Nigeria Times

By Chris Nash

As the famous British poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” Her words poignantly articulate my affection for China. Reflecting on more than a decade of life and work there, a stream of vivid memories returns with remarkable clarity.

In Beijing, I strolled through the tranquil winding maze of traditional alleyways called hutong, where elderly residents basked in the soft Beijing autumn sunshine, exchanging stories in the distinctive tone of the Beijing dialect.

In Guanghan, southwest China’s Sichuan province, I stared deep into the profound and mysterious masked eyes of one of the world’s most ancient civilizations at Sanxingdui Museum, rapt in wonder at their sophisticated bronze artistry, works as intriguing and expressive as modern surrealism.

Further south in Yunnan province, I had my breath taken away by the myriad of rice terraces dug by the Hani ethnic minority, shimmering like dragon scales in the rising sun. Steaming in front of me on a wobbly table in a street-side restaurant, is a bowl of fragrant broth where the terrace rise swims in the form of long, white, strands of rice noodles.

At the incredible Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, northwest China’s Gansu province, I shook the sand from my shoes and the darkness from my eyes and blinked in the presence of the beauty of Buddhist art.

But beyond the landscapes and artistry, it was the people themselves who profoundly moved me – faces radiating warmth, shyness, honesty, and resilience. Their consistent kindness revealed China’s true spirit.

Among the many memorable encounters, one stands out with particular poignancy: my meeting Lu Caiwen, a Chinese war hero, in the far southwest Yunnan city of Tengchong, which is very close to the border with Myanmar.

I had the greatest honor to visit Comrade Lu in November 2019 during an event in Tengchong, Yunnan province. Lu is in his nineties, but as you sit in his living room, enchanted by his merry shining eyes, it’s impossible to believe this is his real age. His extraordinary life story left an indelible mark on my heart.

He came of age in one of the most terrible periods of recent Chinese history, when the invading Japanese imperial army threatened to overrun the whole of China. After the Japanese military invaded western Yunnan and implemented a scorched-earth policy, Lu witnessed unimaginable atrocities. He abandoned studies to attend a military training school and later joined the Chinese Expeditionary Force.

“When the country is in need, I never hesitated to give up my life,” he stated. “Patriotism compelled us all to the battlefield.”

Lu fought in many heroic battles to resist Japanese aggression. When he spoke about the 1944 Battle of Tengchong, he always grew especially emotional. In that brutal campaign, the Chinese Expeditionary Force paid a steep price – 9,168 soldiers gave their lives to retake Tengchong, the first city to be reclaimed in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

As he recalled comrades falling beside him one after another, tears welled up in his eyes and his voice trembled with sorrow: “At Laifeng Mountain, when the Japanese broke through our defenses, our troops crawled up the hillside under enemy fire, inch by inch, with their bare flesh, and reclaimed the strategic high ground.”

Today, at the foot of Laifeng Mountain lies a national martyrs cemetery, the resting place of those fallen heroes. Lu visited the cemetery every few days to lay flowers and pay tribute to his comrades who never returned.

Listening to his stories, I remember that almost at exactly the same time he crawled his way up Laifeng Mountain under murderous fire from the enemy, 11,000 kilometres away in central Italy, my grandfather, Alfred Nash, was crawling up another mountain, called Monte Cassino, under equally withering gunfire from the German army. Monte Cassino was as pivotal in the war in western Europe as Laifeng was in the war in Asia.

Both were grueling campaigns, and both speak to the iron will of the troops and people of the Allies in the fight against fascism.

Lu was just one among millions of ordinary Chinese who demonstrated extraordinary courage and selfless dedication to their homeland. Their sacrifices were not only instrumental in China’s resistance but also pivotal in the global effort for peace. In my view, the role China played in the global fight against fascism has been vastly underrepresented in much of Western historical discourse.

China’s prolonged resistance tied down large numbers of Japanese troops, greatly weakening their ability to fight on other fronts and giving the Allies precious strategic room to focus on Nazi Germany. History must remember Lu Caiwen and his fellow soldiers, and the indispensable role they played in preserving global peace.

My grandfather died after a well-deserved full and happy life. I was heartbroken to hear that Mr. Lu also passed at the end of last year. I can picture them together in my mind, comrades in arms. I believe that if they had ever met, they would have become close friends. My grandfather would have listened to Lu’s stories just as intently as I did.

They shared the same slightly mischievous twinkle in their eyes, maybe the light in the eyes of those who have looked on the brutality of war and know better than us, the precious everyday beauty of peace.

(Chris Nash is the former chair of the Society for Anglo-Chinese Understanding)

By Zhu Dawei, People’s Daily

Looking down from the skies above Yichun in northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, the city presents a boundless expanse of forest stretching toward the horizon. With a forest coverage rate of 83.8 percent, the city boasts the world’s best-preserved Korean pine forest ecosystem.

To the north, across the Heilongjiang River, lie Russia’s Amur Oblast and Jewish Autonomous Oblast. Nurtured by its forests and enriched by years of cultural exchanges, the city draws on its ecological treasures and cross-cultural ties to deepen understanding and cooperation with its neighbors.

At Yichun’s northernmost tip sits Jiayin county, where Yulia from Russia has been living for more than a decade. “This is my second home,” she said. A performer of Russian folk dance, Yulia met her husband, a Jiayin native studying vocal music, during a performance. The couple married in 2012 at the county’s first China-Russia international group wedding and have lived there ever since. Over the past decade, the county has hosted 10 such weddings, bringing together 436 Chinese and Russian couples in a tradition that has become a cherished local event.

Cross-border unions here trace back a century, as locals returning from work in Russia brought home spouses, weaving a shared heritage. Three ethnic Russian villages—Changjia, Qinjian, and Huashulinzi—preserve this legacy in Jiayin’s Changsheng township.

“I was delivered by Yelena,” recalled 69-year-old Cong Chengwu from Huashulinzi village, honoring one of the earliest Russian brides. Skilled in medicine, she delivered most of the village’s children. Today, about 40 percent of residents have Russian heritage, and a small lane honors her legacy, bearing the name “Yelena Alley.”

This “Forest Capital” has long embraced love across frontiers. For many young people from surrounding areas, the China-Russia group weddings have bestowed a “second hometown.” Now a mother of two, Yulia switches easily between Russian and the local dialect. The tradition of these weddings continues, telling warm stories of how friendship among people boosts relations between the two countries.

“Yichun’s winter scenery is more beautiful than a fairy tale!” marveled visitors from Russia, the United States, and Southeast Asia as they rode trains through the snowy landscapes of the Lesser Khingan Mountains.

“The mountains and waters here are breathtaking,” Yulia said. In recent years, Yichun has encouraged residents to share their love for their hometown. With nearly 300,000 online followers, Yulia became a local influencer, posting Russian-language videos of her son showcasing Yichun’s winter scenery to Russian audiences.

By launching international travel routes and expanding global media outreach, Yichun has leveraged its reputation for forests and winter sports to attract friends from around the world.

“Yichun is wonderful, its forests lush, its air fresh. I’ll definitely recommend it to my friends,” said Gianna, a member of a Russian curling club who developed an affection for the city through sports. 

A curling tournament held in Yichun on June 28 saw participation from athletes representing Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and other countries. Following the competition, Gianna, like Yulia, became an ardent ambassador for Yichun. Today, an increasing number of international friends are discovering the city through such unique perspectives. 

In recent years, Yichun has strengthened exchanges with its sister city of Birobidzhan in Russia. In Birobidzhan Square in downtown Yichun, a monument crowned with a globe adorned with Korean pine reliefs stands as a symbol of friendship. In Birobidzhan’s Yichun Square, a similar globe rests atop a sculpture featuring a dove of peace. These twin monuments, blending Chinese and Russian elements, stand as enduring emblems of goodwill.

Through platforms such as the cross-border group weddings and international curling competitions, Yichun, a city of forests, is charting a distinctive path that brings hearts closer together and nurtures lasting people-to-people connections across borders.

By Ji Juesu, Liu Junguo, People’s Daily

At midday in a bustling yakiniku restaurant in Hachinohe, Japan, grills sizzled with freshly cooked meat as a delivery robot deftly navigated between tightly packed tables, serving steaming plates to diners. “The robot delivers steadily, clean and safe,” the restaurant’s manager remarked with evident approval.

The robot was developed by Keenon Robotics, a leading commercial service robotics company based in Shanghai. It has since become an indispensable member of the restaurant’s staff. Faced with high labor costs and an aging population, an increasing number of hotels, restaurants, and other venues in Japan are turning to service robots to fill staffing shortages.

Five years ago, Keenon Robotics ventured into overseas markets, confident that its advanced technology would ensure success. To its surprise, Japanese partners repeatedly reported: “It’s hard to sell.”

What was the problem? 

To investigate, the company’s team fanned out across Tokyo, speaking with locals and observing daily routines. They found that Japanese service culture moves at a gentler pace, and customers favor robots with a warm, approachable appearance, reflecting local aesthetic preferences.

The most pressing issue was size. Robots popular in China proved too large for Japan’s compact spaces, struggling with narrow aisles or tight corners.

In response, Keenon engineered a Japan-specific model: compact, agile, equipped with a Japanese-language voice system, and an expressive animated display.

The redesigned model navigates spaces as narrow as 49 centimeters while carrying multi-tier trays. Advanced cameras and sensors detect obstacles in crowded environments.

The company has now established more than 200 technical support sites across Japan, ensuring that routine malfunctions receive a response within two hours and are repaired within 24 hours.

In one case, when a restaurant chain reported sensor failure, technicians arrived in less than two hours with a replacement unit. The new robot synchronized with the cloud in minutes, inheriting its predecessor’s operational “memories” without retraining. The faulty unit was returned for repair.

“In Japan, hiring a single waiter is costly, but hiring a robot costs only about a third as much,” said Li Tong, founder of Keenon Robotics. “And robots work year-round, with consistent efficiency.” 

China’s robot exports are expanding rapidly. Today, Keenon Robotics’ products are used in major Japanese restaurant chains, as well as in libraries, hotels, and other public venues.

To better serve the market, the company has set up local servers, stocked bonded warehouses and maintenance centers with spare parts, and optimized its software algorithms to match Japanese management practices.

Beyond service robots, Chinese-made logistics robots are also winning favor in Japan. According to Yosuke Tsuyuguchi, a professor at the Department of Economics at Teikyo University in Tokyo, the industry’s evolution – from competing on scale to competing on technology, quality, and brand – illustrates the transformation of Chinese manufacturing.

At the Kansai Logix 2025 in Japan, Mushiny Robotics based in Huzhou, east China’s Zhejiang province, received high attention with its sorting systems and “goods-to-person” (GTP) solutions,  showcased by Japanese companies such as Toshiba and Mitsubishi. 

The company’s logistics robots and software already support multiple pharmaceutical warehouses in Japan’s Kanto region, meeting the sector’s growing automation needs. In another case, a newly designed workbin handling and picking robot designed for a major Japanese automaker stood out amid fierce competition and won the client’s approval.

Specializing in the research, development, and production of logistics robots and equipment, Mushiny Robotics exports more than 70 percent of its products to developed countries.

“Our orders are already booked through September, and our first-half sales hit a record high, up nearly 30 percent year on year,” said He Zijie, head of Mushiny Robotics’ hardware technology center. “Our products are becoming a familiar presence in overseas logistics automation projects.”

With cutting-edge innovation and a deeply localized approach, the company has firmly established itself in Japan. Looking ahead, it will continue developing products to meet the specific needs of Japan’s logistics sector, working toward mutual growth and success.

By Wang Yuan, Liu Mengdan, Zhou Zhou, People’s Daily

Fuyuan, a county-level city administered by Jiamusi, northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, is dubbed “the east pole of Huaxia (historical concept representing China)”. Separated from Khabarovsk, the largest city in Russia’s Far East, by the Heilongjiang River, the two cities are just 65 kilometers apart by water. This culturally rich boundary river has long connected communities on both sides, fostering vibrant cross-border cultural exchanges.

On the morning of April 12 this year, thousands of visitors gathered along the banks of the Songhua River in Jiamusi, united in collective exclamations as the ice broke. As the river’s ice broke apart and drifted downstream amid the cheers of spectators, fifty performers from the Hezhe ethnic group beat deerskin drums, chanting ice-thawing prayers to rhythms inspired by the cracking river ice.

For nearly a millennium, the Hezhe people have inhabited the Heilongjiang, Songhua, and Wusuli river basins, sustaining themselves through fishing and hunting. Their belief in the “river god,” who governs weather and fishery yields, underpins the grand Kaijiang ceremony, a spring ritual marking the thaw and invoking annual abundance. Evolving into the annual Hanjiang Festival, the tradition heralds the arrival of spring and the resumption of fishing.

Today, the festival celebrates Hezhe fishing-hunting culture while facilitating a dialogue between humanity and nature. It consistently draws Russian visitors as both participants and spectators. At the 2024 Hanjiang Festival, over 10,000 attendees sang the theme song in unison, securing a Guinness World Record for the largest livestreamed choral performance.

Russian tourists Andrei and Yulia, having journeyed from Khabarovsk specifically for the festival, captured this year’s Kaijiang spectacle. “The resounding chants resembled dialogue with the river itself. Absolutely stunning! I’ll share this footage to friends and family back home so they can experience this unique culture,” Andrei said.

Frequent traveler Lina, fluent in northeastern Chinese dialect, regularly commutes via the Khabarovsk-Fuyuan passenger vessel since the open-water season commenced, making multiple monthly round trips.

Nature mirrors human connections:. each summer morning, egrets fly from Russian nests across the boundary river to forage in Chinese wetlands. 

“Bird populations here were historically sparse compared to current numbers,” said Zhao Wanjing, research director of the Zhuaji management station at Heilongjiang’s Sanjiang National Nature Reserve.

In 2001, the reserve signed its first joint-protection agreement with Russia’s Bolshekhekhtsirsky Nature Reserve. This was followed in 2015 by another agreement with United Directorate of State Nature Preserves and National Parks in Khabarovsk Krai, Russia. These partnerships have expanded collaboration in conservation and research across broader regions and sectors, steadily improving ecological conditions to safeguard local species, Zhao said.

Through binoculars at the station, Zhao observed Oriental white stork chicks in artificial nests, spotting several quickly. “The number of bird species in the reserve has increased from 245 to 285 since its founding. We’ve built over 250 artificial nests with an 80 percent occupancy rate. More and more Oriental white storks are making their homes here,” Zhao added.

Nature reserves in China and Russia regularly host academic exchange conferences, conduct ecological restoration, and build artificial nests for endangered waterbirds. On occasions like International Day for Biodiversity and Bird-Loving Week, they co-organize youth activities such as hanging bird nests, wetland knowledge competitions, wildlife releases, and ecology classes for schoolchildren, continuously raising public awareness of biodiversity conservation on both sides of the border.

As evening approaches, a dozen gray herons fly toward their habitats in Russia. After the sunset fades, the Sanjiang National Nature Reserve returns to serene tranquility. With the dawn, the riverside “residents” will resume their cross-border lives, continuing to write new chapters in the story of harmony between humanity and nature.

By Zhao Juecheng, Fan Lingzhi, Global Times; Zhang Bolan, Xian Gan, People’s Daily

A 17-hour flight from Athens, Greece, to Lhasa in China’s Xizang autonomous region- including a layover in Beijing – bridges five time zones. This journey from the Aegean Sea to the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau spans a distance once unimaginable to ancient travelers.

Yet at the Shannan Museum in southern Xizang, a single artifact illuminates the miraculous connections between Eastern and Western civilizations. This item, a gilded silver plate dating back to the 6th or 7th century adorned with the figure of Dionysus, the god of wine in ancient Greek mythology, whispers tales of early exchanges between Chinese and Greek civilizations.

Shannan (meaning “south of the Gangdise Mountains”) is recognized as Xizang’s cultural heartland, home to many of the region’s “firsts”: the earliest monastery, the first Buddhist chapel, the earliest scriptures.

Before Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo established the Tubo regime in Lhasa, generations of Tibetan rulers governed from the Yarlung River valley in Shannan, the cradle of Tibetan civilization.

Drawing on its profound history, Shannan established Xizang’s first museum in 1995. Among its treasures, alongside the Dionysus plate, a Sasanian Empire (AD 224-651) silver coin draws particular interest.

According to Drolma, head of the Shannan Museum, the Sasanian Empire, centered in ancient Persia (modern-day Iran), sat at a critical juncture along the ancient Silk Road, connecting Asia and Europe. The discovery of silver coins in Shannan, she explains, underscores the region’s long-standing – directly or indirectly – connections to Central Asia via what scholars today call the “Plateau Silk Road.”

These exhibits are replete with stories of cultural exchanges and integration, Drolma noted as she moved among the display cases, introducing each artifact with great enthusiasm. 

“Consider these Buddha statues. Their facial features, headwear, and garments show clear South Asian inspiration. These thangkas retain traces of Nepali craftsmanship. And this palm-leaf manuscript, inscribed in Sanskrit, was crafted from the leaves of the Talipot palm, a tree native to tropical and subtropical regions,” she noted.

“Tibetan culture, at its core, is a product of openness and integration,” remarked Drolma. “It drew deeply from the cultures of central China and South Asia, weaving them into a unique identity all its own.”

Despite Tibet’s challenging high-altitude environment, its people have maintained centuries-old connections with surrounding civilizations. By timing their travels to avoid harsh winters and snowstorms, and skillfully navigating terrain using their intimate knowledge of river routes, mountain passes, and pastures, they developed and sustained trade routes linking the plateau to distant cultures.

“Tashi Delek, what would you like today?” 

“Namaste, I’d like to have a look at your wool blankets.”

At last year’s Yarlung Commodity Fair, a resident of Shannan and a Nepali vendor spoke briefly.

“Tashi Delek” (Tibetan for “good fortune”) and “Namaste” (the Nepali/South Asian greeting) now resonate commonly in border regions through sustained interaction.

Now in its 44th year, the Yarlung Commodity Fair stands as a cornerstone of Shannan’s annual calendar – a major platform for commercial and cultural exchanges and a window into Xizang’s unique traditions and way of life. As greetings are exchanged in Tibetan and Nepali, hands are shaken, deals are struck, and friendships are forged and deepened. Last year, transactions totaled around 700 million yuan ($97.71 million), reflecting the vibrancy of these interactions.

Today, as the “cradle of Tibetan civilization,” Shannan is expanding its trade with neighboring regions while drawing global enthusiasts of Tibetan culture – particularly during the annual Yarlung Cultural Tourism Festival each summer.

At Mindroling Monastery in Chanang county, Shannan, Australian artist Henrietta Manning –  who traveled from Hobart via three flights and a train journey – marveled at the region’s architecture, history, religion, and way of life. 

Although less internationally renowned than Lhasa, visitors often describe Shannan as a portal to an ancient era where cultural exchange permeates the landscape. Just like the millennia-old Yarlung River merging with the Yarlung Zangbo River and flowing seaward, this legacy of cultural fusion remains dynamically alive, continuously expanding beyond the mountains.

By Pan Junqiang, Li Jianguang, People’s Daily

From Aug. 8 to 12, the 2025 World Robot Conference (WRC) was held in Beijing under the theme “Making Robots Smarter, Making Embodied Agents More Intelligent.” The event brought together over 200 robotics companies from around the world, presenting more than 1,500 exhibits and debuting over 100 new products.

This robotics extravaganza, appealing to both professionals and the general public, offered an important window into the latest technological breakthroughs and industrial robotic trends in China and around the world.

“Start working!” In the exhibition area of the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, a single voice command issued through the general embodied intelligence platform “Hui Si Kai Wu” simultaneously initiated four tasks: power line inspection, assembly line sorting, parts quality inspection, and package sealing. Robots executed the assignments collaboratively and with precision.

“We have overcome the limitations of traditional industrial automation, which was limited to ‘one machine, one task, fixed process,’ and have demonstrated the evolution from individual intelligence to collaborative, multi-agent intelligence,” said Tang Jian, chief technical officer of the center.

China is accelerating innovation in high-end complete machines, core components, and process software, achieving continuous breakthroughs in key technologies such as large-scale robotic models, intelligent collaborative control, human-machine interaction, and multimodal perception. Statistics show that in 2024, China accounted for two-thirds of global patent applications in the robotics sector.

At the booth of Chinese company Unitree Robotics, spectators gathered for a high-energy humanoid robot combat match. Contestants, newly upgraded G1 combat humanoids, executed side kicks, hooks, and combination punches, and quickly regained their footing after being knocked down. 

“These robots are equipped with advanced dynamic balance algorithms that adjust motor responses in each joint in real time under external impact, enabling them to stand more firmly and recover faster,” said Lian Yingying, marketing manager at Unitree Robotics.

Humanoid robots in China have advanced at a remarkable pace – progressing from stumbling steps to steady walking, then to high-speed running, consecutive backflips, and now competitive sparring. 

“With the continuous improvement of AI control algorithms, Chinese-made humanoid robots can now respond to commands within milliseconds. Their stability, flexibility, and fluidity have all improved significantly, enhancing their athletic capabilities,” said Xu Xiaolan, president of the Chinese Institute of Electronics.

According to Xin Guobin, vice minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, since the inaugural WRC in 2015, the global robotics industry has achieved leapfrog development, with intelligence levels rising rapidly, application boundaries expanding, and innovation resources converging at a faster pace. China has become the world’s largest producer of robots, which are becoming a key driver of new quality productive forces and shaping a new, smarter way of life.

In the first half of this year, China’s robotics industry revenue increased by 27.8 percent year on year, with industrial robot production and service robot output rising by 35.6 percent and 25.5 percent, respectively. China has also been the world’s largest industrial robot application market for 12 consecutive years, with 2024 sales of industrial robots reaching 302,000 units.

Elsewhere at the conference, a robotic arm developed by Chinese embodied artificial intelligence startup Spirit AI deftly folded a crumpled garment, shaking it straight, laying it flat, and folding each side neatly within seconds. 

“While folding clothes may look simple, it actually requires precise, long-range manipulation of soft materials – a capability with broad application prospects,” said Xie Junyuan, head of the embodied intelligence division at Spirit AI.

Robots on display this year were not merely demonstrating technical prowess but showcasing enormous potential for real-world applications.

In industrial settings, for instance, 11 Walker S1 robots from UBTECH Robotics collaborated on-site to identify items, coordinate tasks, and sort them with efficiency. According to the company, UBTECH plans to deliver 500 industrial humanoid robots this year for deployment in smart manufacturing.

In scientific and technological research, Monte 02, an embodied intelligent robot developed by Corenetic AI, simulated laboratory operations including sampling, transfer, and testing. “Our goal is to build the next generation of automated laboratories, freeing researchers from repetitive tasks,” said Lian Wenzhao, founder of Corenetic AI.

In the services sector, the UP robots developed by Yunji Technology have been deployed in hotels, delivering packages in the morning, performing cleaning tasks at midday, and conducting security patrols at night, significantly boosting equipment utilization rates. 

Today, industrial robots serve 71 major industry categories and 236 subcategories of China’s national economy. The country’s manufacturing robot density now ranks third in the world. According to International Data Corporation, in 2024, Chinese manufacturers dominated the global commercial service robot market, accounting for 84.7 percent of total shipments.

By Shi Fang, People’s Daily

On a recent afternoon at Kunming Changshui International Airport, southwest China’s Yunnan province, more than a dozen seniors disembarked to commence an eight-day “travel and stay” program from Kunming to Jianshui county in the province’s southeast.

“This itinerary was first drafted last October. We revised it more than a dozen times and tested the route twice ourselves,” said Gao Yin, head of “travel and stay” programs at Beijing Health & Elderly Care Group. 

“Given age-related mobility factors, we try to avoid steep climbs and long walks to minimize physical strain,” said Gao. For example, the standard five-kilometer Jiuxiang Caves walking tour was modified to incorporate a boat passage, reducing the walking distance to just two kilometers.

For 68-year-old Beijing resident Jia Yuanxiang, the pace makes all the difference. “The unhurried pace with midday respite perfectly accommodates seniors,” he said. Having explored China extensively post-retirement, Jia found conventional group tours increasingly tiring. “This integrated travel-residence model fundamentally transforms the experience,” he observed.

“This group’s average age is 68. We provide full-time personal attendants and medical personnel for comprehensive support throughout the journey,” Gao said.

As China’s population ages, residential tourism is becoming a preferred choice for many seniors. Across the country, regions are developing tailored health and leisure programs while building attractive destinations for long-stay elderly visitors.

In Kunming’s Sheng’ai Elderly Care Park, 89-year-old Peng Bijun resides in a sunlit apartment furnished with cream-colored modern furniture and botanical wallcoverings. The Beijing native, now settled for nearly a year, appreciates the culinary offerings. “We get five meals a day, with a wide variety of dishes and no repeats. On holidays, there are extra treats,” she said. 

Meanwhile, at the Ancient Dian Elderly Care Park in Kunming’s Jinning district, 70-year-old Zhou Yi shares a two-bedroom apartment with her brother. “At approximately 3,000 yuan ($417.35) a month per person, food, accommodation, and entertainment are included,” she said. She particularly values the cultural programs, which encompass more than 20 clubs for choir, calligraphy, Peking opera, folk music, and tai chi. 

A safe, comfortable, and accessible living environment remains essential to seniors’ quality of life. At Pengyang Elderly Care Home in Kaiyuan, Yunnan province, bathrooms are equipped with shower stools, non-slip mats, and grab bars, handrails line the living room, and beds are set at 60 centimeters for easy access.

For seniors traveling unaccompanied by family, a 24/7 emergency support infrastructure proves critical. “Personal attendants respond immediately to our calls at any hour,” affirmed Liu Qingchuan, a seven-year resident of Ancient Dian Elderly Care Park with his wife. 

Each unit integrates emergency alert buttons in bedrooms, living rooms, and bathrooms. “Assistance arrives within moments of activation,” Liu emphasized. This safety framework extends to weekly organized excursions, where dedicated attendants accompany participants throughout off-site activities.

Addressing intergenerational care responsibilities, the Ancient Dian Elderly Care Park established an on-site kindergarten currently serving more than 200 children. This integrated model enables grandparents requiring childcare support to participate in residential tourism programs.

“In addition to one-stop elderly care services, we also provide customized programs,” said Yuan Chungang, chairman of Yunnan Shengjing Tourism & Elderly Care Development Co., Ltd.

Chronic disease management also represents a critical component of senior care infrastructure. At Sheng’ai Elderly Care Park, director Mou Lin detailed the facility’s comprehensive approach. “We have internal medicine and traditional Chinese medicine services on-site, enabling treatment of routine conditions without requiring off-site travel. For emergencies, we maintain tiered triage protocols with hospital transfer capabilities, achieving response times as low as six minutes.” 

This is facilitated through partnerships with three tertiary hospitals proximate to the facility. Every resident benefits from individualized electronic health records, daily vital monitoring, 24/7 nursing coverage, and scheduled physician rounds.

Despite these advancements, many elderly people lack the information needed to choose the right facility. During their stays, they may also encounter unregulated services or insufficient safety measures.

To improve transparency, the Beijing Association of Senior Care Industries launched a dedicated service platform last November. As of March 10, the platform listed information on 144 elderly care institutions in Tianjin, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Heilongjiang, and other regions, including their locations, bed availability, and fees. The interface enables seniors to efficiently compare options, submit inquiries, and book reservations aligned with personal requirements.

“The platform transforms oversight from reactive monitoring to proactive governance by directly connecting service providers with consumers,” said Wang Dingxue, head of the division for the promotion of aging services at Yunnan’s department of civil affairs. “If an institution’s service falls short, it is removed from the platform. This ensures that the rights and interests of seniors are well protected.”

By Yan Yu

Young people are both major beneficiaries and vital drivers of cooperation among member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). In recent years, leveraging the broad platform provided by the SCO, youth from member countries have actively engaged in cooperation, delivering fruitful outcomes in cultural exchanges, innovation and entrepreneurship, the digital economy, and distance education.

During the Global Mayors Dialogue — SCO Summit Cities in north China’s Tianjin municipality in early July, Zoon Ahmed Khan, a Pakistani researcher, shared the benefits she has gained through her involvement with the SCO.

Having participated in multiple events, including the SCO Youth Development Forum and the SCO Kunming International Marathon, she noted that the organization creates opportunities for young people to connect and understand each other, expressing hope that more young people from member states will seize the opportunities the region offers.

Thanks to various cooperation platforms, youth exchanges among SCO member countries have been steadily deepening, facilitating mutual understanding and injecting fresh momentum into SCO cooperation.

Sohail Khan, deputy secretary-general of the SCO, noted that young people represent the organization’s future, and that people-to-people exchanges, especially among the younger generation, play a unique role in advancing cooperation among SCO member countries.

An increasing number of students from SCO member states are pursuing studies in China, expanding their horizons while becoming ambassadors of friendship and cooperation, Khan said.

The “SCO Youth, Encounter Qingdao” youth study tour was recently held in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong province. The event brought together 100 international students from 30 countries, including Pakistan and Tajikistan. The participants explored China’s intangible cultural heritage, visited leading technology companies, and learned about the city’s development. They not only strengthened their understanding of China but also forged friendships through the immersive and interactive experiences.

In recent years, initiatives such as youth exchange camps, development forums, study programs, and innovation and entrepreneurship competitions have flourished under the SCO framework, sowing seeds of friendship and inspiring a growing number of young people to take part in SCO affairs.

Deng Hao, former secretary-general of the China Center for SCO Studies, pointed out that youth cooperation among SCO member states has made notable progress in four key areas.

Cooperation mechanisms have been built. Since its launch in 2009, the SCO Youth Council has served as a major platform for exchanges among youth organizations, holding annual meetings and regularly rolling out new cooperation projects.

Cooperation frameworks have been improved. In 2021, SCO member states adopted the Agreement on Cooperation in Youth Affairs, providing institutional and policy support to strengthen collaboration.

Influential and promising cooperation projects have been created. Eight sessions of the SCO Youth Camp have been held, drawing more than 1,200 outstanding young participants. The SCO International Youth Business Incubator project has advanced exchange among young entrepreneurs, selection and incubation of start-up projects, and training programs. The SCO Member States Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, which has been held four times, has boosted technology exchanges and the commercialization of innovations among SCO member countries.

New projects and new forms of cooperation have constantly emerged. The 2024 SCO Youth Development Forum unveiled the list of SCO Youth Exchange and Cooperation Projects for 2024-2025, featuring 18 projects in the fields of education, culture, sports, talent development, and others.

As a founding member, China has consistently placed great importance on and actively supported youth exchanges among member states. From the Joint Address of the heads of SCO for the Youth adopted at the SCO Qingdao summit in 2018, to the establishment of the China-SCO Youth Exchange Center, and the invitation of a large number of young people from SCO member countries to China for various events, China has always been committed to providing diverse platforms to strengthen youth exchanges among SCO member states.

The 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO is scheduled to take place in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1. The grand event is eagerly anticipated by young people from SCO member states.

Batir Tursunov, deputy secretary-general of the SCO, has called for intensified efforts to organize youth activities in science and technology, education, sports, culture, tourism, and environmental protection, enabling young people to fully realize their potential.

By Yang Yi, People’s Daily

A recent report jointly released by Singapore’s banking group DBS and market data and insights firm Cube projects that e-commerce sales in Southeast Asia will more than double from $184 billion in 2024 to $410 billion by 2030, representing a 14 percent compound annual growth rate over the period.

As the region’s e-commerce sector expands at a rapid pace, Chinese companies are joining forces with local businesses to deliver more convenient online shopping experiences. Their contributions range from upgrading technology platforms and innovating logistics systems to cultivating local talent, significantly enhancing the quality and competitiveness of Southeast Asia’s e-commerce industry.

On Lazada, a top e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia, a store specializing in bamboo-woven products and rattan furniture enjoys a 95 percent positive rating. Particularly popular among Thai customers, the shop receives praise in Thai, English and other languages for its prompt delivery, secure packaging, and high product quality.

The store is operated by Yu Le, a native of southwest China’s Yunnan province. A Thai-language major in university, Yu relocated to Thailand after graduation to start her business.

“I’ve been running this company for over four years. We have 26 employees managing live-streaming, customer service, packaging, and warehouse operations,” Yu explained. The warehouse, located in Samut Sakhon province, more than an hour from downtown Bangkok, enables next-day delivery for customers in the capital.

With nearly 700 million people, a significant proportion of them young, and internet penetration exceeding 70 percent in most countries, Southeast Asia is one of the most promising e-commerce markets worldwide. Lazada and Shopee are the region’s leading e-commerce platforms, while Tokopedia and TikTok are rapidly gaining influence.

In 2016, a Chinese company acquired Lazada, undertaking a comprehensive technological upgrade, injecting capital and introducing new talent to strengthen the platform.

In October last year, Lazada unveiled an AI-powered recommendation system that analyzes users’ past purchases to offer smart recommendations and virtual product trials, along with an AI shopping assistant for personalized guidance.

“The online shopping habits of Thai consumers have changed dramatically in recent years, with e-commerce taking an ever-larger share of spending,” said Yu, adding that the market still holds enormous growth potential.

At 7 a.m. in Klang, Selangor state, Malaysia, the warehouse of JINGDONG Logistics, the logistics arm of Chinese e-commerce giant JD. com, is already bustling with activity.

“These building block toys are heading to a shopping mall in Penang today and will go straight onto the shelves,” said William Oey, country manager of JD Logistics in Malaysia.

“We supply both businesses and individual customers across Southeast Asia, with orders placed before 2 p.m. typically shipped the same day,” said Oey.

Oey, an Indonesian who lived in China for more than a decade, said the company aims to replicate China’s speed and efficiency in Southeast Asia. “In China, consumers often receive their orders the next day. We want to offer the same experience here.”

To boost efficiency and accuracy, JD Logistics has introduced automated warehousing for packaging and sorting. At the facility, incoming goods are placed on a smart weighing station equipped with barcode scanning and volumetric measurement systems, which instantly record the item’s weight, dimensions, and volume, streamlining operations. Last year, the company’s business volume in Southeast Asia more than doubled.

As an increasing number of young Southeast Asians enter the e-commerce industry, Chinese companies and universities are investing in local talent development, injecting robust momentum into the sector’s sustainable growth.

In 2022, the College of Arts, Media and Technology at Thailand’s Chiang Mai University, together with its Confucius Institute, launched a joint master’s program on China-Thailand cross-border e-commerce. The program received support from the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Special Fund, projects under a program called “Digital Entrepreneurship Support,” and the Thailand 4.0 development strategy.

“The program has helped train digital professionals and is paving the way for the development of more startups and e-commerce platforms,” said Danaitun Pongpatcharatorntep, deputy dean of the college.

Zunyi Normal University in southwest China’s Guizhou province has also established a cross-border e-commerce training center in cooperation with industry partners. The facility is equipped with eight live-streaming studios targeting markets such as Vietnam and Thailand.

Through the China-Laos e-commerce talent development program, Laotian student Wang Yunlan, known by her Chinese name, has become a live-streaming host at the center after more than a year of training.

“I often host live-streaming sessions here in my spare time. It not only increases my income but also deepens my understanding of cross-border e-commerce. My skills have improved a lot, giving me a strong foundation for future career opportunities and entrepreneurship,” she said.