Nigeria Times

By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily

Nearly 100 countries have recently voiced support to China after a few Western countries groundlessly attacked China with regard to the Xinjiang-related issue at the Third Committee of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, stressing all parties should abide by the purposes and principles of the UN charter.

Such a voice of justice fully proved that justice always prevails. The international community, especially the developing world, opposes the politicization of human rights issues. The scheme of some Western countries to contain China’s development with the Xinjiang issue will never succeed.

Prior to that, a few Western countries, including the U.S., had used Xinjiang-related issues to create rumors and make trouble at the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council, which was held between Sept. 12 and Oct. 7. They propagated falsehoods on Xinjiang at the Human Rights Council and put together a so-called draft decision in an attempt to use UN human rights bodies as a tool to interfere in China’s internal affairs and to serve the agenda of using Xinjiang to contain China.

The draft decision ended up unsupported by the majority of the Human Rights Council membership.

However, these Western countries, unwilling to accept their failure in Geneva, took it to the Third Committee of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly. Of course, another failure was doomed.

On behalf of 66 countries, Cuba delivered a joint statement to oppose politicization of human rights and double standards, and interference in China’s internal affairs under the pretext of human rights. It urged all parties to abide by the purposes and principles of the UN charter and respect the right of the people of each state to choose independently the path for development in accordance with their national conditions.

Besides, over 30 countries supported China by making statements in national capacity or co-signing a letter.

It once again proved that safeguarding international justice and equity is a common aspiration of the majority of the countries in the world.

The U.S. and a few other Western countries have failed again and again in their provocations because their practices – fabricating lies and bullying other nations – are totally unjust.

No matter how they package the lies they fabricate, they cannot cover up the historic progress in Xinjiang’s human rights development, or hide their plot to undermine China’s stability and hinder China’s development with Xinjiang-related issues.

At the Third Committee of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, China comprehensively introduced its efforts and achievements in promoting and protecting human rights and was fully recognized by most of the participating countries.

China adheres to its path of human rights development, takes an active part in global human rights governance, and pushes for comprehensive progress in human rights. It upholds humanity’s common values of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom, and has made important contributions to the progress of human civilization. No country or individual can tarnish China’s progress or sense of responsibility.

The U.S. and a few other Western countries have failed again and again in their provocations because they follow double standards on human rights issues and act in a hypocritical and hegemonic manner.

They use so-called human rights issues to attack other countries but turn a blind eye to their own poor records in human rights. They are not only indifferent to the human rights crises they have created in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and other countries but also close their eyes to their own human rights problems at home.

At present, the U.S. is seeing high inflation, spreading energy crisis, deteriorating social security, as well as widening political polarization and social divide, which have thrown its citizens into situations. However, American politicians are on the one hand attacking each other and contributing to further social divide, and on the other hand fueling confrontation between different values and forcing others to take a side. How can it win support from the international community with such double standards?

The international community sees it clearly that the U.S. and a few other Western countries, by groundlessly attacking China under the pretext of Xinjiang-related issues, are indeed challenging the basic norms governing international relations, international equity and justice, and the common interests of the world.

In today’s world, the hegemonic, high-handed, and bullying acts of using strength to intimidate the weak, taking from others by force and subterfuge, and playing zero-sum games are exerting grave harm. The deficit in peace, development, security, and governance is growing. All of theseare posing unprecedented challenges for human society.

Facing an uncertain world, to safeguard the basic norms governing international relations, international equity and justice, as well as true multilateralism, is a common aspiration of the international community, especially the developing world.

The world has long been clear-eyed about and tired of the farcical shows of some Western countries’ politicization of human rights and double standards. China urges these countries to stop their condescending lectures and stop using human rights as a pretext for political manipulation, slander and rumor-mongering, and containment and suppression.

What they need to do is deeply reflect on their own human rights woes, learn their lesson from the human rights disasters they have brought to other countries, and return to the right track of cooperation and dialogue.

By Ge Mengchao, People’s Daily

At a “From Exhibitors to Investors” subsection of the fifth China International Import Expo (CIIE), German cleaning manufacturer Karcher showcased how and why it has been attracted to the Chinese market.

In 2019, the German company set up its Chinese headquarters in Changshu, east China’s Jiangsu province, with an investment of 380 million yuan ($52.47 million). A year later, it inked a strategic investment and cooperation agreement with its Chinese partners and jointly built an R&D and production base.

This year, it invested another 100 million yuan in building a global research center that covers 13,000 square meters in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, for better development in the Chinese market.

The CIIE led Karcher to the Chinese market, said Tang Xiaodong, president of Karcher Greater China. The huge dividends and spillover effect of the event are a major reason for the German company to have joined all the five sessions of the exhibition and expanded its exhibition area year by year, he added.

The company will establish an experienced team of battery development and work closely with its headquarters to provide more professional and competitive battery solutions for global consumers, according to Tang.

The “From Exhibitors to Investors” subsection, which is set up for the first time this year at the CIIE, covers a total area of over 6,000 square meters and is joined by more than 30 exhibitors, including many globally renowned enterprises.

Gu Wenqian, a CIIE staff member at the new subsection, told People’s Daily that the newly established exhibition area comprehensively showcases the CIIE’s spillover effect of how exhibits have turned into hot commodities and how exhibitors have turned into investors and business partners. The subsection reviews the common progress of exhibitors and the CIIE over the past five years, she noted.

More and more CIIE exhibitors are turning into investors and taking root in the investment hotspot of China.

Apart from setting up a thematic exhibition booth, Japanese beauty company Shiseido is also showcasing its investment and innovation results it has achieved in China over the past 40 years at the “From Exhibitors to Investors” subsection.

“The CIIE is unquestionably the best platform where we showcase our core strategies and important innovation achievements. It has created a huge space for communication and a huge spillover effect for enterprises,” said Shiseido China CEO Kentaro Fujiwara.

He noted that the Chinese market will play a more and more important role in leading the beauty company’s innovation and growth in its mid- and long-term development, expressing his hope that the company can keep showcasing its frontier technologies, new products and new brands at the CIIE.

Danish multinational pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, from joining the first CIIE, has so far completed a number of investments and optimized its industrial chains in China. Between 2019 and 2021, it invested 500 million yuan in its factory in north China’s Tianjin municipality, introducing three production lines for pre-filled pen injectors . Last year, it invested another $150 million in China to expand its production capacity and build a digital factory.

“As an old friend of the CIIE, Novo Nordisk benefits from the spillover effect of the CIIE. Our  innovative medicines have turned from exhibits to commodities, and the company also turned from an exhibitor to an investor,” said Zhou Xiaping, senior vice president of NovoNordisk.

According to her, the company is displaying 18 innovative drugs and 10 injector devices at the fifth CIIE. It hopes to expand its “circle of friends” and better serve Chinese patients of diabetes and other chronicle diseases through the important platform.

“Our determination to develop in the Chinese market and invest in China will never change,” she said.

By He Yin, People’s Daily

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on his official visit to China on Nov. 4.

Xi called on both sides to keep to the overall direction of bilateral ties from a strategic height, pursue the biggest common ground in a constructive manner, and advance practical cooperation with an open mind to create conditions for long-term and steady growth of bilateral ties.

The more complex and difficult the situation becomes, the more important it is for China and Europe to uphold mutual respect, mutual benefit, dialogue and cooperation, Xi said.

Xi’s words indicated the future direction of China-Germany relations and China-Europe relations.

Scholz is the first European leader to visit China after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC). The trip also marked his first visit to China as the Federal Chancellor of Germany.

Xi briefed Scholz on the 20th CPC National Congress, with a particular focus on the essence of Chinese modernization.

“China has been upholding and promoting world peace through its own development. In this process, the development of China and that of other countries have become more interconnected and mutually reinforcing. China will stay committed to advancing high-standard opening up, keep to the right direction in economic globalization, promote an open world economy, and expand converging interests with other countries,” said Xi, demonstrating China’s firm determination to advance win-win cooperation with the rest of the world.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of China-Germany diplomatic relations. It is significant because the two countries will build on past successes to further advance their ties.

The five-decade journey shows that as long as the two sides follow the principles of respecting each other, seeking common ground while reserving differences, maintaining exchanges and mutual learning, and pursuing mutually beneficial cooperation, bilateral ties will keep going in the right direction on the whole and making steady progress.

Xi said it is important that China and Germany respect each other, accommodate each other’s core interests, adhere to dialogue and consultation, and jointly resist disturbance from bloc confrontation and attempts to see everything through the prism of ideology.

Noting the high degree of stability and consistency in China’s policy toward Germany, he called on Germany to follow a positive China policy for the mutual benefit of both countries.

Scholz said Germany wants to maintain communication and coordination with China to better safeguard regional and global peace and security, stressing a multi-polar world is needed in which the role and influence of emerging countries can be taken seriously.

He noted Germany opposes bloc confrontation for which politicians should be held responsible, adding that Germany will play its role in furthering Europe-China relations.

Over the past five decades, bilateral practical cooperation has kept deepening, with two-way trade growing by almost 1,000 times, serving economic and social development in both countries. That’s why the German business community was expecting Scholz’s visit to China.

The 20th CPC National Congress drew a bright blueprint for China’s development, and China’s efforts to advance high-quality development will create more opportunities for China-Germany practical cooperation.

Xi said while exploring more cooperation potential in traditional areas, efforts should be made to energize cooperation in emerging fields such as new energy, artificial intelligence and digitalization.

Amid rising unilateralism and protectionism, a few countries are fanning decoupling and building “exclusive yards with high walls,” which creates new risks for the world economy that has already been in trouble.

Scholz reiterated that Germany firmly supports trade liberalization, supports economic globalization, and opposes decoupling. Germany stands ready for closer trade and economic cooperation with China, and supports more mutual investment between Chinese and German businesses.

As two major economies, China and Germany will work together to keep global industrial and supply chains stable and create momentum for global recovery by jointly resisting protectionism.

A well-developed China-Germany relation not only benefits the two countries, but also is significant for the stable development of China-Europe relations.

Changes of the world, of our times and of history are unfolding today in ways like never before. Xi stressed China-Europe relations bear on global stability and prosperity in Eurasia and should be maintained and developed with efforts from both sides.

Xi said China always regards Europe as a comprehensive strategic partner, supports the strategic autonomy of the European Union and wishes Europe stability and prosperity. China maintains that its relations with Europe are not targeted at, dependent on, or subjected to a third party.

China will work with Germany and with Europe to step up coordination and cooperation in international affairs and jointly look for solutions for such global issues as climate change, biodiversity and food security, Xi pointed out.

Xi said under the current circumstances, the international community should support all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis. He reaffirmed China’s support for Germany and Europe to play an important role in facilitating peace talks and to build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture in Europe.

Xi stressed that there is no change in China’s commitment to developing ties with Germany, no change in China’s sincere wish for closer cooperation with Germany, and no change in China’s conviction that China and Germany can make greater differences together.

Working together to further consolidate political mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation and strive for the new development of China-Germany and China-Europe relations, the two countries will make more contributions to world peace and development.

On the morning of November 5, POWERCHINA Nigeria’s “One Hundred Enterprises and One Thousand Villages” event was held in Lauteye Village, Bunkure Town, Kano State. Tian Yuan, the country’s chief representative of POWERCHINA in Nigeria, Guo Jun, the chief reporter of Xinhua News Agency, Wang Jingxi and Shui Jinyu, the secretaries of the China General Chamber of Commerce in Nigeria, Chen Hao, the person in charge of the Kano Irrigation Project of POWERCHINA, the Senator of Kano State, the owner’s representative, the local land More than 300 people including the emperor, the president of the river basin committee, the local mayor, and villagers attended the event.

Tian Yuan, the country’s chief representative of POWERCHINA Nigeria, said: “Since POWERCHINA entered the Nigerian market in 2003, it has always adhered to the concept of sustainable development and unswervingly fulfilled its corporate social responsibility in Nigeria. As a Chinese corporate social responsibility in Africa, The chairman unit of the alliance, as the director unit of the Nepal-China Chamber of Commerce, will actively play a leading and leading role, vigorously support the construction assistance work, actively participate in the “Hundred Enterprises and Thousands of Villages” activities, respond to President Xi Jinping’s call with practical actions, and participate in the implementation of ” Dakar Action Plan 2022-2024 to help build a China-Africa community with a shared future.”

Chen Hao, the person in charge of POWERCHINA Kano Irrigation Project, introduced the project. He said: “The total irrigation area of ​​the POWERCHINA Kano Irrigation Project is 14,444.24 hectares. The main construction contents include one main canal, three branch canals and 44 plots ( Among them, 41 were repaired and 3 were expanded) channels, linings, roads, and gates at all levels, the construction of 14 agricultural water association offices, and the repair of three dams in Tiga, Ruwan Kanya, and Challawa Gorge. The construction officially started on January 8, 2019. Up to now, the project has completed and handed over 33 plots, and it is expected to be completed one year ahead of schedule by the end of 2022. After the project is completed, it will meet the food supply of 400,000 people and greatly alleviate the problem of food shortage in the region. It plays a vital role in promoting the livelihood of Kano society and promoting economic development.”

Shui Jinyu, secretary of the Nepal-China Chamber of Commerce, gave a brief introduction on the practice of corporate social responsibility by the chamber of commerce, the four offices of the chamber of commerce, and the daily operation of the chamber of commerce. The local emperors and representatives of the owners made a speech of thanks for the donation project.

In this “One Hundred Enterprises Thousand Villages” photovoltaic product donation activity, POWERCHINA donated 504 sets of solar panels and lighting to Bunkure Town, Kano Prefecture, involving more than 300 villagers. The donated photovoltaic panels can not only use solar energy for lighting, but also have the function of charging small electronic devices such as mobile phones by connecting to USB.

After the villager Abdul got the light, he said excitedly: “The Chinese are our best friends. They helped us repair the irrigation canal two years ago, and now they have brought high-tech electricity to my family. I am very grateful to the Chinese company. , thank the Chinese.”

It is reported that Abdul’s family has settled in his village for more than 100 years. For more than 100 years, they rely on the sun and the moon for lighting and rainfall for drinking water. The life in the village is in a simple state of sunrise and sunset. There are nearly 10,000 peasants living in Lauteye Village for generations like this.

Villager Ghalfoor said: “I am very grateful to the Chinese company for bringing us solar power equipment. In the past, I had to go to a town 4 kilometers away to charge my mobile phone and spend money to charge it. Now I can charge it directly with this solar photovoltaic panel. .”

On November 29, 2021, in his speech at the opening ceremony of the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed to “support China’s CSR Alliance in Africa to launch the ‘Hundred Enterprises and Thousands of Villages’ activities”, aiming to promote Chinese enterprises Actively fulfill social responsibilities in Africa and help build a China-Africa community with a shared future. The event has been included in the FOCAC-Dakar Action Plan (2022-2024), which is one of the important tasks of the nine projects of China-Africa cooperation.

POWERCHINA not only actively participates in the implementation of the “Hundreds of Enterprises and Thousands of Villages” activities, but also actively fulfills its social responsibilities and promotes the leading and exemplary role of leading enterprises.

In October 2021, POWERCHINA helped renovate a malaria treatment hospital in Bunkure Township, Kano State, contributing to Nigeria’s fight against malaria and solving the problem of local residents’ difficulty in seeking medical care.

On September 16, 2022, POWERCHINA assisted the market leveling in Bunkure Township, Kano State, and provided commercial land for local youth organizations, and received a letter of thanks from the local Youth Development Association.

At the same time, POWERCHINA won the Nigeria National Trade Union Commendation Award on June 8, 2021, and the Nigeria “National Construction Icon Award” on February 3, 2022.

By Guo Jiping, People’s Daily

The 5th China International Import Expo has started as scheduled at the the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) (NECC) on November 5th.

The previous four sessions of the trade fair reported remarkable performance – a cumulative intended turnover of more than $270 billion and over 1,500 launches of new products, technologies and services.

The trade fair, as a “wind indicator” for industries, is a carnival for global enterprises. Over the past four years, it has been consecutively joined by over 120 Fortune Global 500 companies and industrial leaders. This year, the world’s top 10 electrical engineering companies, top four grain producers, top 10 manufacturers of medical apparatus and instruments, top 15 pharmaceutical enterprises and the 10 most valuable automakers have confirmed their participation in the six-day event.

The success of the CIIE vividly mirrors China’s firm determination to expand opening up, promote win-win cooperation and share development opportunities.

China is home to more than 1.4 billion people, including over 400 million middle-income earners. It imports around $2.5 trillion of commodities and services each year.

Enjoying such a huge market, the CIIE comes with an intrinsic appeal. It is a “golden key” that opens the door of Chinese opportunities for those who want to follow the general trend of economic globalization.

In the first three quarters this year, China’s total foreign trade of goods jumped 9.9 percent to 31.11 trillion yuan ($4.28 trillion). As the country removes all impediments to smooth production, distribution, circulation, and consumption, and accelerates the establishment of a “dual circulation” development pattern in which domestic economic cycle plays a leading role while international economic cycle remains its extension and supplement, it will become a market for the world, a market shared by all, and a market accessible to all.

The fundamentals of the Chinese economy – its strong resilience, enormous potential, vast room for maneuver and long-term sustainability – remain unchanged.According to statistics recently issued by the National Bureau of Statistics, China’s GDP increased 3 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters of 2022, 0.5 percentage points faster than that in the first half. The Chinese economy, on a track of high-quality development, will give a sustained and strong boost to the stability and growth of the global economy.

Over the past 10 years, China has fulfilled its commitment to further opening up with concrete actions. By implementing the management systems of pre-establishment national treatment and negative list for foreign investment, it constantly expanded the utilization of foreign capital. With an aim to build a globally oriented network of high-standard free trade zones, the country has inked 19 free trade agreements with foreign countries, up from 10.

It has established 21 pilot free trade zones and the Hainan free trade port, working toward new heights in reform and opening up. Besides, it has hosted high-level expos such as the CIIE, the China International Fair for Trade in Services and the China International Consumer Products Expo. Its efforts have led to tangible and fruitful results of the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative.

China has not only benefited from economic globalization, but also contributed to it.It has signed over 200 Belt and Road cooperation documents with more than 140 countries and more than 30 international organizations, to enable more people across the world to benefit from development and promote a new model of economic globalization.

It pushed for the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership(RCEP) and is advancing its accession into the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership(CPTPP) and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement(DEPA).

Embracing economic globalization in the new era, China is working to make economic globalization more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial for all and bringing hopes to improving global economic governance.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said in a report to the 20th CPC National Congress that: “China is committed to its fundamental national policy of opening to the outside world and pursues a mutually beneficial strategy of opening up. It strives to create new opportunities for the world with its own development and to contribute its share to building an open global economy that delivers greater benefits to all peoples.”

As the first major international exhibition hosted after the 20th CPC National Congress, the 5th CIIE will once again prove to the world that China will only open its door wider to the world.

Profound changes unseen in a century are evolving rapidly in the world. Changes of the world, of our times and of history are unfolding today in ways like never before. China will join hands with its partners to write more stories of open cooperation and win-win results at the 5th CIIE, and make new contributions to promoting world recovery, advancing common development and building a community with a shared future for mankind.

By Yan Yu

As part of China’s efforts to share market opportunities, Silk Road e-commerce has experienced rapid development over the recent years, vigorously driving the two-way trade between China and other Belt and Road countries.

It is constantly deepening international cooperation and expanding the Belt and Road “circle of friends.”

At an export cargo station of the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, south China’s Guangdong province, a batch of “made in China” commodities for cross-border e-commerce, including home appliances, clothes and toys, would soon be shipped to Pakistan, South Africa and other Belt and Road countries.

In the Qingpu Comprehensive Bonded Zone of Shanghai, numerous commodities were piled up in warehouses, including exhibits displayed at the China International Import Expo (CIIE). Exhibits from around the world would become available on cross-border e-commerce platforms and be shipped directly to consumers from the bonded zone after the CIIE.

Today, this innovative model is attracting merchants from all over the world to attend the CIIE and participate in the Silk Road e-commerce.

Since signing its first bilateral memorandum of understanding on e-commerce cooperation with Chile at the end of 2016, China has inked documents and established bilateral e-commerce cooperation mechanisms with more than 20 countries from five continents, including Belarus, Italy and Columbia, to promote policy exchange, planning coordination, industry promotion, sub-national cooperation, and capacity building, among others. Silk Road e-commerce has become a new channel of international economic and trade cooperation.

The prospering Silk Road e-commerce comes from China’s efforts in a wide range of aspects.

Over the recent years, the country has established cross-border e-commerce pilot zones in six batches and issued a series of supportive policies. It also constantly expanded the list for cross-border e-commerce retail imports and put into use a number of overseas warehouses in Belt and Road countries.

Silk Road e-commerce is now an important measure for local authorities across China to advance Belt and Road construction. Many cities have set up cross-border e-commerce pilot zones to build themselves into node cities of Silk Road e-commerce.

Besides, China has hosted a number of activities, such as livestreaming and launches of country pavilions on e-commerce platforms, to help its Silk Road e-commerce partners bring their quality products to the Chinese market and establish new channels of trade and investment.

The 2022 China-ASEAN Silk Road Cross-border E-commerce Forum was held in Nanning, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region this September. During the forum, online events were held to promote products from the autonomous region, and diplomats from ASEAN countries in China were invited to introduce their countries’ products to Chinese consumers through livestreaming shows.

Today, Silk Road e-commerce is seeing fruitful results. Coffee and pepper from Rwanda are coming to China via e-commerce platforms; the online retail sales of Iceland have significantly improved; thousands of enterprises from the countries along the Belt and Road have upgraded their products and services through e-commerce cooperation.

According to an official with the Ministry of Commerce, China’s cross-border e-commerce exports surged 92.7 percent year on year in the first quarter of this year. More and more countries are expecting to join Silk Road e-commerce.

In the future, Silk Road e-commerce will expand its cooperation to higher levels with huge development potential. China will establish bilateral e-commerce cooperation mechanisms with more countries under the framework of Silk Road e-commerce, and align with high-standard international economic and trade rules, to promote high-level development of cross-border e-commerce.