for many years.

“Today, the fiesta has developed into a well-known cultural brand in FCT, especially as our students from China-Corner schools eagerly look forward to its opening every year so they can fully display their talents and win big awards.

“Teenagers are the future of a country and culture is very critical to their personal development and national progress. China-Nigeria Cultural Fiesta provides an important platform for our FCT school students to learn cultural knowledge, master cultural skills and enhance cultural awareness so that they can make valuable contributions to building a more civilized and beautiful country.”

In his keynote address, Muhammed Sani Ladan, Director of FCT-SEB, who was represented at the event by Aishatu Sani Alhassan, Director School Services thanked the Chinese Embassy for their continuous collaboration and urged participating students to use the fiesta to learn new cultures, socialize and have fun.

“May I bring to your notice that the China-Nigeria Cultural Fiesta is one of the oldest activities engaged by the two parties since the inception of this collaboration. It has provided immense opportunity for cultural exchange and schools have benefitted from the valuable prizes attached to the competition annually. Today our students are dressed in Chinese costumes courtesy of the Embassy and they are happy to appear as Nigerian Chinese. That is a feat that has been achieved in cultural diplomacy,” he said.

“Apart from this event, the Embassy and the Board engage in the celebration of Spring Festival, Temple Fair, Health Lectures in Schools, Award of Scholarship to students, capacity building of staff in China and so many other interventions in education and culture. We are grateful for all the beneficial bilateral relations and we hope to see more of them.

“The Chinese corners that are established in Eleven Schools have been up and doing and as a result of that, Chinese language learning, Chinese songs and dances, as well as Nigerian dances are all products of the Chinese corners. The book, serials and internet services provided in the corners by the Embassy equally helps to improve their academic performances,” he added.

12 schools in the FCT took part in the contest divided into three categories namely Chinese Dance, Nigerian Dance and Chinese Song.

After series of breathtaking performances from the students, Government Day Secondary School, Dutse won first position for both Chinese and Nigerian Dance, while Army Day Secondary School, Asokoro emerged winner in Chinese Song category.

Rahama International Academy Suleja and Government Secondary School, Apo came second and third IN Chinese Dance, while Government Secondary School, Npappe and Government Girls Secondary School, Dutse emerged second and third in the Nigerian Dance category. 

Similarly, Government Secondary School, Byazhin and Government Secondary School Jabi came second and third in the Chinese Song category respectively.

Highlight of the event was the presentation of prizes to winners and consolation prizes to other participating schools.

It was a Thursday of fun, laughter, and excitement for the children of Prime Iqrah School, Ishashi Road, Iba, Lagos.

The school bubbled with cultural activities, especially a blend of exotic and local cultures.

The Nigeria-China Culture Exchange that day took its cultural festivities to the school as a partner.

This has been the tradition of the group led by Dr. Eric Ni, a Chinese national who has become so popular in Lagos for his passion and pursuit over 15 years that promote cultural awareness, and exchange between the two worlds.

That day, the school was inducted as a partner of the Exchange. The group brought gifts, Chinese dances, costumes, songs, folktales, and the prominent dragon dance.

Young men and women participated in the activities and they all belong to Ni’s cultural troupe where he has over the years trained the Nigerian young ladies and men in Chinese dances, songs, and others.

The men also participated in dragon dances, wushu, martial arts, and many others.

In the past, the group had hosted a lot of festivities at different locations such as the wushu competitions that it hosted at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos in August 2021.

As the school children had fun, some were rewarded with monetary gifts, books, souvenirs, and many others that depict their participation in the cultural exchange and also assisted them to learn more about the cultures of the two countries.

While the school management and the exchange group spoke, they emphasised that when Nigerians and Chinese citizens know each other’s culture, they would be better friendships and understanding.

Some of the children took part in quizzes on the cultural heritage and other similarities between Nigeria and China.

For instance, China and Nigeria share the same National Day on October 1. While China is the most populous country in Asia and the world, Nigeria is such in Africa. The two also share a commonality in the multi-ethnic composition of the population.

By Chang Biluo, People’s Daily

Guoyuan Port is playing a bigger and bigger role in the opening up of southwest China’s Chongqing municipality due to its unique geographic advantages.

It is linked with the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road by the Yangtze River Economic Belt to the east and connects the Silk Road Economic Belt via the westward China-Europe freight train routes. Besides, cargoes at the port can go all the way down to Qinzhou Port, in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region along the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, and be shipped overseas via the southern gateway.

Guoyuan Port, gathering factors of inland opening up, is improving its port functions and accelerating intelligent development. It has been approved as a port-based logistics hub at national level.

During an inspection tour to Guoyuan Port, Chinese President Xi Jinping requested Chongqing to better its opening up platforms and build itself into an inland international logistics hub.

Over recent years, the development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has provided a larger platform for Chongqing to “go global,” and the progress achieved by the Yangtze River Economic Belt better integrated Chongqing into the development of central and east China.

Guoyuan Port, building itself into an intelligent and green port for higher logistics efficiency, is a miniature of Chongqing’s efforts to expand its opening up channels.

Chongqing is currently striving for better construction, management, and operation of its ports, to serve the development of the BRI and the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and advance China’s western development program. It enjoys huge development potential and bright prospects.

Opening up leads to prosperity. The head of a foreign trade company told People’s Daily that the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor has cut shipping time by over 50 percent, and his company’s business in Southeast Asia is thriving.

Many enterprises doing business in Chongqing, seeing the dividends of opening up, are confident about the development of interior China.

Their confidence came from a series of facilitation measures adopted by the municipality. For instance, settlement by letter of credit and rail-ocean intermodal trains have significantly facilitated foreign trade enterprises; the pilot program of “ship-side direct pickup” of imported goods and “direct loading upon arrival” of exported goods has optimized the process of customs clearance; the single-window system has reduced customs clearance time by over 30 percent and cut enterprises’ comprehensive costs by over 20 percent.

Working to meet enterprises’ demands, giving play to policy advantages, improving service quality and optimizing supporting measures, Chongqing has widened its platforms of opening up and gradually built itself into a focus of opening-up in China’s interior.

The municipality’s opening up channels are of national influence and connect China with the rest of the world. They not only extend the industrial chain of the logistics sector and the value chain of the trade sector, but also boost regional development, bringing Chongqing, an interior municipality, much closer to the world.

“We will better plan regional opening up, consolidate the leading position of eastern coastal areas in opening up, and more widely open the central, western, and northeastern regions,” said Xi in the report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

Opening up and development shall not be exclusive to a certain area. Instead, it should be pursued by all regions. It calls for integrated resources, concerted efforts and coordinated steps.

Apart from Chongqing, all regions in west China are working to optimize their opening up platforms. An inter-region operation platform of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor is well underway. Provinces and municipalities along logistics channels are cooperating closely. New advantages of development are taking shape.

By adopting approaches that address both local and regional development, acting in light of local conditions, making science-based planning, conducting practical cooperation, and driving reform, development and innovation through opening up, inland areas will be better integrated into the national and even global economic and trade systems.

It is believed that inland areas, including Chongqing, will be able to promote high-quality development through higher-level opening up as long as they make unremitting efforts to smooth opening up channels, build opening up platforms and enhance inter-regional cooperation.

By Li Yingqi, Huo Wen, People’s Daily

“China is a builder of world peace and a contributor to global development. I appreciate the Global Development Initiative (GDI) proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping,” said B. Batbaatar, deputy chairperson of the Mongolian Civil Will-Green Party in a recent interview with People’s Daily.

The initiative fully indicates that China is committed to maintaining world peace and promoting win-win cooperation and the happiness of the people around the world, Batbaatar added.

Batbaatar said the GDI focuses on development issues faced by the world, especially developing countries, and will play an important role in promoting global development.

The governments of China and Mongolia issued a joint statement when Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene came to China for the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games in February this year.

The two sides agreed to further synergize the China-proposed GDI and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with Mongolia’s “Vision 2050” long-term development policy and the new revival policy, to expand cooperation in trade, investment, finance, minerals, energy, interconnectivity, infrastructure, digital economy and green development.

Batbaatar believes it is a practical measure to advance cooperation between the two countries.

Batbaatar has paid multiple visits to China, where he witnessed the country’s huge development progress.

He said China’s development experience is recognized by the international society, and Mongolia hopes to learn from such experience.

The Mongolian Civil Will-Green Party and the Communist Party of China (CPC) have launched various exchange activities. Many young cadres of the Mongolian party have visited China for study.

Batbaatar told People’s Daily that these young cadres are eager to visit China and expect to take courses on Chinese culture and the BRI.

The Mongolian editions of the first volume of “Xi Jinping: The Governance of China” and “Up and Out of Poverty” were released at a China-Mongolia seminar on state governance held in Ulan Bator in August, 2019. Batbaatar attended the seminar.

“I still vividly remember that day. President Xi’s works involve multiple areas such as politics, economy, culture and diplomacy, demonstrating his profound thinking and long-term vision on the past, the present and the future,” Batbaatar said.

“By reading these books, I gained a deeper understanding of the CPC’s guiding philosophy and strategic thinking,” he added.

Batbaatar believes it is impossible to comprehend China’s development achievements and valuable experience if one doesn’t associate the country’s progress with the CPC.

He said the CPC unites and leads the Chinese people in working ceaselessly for a better life, and has embarked on a new journey to fully build a modern socialist country.

“I believe China will make more glorious achievements under the leadership of the CPC,” Batbaatar said.

As a Mongolian saying goes, “Neighbors are connected at heart and share a common destiny.” The global spread of Covid-19 is causing great concern, China and Mongolia have offered mutual assistance to tide over difficulties.

For instance, central China’s Hubei province, once hard-hit by the pandemic, shipped local tea to Mongolia as gifts in appreciation of the latter’s previous donation of sheep in support of China’s COVID-19 fight.

Besides, China offered over four million doses of vaccines for Mongolia when Mongolia was experiencing the most difficult time in fighting the disease.

Batbaatar noted that China, as a friendly neighbor of Mongolia, has offered sincere assistance for his country, providing batches of vaccines.

China has also donated anti-pandemic materials to many other countries, worked to promote the fair, equitable allocation of COVID-19 vaccines around the world, and actively launched cooperation with other countries, he said.

“Unquestionably, China has made important contributions to global solidarity in the fight against COVID-19 and to the recovery of the global economy,” Batbaatar told People’s Daily.

Mongolians see Beijing as a “blessed land” as their country won its first Olympic gold medal during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Earlier this year, Batbaatar attended a Winter Olympics-themed activity collecting artworks showcasing the China-Mongolia friendship jointly held by the two sides. He was deeply impressed by the successful Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

“The Winter Olympics is a top sports event for people around the world. It is conducive to promoting solidarity and bridging differences,” Batbaatar said.

He noted that China has demonstrated to the world the charm of “Together for a Shared Future”, the official motto for 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, by delivering the games as scheduled and providing an important platform for promoting peace and friendship amid the pandemic.

By He Yin, People’s Daily

“Our Party has dedicated itself to achieving lasting greatness for the Chinese nation and committed itself to the noble cause of peace and development for humanity. Our responsibility is unmatched in importance, and our mission is glorious beyond compare,” said Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, in a report to the 20th CPC National Congress.

The congress profoundly revealed a message that the CPC always pursues the common good and universal harmony of the world.

At present, the international balance of power is undergoing profound adjustments. Unilateralism, protectionism, hegemonism, and power politics are posing greater threats to world peace and development, and the backlash against globalization is rising. The world has entered a newperiod of turbulence and change.

China focuses on the main goal of achieving national rejuvenation and promoting human progress, and holds high the banner of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit.

Chinese diplomacy showcases its own features, style and ethos of advancing with the times, responsibility, as well as openness and inclusiveness. It has won broad recognition and appraisal from the international society.

Xi, from the perspectives of the general trend of history and the international landscape, has made major innovations in both theories and practice in Chinese diplomacy, proposing a series of new ideas, new propositions and new initiatives with distinctive Chinese features, which reflect the call of the times and lead the trend of human progress.

Drawing wisdom from the fine traditional Chinese culture, Xi proposed to build a community with a shared future for mankind and foster a new type of international relations. He champions the common values of humanity, the right approach to justice and interests, the vision of global security, and the vision of global governance.

He inherits and carries forward the fine traditions of Chinese diplomacy and enriches Chinese diplomacy with new connotations. He put forward the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative and other major initiatives, and promoted the construction of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, New Development Bank and other multilateral financial organizations.

The Communist Party of China and the Chinese people have provided humanity with more Chinese insight, better Chinese input, and greater Chinese strength to help solve its common challenges and have made new and greater contributions to the noble cause of human peace and development.

Chinese diplomacy, forging ahead while making innovations in both theories and practice, is constantly making new contributions to the world.

Chinese diplomacy mirrors China’s broad mind to help others succeed while seeking its own success.

China continues to place its own development in the coordinate system of human development, seeing the interests of the Chinese people are integrated with the common interests of the peoples of other countries. It seeks common development through its friendly cooperation with other countries and strives for win-win results through its exchanges with the rest of the world.

By the end of 2021, China has built 79 zones for economic and trade cooperation in 24 countries along the BRI routes, investing $43 billion and creating 346,000 local jobs.

In the face of a once-in-a-century pandemic, China has stood in the forefront of international cooperation against COVID-19, sharing its containment protocols and diagnostic and treatment plans with over 180 countries as well as international organizations, sending 38 medical expert teams to 34 countries, providing over 2.2 billion doses of vaccines to more than 120 countries and international organizations.

Chinese diplomacy is open and inclusive. It showcases China’s broad mind.

China unswervingly builds an open world economy and pushes for an economic globalization that is more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial for all. It safeguards the diversity of civilizations, promotes dialogue and cooperation between civilizations, and pursues the shared human values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom.

The country advocates forging a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice, and win-win cooperation, pursues friendship and cooperation with all countries, and strives for a new approach to state-to-state relations.

It holds high the banner or true multilateralism and adheres to the vision of global governance characterized by consultation and cooperation for shared benefits, to make global governance fairer and more equitable.

Chinese diplomacy values friendship, takes responsibility, acts in good faith and seeks justice. China meets every commitment it has made.

To promote the construction of the BRI, the country has held two sessions of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which formed 270 and 283 deliverables, respectively.

To implement the GDI, China upgraded the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund to a Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, enhanced its investment in the China-UN Peace and Development Fund and set up a Global Development Promotion Center.

To enhance China-Africa cooperation, China and African countries will jointly carry out 10 major cooperation plans, eight major initiatives and nine programs.

China always adheres to its political commitments and faithfully fulfills its obligations when dealing with international affairs, so as to inject stability and certainty to the fast-changing world.

“When all countries pursue the cause of common good, we can live in harmony, engage in cooperation for mutual benefit and join hands to create a brighter future”, Xi said. China will stand firmly on the right side of history and on the side of human progress on the new journey in the new era. Although this is an era fraught with challenges, it is also an era brimming with hope. The Chinese people are ready to work hand in hand with people across the world to create an even brighter future for humanity.

By Li Rui, Yang Wenming, People’s Daily

Local authorities and relevant departments have enhanced efforts to advance biodiversity conservation with institutional construction and scientific research over the recent years, to improve the diversity, stability and sustainability of China’s ecosystems.

Dulong is an ethnic minority group residing in the mountains of southwest China’s Yunnan Province. In Yunnan’s Nujiang Lisu autonomous prefecture, the ethnic group enjoys a unique apiculture technique developed by its ancestors, which significantly boosts local apiculture by employing 38 kinds of plants.

As bees are a major pollinator for Lanxangia tsaoko, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine and a featured commercial crop of the prefecture, apiculture also drives the development of the local Lanxangia tsaoko business.

In 2021, the apiculture technique of the Dulong ethnic minority group was listed as a major program of biodiversity conservation by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

So far, Yunnan province has established a complete biodiversity conservation system covering the investigation of wild plant species, preservation of germplasm resources, as well as artificial breeding and rewilding.

The province is now home to 362 nature reserves of various levels, which effectively put under protection 90 percent of its typical ecosystems and 80 percent of key wildlife.

Over the past 10 years, China has advanced in-situ and ex-situ conservation of wildlife in a coordinated manner. The country made a list of major habitats and designated nature reserves to prevent engineering projects from undermining the habitats of wild species.

It has established a nature reserve system based around national parks, incorporating important ecological corridors and typical ecosystems into national parks.

Now, with a protected land area of 230,000 square kilometers, China’s first batch of national parks is home to nearly 30 percent of the key terrestrial wildlife species found in the country.

Over the past 10 years, China has carried out holistic conservation and systematic governance of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands and deserts, and implemented major biodiversity conservation projects and systematic campaigns to save endangered species. The country now has designated 35 priority areas for biodiversity protection.

Technology also plays an important role in biodiversity conservation.

In Liziping National Nature Reserve in Shimian county, Ya’an, southwest China’s Sichuan province, a lab was established in January 2018 for the protection of small populations of giant pandas. The lab set up a DNA data base of giant pandas in the county, which helped realize targeted management of small populations of the rare animal in the county.

Internet, big data, internet of things, remote sensing, radar, drones and other information technologies are employed in an ecological monitoring center near a national-level nature reserve of the Yellow River Delta in east China’s Shandong province. These technologies have built a three-dimensional real-time monitoring network that ensures the breeding of bird species is free from human activities

Over the past 10 years, the wild population of more than 300 rare animal and plant species recovered or increased. Ninety percent of typical terrestrial ecosystems and 74 percent of the country’s key wildlife species have been effectively protected.

At present, 1,864 wild giant pandas are living across the country, and the number of wild crested ibises has exceeded 6,000. The number of wild Asian elephants reached 300, and that of Tibetan antelopes 300,000. China has nearly 200 botanical gardens where over 20,000 plant species, or over 60 percent of the country’s indigenous plant species, are under conservation.

By Liu Shi’an, People’s Daily

In west Shanghai, a piece of land covering 151.4 square kilometers and adjacent to the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport and the Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station, is generating nearly 10 percent of the economic aggregate of the Yangtze River Delta with less than 2 percent of the delta’s total area.

This piece of land is the Hongqiao Central Business District (CBD). It attracted major projects worth 120 billion yuan ($16.47 billion) in the first eight months of 2022.

Asia Socks Inc. is a company based in the Hongqiao CBD. It sources finished socks from Southeast Asia and sells them to European and American merchants. The company has exported a total of $2 million of socks.

Shanghai Totole Food Ltd., another company headquartered in the Hongqiao CBD, not only has established a sales network that covers China but also sells its products to countries in the West and the Middle East.

Besides, Shanghai Wooray Metals Group Co., Ltd. in the Hongqiao CBD reported revenue of 75 billion yuan in the first half of this year.

Companies in the central business district, driven by multiple factors, are forging ahead despite adversity.

Yang Xubo, head of the business development department of the administration committee of the Hongqiao CBD, introduced that the Hongqiao CBD recently named 30 companies as trade-oriented headquarters according to their annual revenue and other performance.

Besides, the central business district is also home to a batch of “backup” enterprises of this type, which help foster a brighter future.

“Despite the impacts from COVID-19 in the second quarter, the Hongqiao CBD still enjoys robust momentum for foreign trade,” said Mao Xiangyu, another official with the administration committee of the Hongqiao CBD.

“We are engaged in the development and sales of plant protection products and new fine chemical materials. We are doing business in Shanghai because of its geographical and platform advantages,” said Bu Mingxing, general manager of CAC Shanghai International Trading Co., Ltd., which is located on No. 365 of Linhong Road, Changning district of Shanghai.

He told People’s Daily that the Hongqiao CBD enjoys obvious geographical advantages and is home to many business platforms.

According to him, his company has established cooperation with multiple transnational corporations and sells its products to overseas destinations after having participated in trade exhibitions held in the Hongqiao CBD, such as the China International Agrochemical & Crop Protection Exhibition.

“The China International Import Expo (CIIE) is seeing a constantly expanding spillover effect. We have set up permanent exhibition platforms such as the Hongqiao Import Commodity Exhibition and Trade Center and the Greenland Global Commodity Trading Hub, as well as ten 10-billion-yuan distribution centers of imported commodities, including an international coffee port,” said Cai Jun, the CEO of a Shanghai-based enterprise operating the Hongqiao Import Commodity Exhibition and Trade Center.

Great platforms help enterprises pursue larger goals. In the Hongqiao CBD, there are trade service platforms such as the Hongqiao Overseas Trade Center and the Hongqiao International Central Legal Hub; there are demonstration bases of service trade facilitation such as the Shanghai Hongqiao Linkong Business Park and the Xihongqiao business district; there are cross-border e-commerce demonstration zones such as the Hongqiao Import Commodity Exhibition and Trade Center.

Offshore trade, new models of cross-border e-commerce, bonded exhibition, exhibits-turned- bonded commodities, exhibits-turned cross-border commodities and other new business forms are seeing rapid development. Innovative policies of the CIIE regarding customs clearance facilitation, capital settlement, investment facilitation and exit & entry of personnel have been upgraded to regular rules.

Recently, logistics company OCS ANA Group received its Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Travel Card. “Compared with business visas, the APEC Business Travel Card can make business activities more efficient,” said Yu Tianli, deputy general manager of OCS ANA Group China.

Great services make resilient foreign trade in the Hongqiao CBD, and also boost the confidence of foreign trade enterprises in the district in coping with challenges.