Chinese solar companies seek new engines of growth

By Dou Hanyang, People’s Daily

As one of the most competitive emerging renewable energy industries, the photovoltaic (PV) sector has experienced rapid growth in China in recent years.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–2025), the annual output value of China’s PV manufacturing industry exceeded 1 trillion yuan ($147.65 billion); total exports surpassed $180 billion; cumulative installed capacity topped 1,200 gigawatts; PV modules were exported to more than 200 countries and regions.

Yet challenges have emerged. Since 2024, Chinese PV products have faced increasingly intense and often unreasonable competition across overseas markets — a trend defined by rising export volumes paired with plummeting selling prices.

According to a representative of the China Photovoltaic Industry Association, some companies have engaged in excessive low-price competition during exports, eroding industry profits while increasing the risk of trade disputes such as anti-dumping and countervailing investigations against China’s PV sector.

Beginning April 1, 2026, China eliminated export tax rebates for photovoltaic products. Industry experts believe the move will encourage companies to shift away from extensive, scale-driven expansion and focus instead on technological premiums, brand building, and the development of higher-efficiency, more reliable, and smarter products, thereby accelerating industrial upgrading.

Inside the factory of Ronma Solar Energy Group in Jinhua, east China’s Zhejiang province, robotic arms and automated material-handling systems work in coordination as silicon wafers move through a series of processes before becoming solar modules.

“We recently received new orders from Central Asia and Southeast Asia and are now ramping up production,” said Xiao Yuanbiao, a company executive.

For leading firms, going global has long evolved beyond simply exporting products. It now encompasses exporting brands and even production capacity.

“Going global is not just about establishing overseas sales channels,” said Huang Haiyan, executive vice president of Astronergy, an intelligent manufacturing enterprise focusing on photovoltaic cells and modules. “More importantly, it means putting down roots in local markets and building fully localized operations across the entire value chain.”

In March, Astronergy secured a major solar-plus-storage project in Ereğli of Konya province, Türkiye. All PV modules required for the project were supplied by the company’s local factory in Türkiye. More significantly, its parent company, Chint Group, provided a comprehensive one-stop solution covering modules, energy storage systems, and construction services.

“Our ability to deliver the entire value chain — from core products and system integration to full project delivery — creates a significant advantage in international competition,” Huang said.

Zhejiang ranks among China’s leading provinces in both the size of the PV industry and grid-connected installed PV capacity. According to an official with the digital economy division of the Zhejiang provincial economy and information technology department, the industry has seen continuous capacity expansion since 2023, leading some companies into what is commonly described as “involution-style” competition. In response, Zhejiang rolled out new supportive policies last year encouraging industry self-discipline and production control.

Huang argues the current phenomenon of “higher output but lower profits” stems largely from the massive release of new production capacity over the past two years, which has driven down prices throughout the supply chain. Huang said companies cannot simply wait for the market to recover; they must take proactive steps.

At Astronergy’s Haining base in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, a national-level green factory, production has become increasingly digitalized and intelligent. According to Pang Shaohua, head of the facility, the factory pioneered a “PV manufacturing plus internet” model as early as 2016.

“Take AI-powered inspection of semi-finished products as an example. Previously, four production lines operating day and night required eight workers. After introducing AI inspection, only two workers are needed, while inspection efficiency has increased fourfold,” Pang explained.

A representative of Aiko, a global leader in new energy technology based in Zhejiang province, noted that outdated production capacity will inevitably be phased out and that industry competition must ultimately return to a healthy cycle driven by technology and quality.

“The removal of PV export tax rebates marks the beginning of a new era of ‘value-driven globalization’ for the solar industry,” the representative said. “The policy’s core goal is to accelerate the elimination of outdated capacity and optimize the industry structure. In the long run, this will help prevent export prices from remaining trapped at unsustainably low levels and support a more rational recovery of prices in overseas markets.”

Amid fierce competition, the range of “PV-plus” application scenarios continues to expand. About 700 meters offshore from the Wengle reclamation area in Yueqing, Zhejiang province, nearly half a million silver-blue solar panels shimmer in the sunlight. Beneath them, fish swim freely in the shaded waters. This is the Wenzhou Hengtai fishery-solar complementary power generation project.

“From the very beginning, we integrated aquaculture into the project design,” said the project manager. “By fully utilizing the water resources beneath the solar panels, each mu (about 667 square meters) of tidal flat generates an additional 3,000 yuan ($443.57) in annual fishery output while creating more than 1,000 jobs.”

In Mianqianling village, Xiyang township, Taishun county, Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, rows of solar panels stretch across the hillsides. Making use of the forest land beneath the panels, the village has developed a demonstration base combining photovoltaics with the cultivation of medicinal Chinese yew trees.

The project generates roughly 200,000 yuan($29,571.20) in annual income for the village collective. In addition, leveraging a nearby aviation sports camp, the village has launched a tourism program that allows visitors to view the solar installations from the air.

According to Shen Fuxin, secretary-general of the Zhejiang Solar Energy Industry Association, the continued development of new application scenarios can help alleviate the pressure created by expanding production capacity. Looking ahead, the replacement of smaller installations with larger, more efficient systems, as well as the upgrading of aging facilities, may become important new growth drivers for the PV industry.

Dialogue between ancient and modern civilizations: contemporary inspiration from classical wisdom

People’s Daily reporters

From June 9 to 10 local time, the second World Conference of Classics was held in Athens, Greece. Following the successful inaugural session held in Beijing in 2024, this grand event, jointly organized by China and Greece, represented a cross-continental “academic relay” between the two pivotal cradles of Eastern and Western classical civilizations.

Participants generally agreed that the study of classics is no longer confined to any particular region, language or cultural tradition, but instead encompasses all classical civilizations throughout human history that have preserved enduring traditions, nurtured noble virtues and cultivated spiritual values. 

By tracing the roots of civilizations, the study of classics provides humanity with spiritual guidance and intellectual resources for advancing civilization, allowing the light of classical civilizations to illuminate the path forward.

Under the theme “Dialogue Between Ancient and Modern Civilizations: Contemporary Inspiration from Classical Wisdom,” this year’s conference focused on how the study of classics can respond to the common challenges facing today’s world and offer inspiration for the development of human civilization.

In a written address to the conference, director-general of UNESCO Khaled El-Enany said that bringing splendid classical traditions into modern dialogue is not about glorifying the past, but about drawing wisdom from ancient classics’ profound reflections on knowledge, justice, responsibility, coexistence and peace, so as to address the pressing challenges of the modern time from a new perspective.

Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said that the joint organization of the conference by Greece and China not only demonstrated the strength of cooperation between the two ancient civilizations, but also showed that the study of classics has become a truly global field of research and dialogue. 

She added that scholars from different countries and academic traditions gathered in Athens, proving that when civilizations engage in exchanges with openness, inclusiveness and without prejudice, seeking understanding rather than confrontation, they can not only coexist, but also learn from and enrich one another.

Gao Xiang, president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that against the backdrop of profound global changes and rising uncertainty, humanity is more eager than ever to draw wisdom from classical civilizations to address real-world challenges. 

The contemporary value of classics, he said, lies in deeply exploring the rich intellectual resources of ancient civilizations, drawing on their valuable experiences in resolving conflicts and maintaining peace, and applying the ancient wisdom of “harmony without uniformity” to help build a more just and equitable international order.

In the late autumn of 2024, the inaugural World Conference of Classics was successfully held by Yanqi Lake in Beijing. More than 400 Chinese and foreign scholars from over 30 countries across five continents gathered to explore the theme “Classical Civilizations and the Modern World,” opening a new chapter in dialogue among classical civilizations.

“The first World Conference of Classics was a great success. It set a new benchmark for global research on classics, made positive contributions to the inheritance and development of civilizations, and promoted exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations,” said Roger T. Ames, vice president of the International Confucian Association and a participant in the conference. 

“The second conference has once again brought together academic communities from around the world to explore new avenues for exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, providing spiritual nourishment for building a better world,” he added.

Stelios Virvidakis, secretary general of the Greek side at the Center of Chinese and Greek Ancient Civilizations, said that China is actively promoting the drawing of wisdom from global classical traditions to address contemporary global governance challenges. The World Conference of Classics, as an important platform for discussion and exchange, is crucial to building a better future for humanity.

Spanish sinologist Alicia Relinque Eleta, who has translated multiple Chinese classical literary masterpieces into Spanish, said that the Western world should open its eyes and truly seek to understand other civilizations. From this perspective, China’s Global Civilization Initiative provides an important framework for promoting equal dialogue and exchanges among civilizations, helping overcome barriers between civilizations and enhance mutual understanding among peoples.

Kathryn Morgan, a professor of classics at the University of California, Los Angeles, expressed a similar view. She said that in a world filled with uncertainty and multiple challenges, the Global Civilization Initiative is like a remedy, offering a Chinese approach enriched by Eastern wisdom to address global challenges. 

It goes beyond the outdated logic of zero-sum competition and the clash of civilizations, injecting valuable stability and positive energy into a world undergoing turbulence and transformation, she added.

During the conference, parallel forums were held on topics including “Virtue and Cultivation,” “Friendship and Community,” “Peace and Order,” and “Technology and Civilization,” along with a series of cultural exchange activities. 

At the closing ceremony, the conference released a joint initiative titled “Illuminating Humanity’s Future with Classical Wisdom” and launched a Global Visiting Scholar Program by the Chinese School of Classical Studies at Athens.

From Beijing to Athens, the conference served as a bridge connecting two major sources of Eastern and Western civilizations. More than an academic gathering, the event marked a milestone in putting the Global Civilization Initiative into practice, adding a profound and enduring classical chapter to the shared future of human civilization.

Chinese tea brands go global: a new chapter for China’s service sector

By Luo Shanshan, People’s Daily

Recently, Chagee, a fast-growing brand known for its modern take on traditional Chinese tea, opened three stores in South Korea at once, triggering a wave of consumer enthusiasm. 

In Sao Paulo, Brazil, long lines formed outside the first store of Chinese tea beverage brand Mixue Ice Cream & Tea (Mixue) even before opening hours. Mixue’s mascot, Snow King, dressed in a No. 10 football jersey, interacted warmly with customers. Today, an impressive 95 percent of its customers in the city are local residents.

By the end of 2025, Mixue had operated around 4,500 stores overseas. Meanwhile, Heytea, a Chinese beverage brand that calls itself the “pioneer of new Chinese style tea,” has entered markets including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada, with the number of its overseas outlets increasing nearly sixfold over the past year.

From exporting raw tea as a conventional commodity to rolling out standardized services, localized operations and authentic Chinese cultural experiences overseas, Chinese beverage brands featuring traditional tea are expanding globally. 

This global expansion reflects much deeper changes in how China connects with the world. It also signals a remarkable transformation of China’s image, temperament and charm in the eyes of the globe.

For a long time, the world’s understanding of China was shaped primarily by the global success of “Made in China.” Over past decades, China’s international presence was closely associated with tangible products such as garments, household appliances, and machinery. 

The focus was on products rather than experiences, hardware rather than culture. What the world saw was an industrious and highly capable manufacturing powerhouse. Yet opportunities to gain deeper insight into Chinese lifestyles, cultural traditions, and the character of its people were relatively limited.

Trade in goods built strong connections, but could not fully convey a multidimensional, vibrant, and relatable image of China.

Service consumption represents the most down-to-earth and approachable form of cultural communication. The in-depth value of service globalization lies in offering the world a new perspective to understand China. Rooted in inherent cultural heritage, a new generation of Chinese brands is succeeding internationally through consistent service, refined operational expertise and unique cultural features.

Mixue has adopted a business model that combines global standards with local customization. Supported by a mature franchise operation system and a comprehensive supply chain, the company ensures consistent product and service quality while creatively integrating its Snow King mascot into local cultural settings. 

In this way, Chinese-style tea beverages naturally become part of everyday life for local consumers. In Indonesia, for example, many children learn their first Chinese phrase through Mixue’s well-known advertising jingle: ” I love you, you love me, Mixue Ice Cream & Tea.” 

Meanwhile, Heytea leans into youth trends and urban style. Drawing on the cultural backgrounds, consumption habits, and lifestyles of different cities, it continually innovates in product offerings, packaging design, and store experiences.

Every cup of modern Chinese tea carries thousands of years of tea culture. Presented in a youthful, fashionable, and everyday form, it is becoming part of the lives of young people around the world. 

From the global rise for Chinese aesthetics to the soaring popularity of traditional Chinese tea drinks, the world witnesses a vibrant China that blends profound heritage with modern trends, openness with inclusiveness, and pragmatism with romance. China as an equal partner, are drawn to its cultural appeal, and are eager to visit and connect.

These tea drink brands offer a glimpse into the appeal of Chinese culture. Looking ahead, as more Chinese service brands expand globally, lifestyles, cultural values, and development concepts nurtured on Chinese soil will continue to reach wider audiences around the world. China, in turn, will engage with other countries with greater openness, inclusiveness, confidence, and vitality, advancing through mutual exchange and shared progress.

Hybrid rice: China-Africa agricultural cooperation sows prosperity on African soil

By Michael Oduro

Recently, a bag of hybrid rice grown in the West African country Guinea was presented to Deng Ze, wife of Yuan Longping, the father of hybrid rice.” 

Printed on the front of the rice sack were national flags of China and Guinea, while its reverse side bears a handwritten message from the Guinean Prime Minister, who described the rice as “a symbol of cooperation between Guinea and China.”

Light as the sack may be, it carries an immense weight of friendship. It embodies the simplest respect the African people hold for a Chinese scientist. It also stands as a vivid testament to how China-Africa agricultural cooperation benefits ordinary people.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, over one in five people in Africa still suffer from malnutrition. Africa is not short of arable land or hardworking farmers. Instead, the bottlenecks holding back higher grain yields are agricultural technology and industrial chains. 

To this day, many farmers still rely on the weather when it comes to harvests; inadequate storage facilities leave crops prone to spoilage. Compounded by rising global fertilizer prices, extreme weather from climate change, and regional instability, Africa’s grain production struggles to develop steadily.

Against this challenging backdrop, China-Africa agricultural cooperation has always played a vital role in addressing pressing needs such as agricultural training, seed improvement, and the promotion of modern farming equipment. 

Chinese hybrid rice has now taken root in more than 20 African countries, including Madagascar, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, and Zambia. Many farmers, after planting hybrid rice for the first time, marvel at how the same plot of land can support multiple harvests a year and yield such abundant grain.

As rice shifts from an occasional “luxury” to a stable staple on African dinner tables, Yuan’s name has become known to more and more African farmers. 

As an African journalist working in China, I am often asked by Chinese friends: Is Yuan really that famous in Africa? My answer is always yes. In fact, in some rural African areas, Yuan is better known than many national leaders. Some call him the “father of hybrid rice”; others keep his photo at home. They may not understand complex international cooperation projects, but they remember the higher yields from hybrid rice, the extra grain in their granaries, and the peace of mind of knowing their children will not go hungry. 

In 2025, Gambian farmer Musa Darboe traveled thousands of miles to place a bag of freshly harvested hybrid rice and a painting of the harvest scene at Yuan’s tomb. He speaks barely any Chinese, yet every time he visits China, he makes a point to pay his respect to the revered scientist. To many Africans, Yuan is far more than a Chinese scientist — he is a symbol of hope and harvest for farmers all across Africa.

As a Chinese saying goes, “give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” Chinese agricultural experts live and work alongside African villagers, establishing demonstration farms and agricultural training centers. They promote mechanized farming, irrigation systems, improved seeds, and crop management techniques, while training local agricultural promotion workers. Through this “on-the-ground” technology transfer, local farmers gain a complete set of agricultural production expertise.

In my view, what China brings is not just equipment and technology, but a viable path to boost food self-sufficiency and security. Technological cooperation empowers African farmers with the know-how to increase yields, mitigate risks, and expand production, strengthening the resilience of their food sovereignty and security. 

China-Africa agricultural cooperation has delivered hope to farmlands and farming communities throughout Africa, turning the philosophy of “teaching people how to fish” into tangible progress on the continent. For Africans who have long suffered the pain of hunger, the most valuable gift is not short-term food aid — it is the ability to reap bumper harvests with their own hands.

DSS Moves Against Agbo, over Alleged impersonation as Benue PDP Guber candidate

The operatives of the Department of State Security Services, DSS has laid a manhunt on embattled former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Benue State, over Alleged impersonation.

A highly placed Security source on Thursday, confirmed to our correspondent that the service is currently looking for Dr. Emmanuel Agbo for impersonating himself as the Governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in Benue state.

The source said that Dr. Agbo, must be interrogated to enable the service have an idea were his candidature was decided as well as venue it took place.

He further added that from preliminary findings Agbo, is playing a role of a ” useful idiot ” been sponsored by political bigwigs in the state that must be unravel by the service.

He queried that all the primary election that took place across the 36 states of the Federation including the Federal Capital Territory was monitored by the DSS and reports were filed including that of Benue State which officially in the PDP, the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN emerged.

Already, a political pressure group has petitioed, Dr. Emmanuel Agbo who they Alleged he is now parading a “fake” Certificate of Return as the party’s candidate is just an “impostor” who didn’t participate in the party’s primaries in May, 2026.

“The Certificate of Return which the disbanded Turaki-led Interim National Executive Council presented to Dr. Agbo yesterday is fake and will not be recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission during the uploading of party candidates on their portal” the group noted.

The group however challenged Agbo to present evidence that he partook in the said primaries, and also make available proofs that representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission, officials of the party from Abuja as well as representatives of Nigeria’s security agencies were present in his own selection process if there is any.

The group stated further that there are proofs that Dr. Emmanuel Agbo is being sponsored by some “disgruntled” elements to ruin the chances of the People’s Democratic Party in the forthcoming governorship election in Benue state.

The statement reads in parts:”Emmanuel Agbo has been warned to desist from this act of impersonation before it’s too late, and if he fails to stop this act, we shall drag him before a competent court to face criminal charges.

“That he is being sponsored to ruin the chances of the party is no longer a secret but, we will make sure that we stop him and his co-travellers who are hell bent on destroying the party”

GOVERNOR ODODO’S HEARTFELT TRIBUTE TO YAHAYA BELLO WARMS HEARTS; FORMER GOVERNOR RESPONDS WITH GRATITUDE

By: Hon. Moses Okezie-Okafor

Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State has penned an unusually emotional and deeply sincere birthday tribute to his predecessor, former Governor Yahaya Bello, CON, describing him as his leader, mentor, pathfinder and destiny fulfiller in a message that has drawn widespread commendation across the country.

The message, released on Wednesday, June 18th, to mark the former governor’s birthday, offered another beautiful glimpse into the strong bond between the two leaders, underscoring the mutual respect that has continued to define their relationship since the transition of power in Kogi State.

Political observers have noted that the warmth displayed by both men stands in sharp contrast to the often frosty and adversarial relationships that frequently emerge between sitting governors and their predecessors in Nigeria, where political succession is commonly followed by accusations of betrayal, mutual recriminations and bitter political rivalry.

In his message, Governor Ododo paid glowing tribute to Bello’s leadership, courage and vision, crediting him with laying the foundations for the progress being witnessed in the state today.

The Governor wrote:

“Your Excellency, my Leader, Mentor and Pathfinder,

The true measure of a leader is not in the battles he avoids, but in the burdens he willingly bears so that others may walk a path he cleared.

As I reflect on your life and leadership on the occasion of your birthday, this profound truth comes readily to mind. Your journey has been defined by courage, sacrifice and a great commitment to a cause greater than yourself.

You took the bullets for the difficult decisions that laid the foundation for a prosperous Kogi State. You bore the criticisms, confronted the opposition and endured the pressures that come with charting a new course. While many saw risks, you saw possibilities. While others sought convenience, you chose conviction.

You were used, and are still being used, by God to fulfill the destinies of many people, including mine. No one saw it coming. No one would have made such a choice. No one would have looked in my direction and entrusted me with such responsibility except a visionary leader like you, who possesses the rare gift of seeing tomorrow in the people of today.

Your birthday means a lot to us because it marks the day a great leader, fearless reformer, destiny fulfiller and builder of men was born. Through your leadership, countless lives have been transformed, hopes have been restored, and opportunities have been created for people who otherwise may never have had the chance.

Beyond the offices you have occupied and the accomplishments that history will record, your greatest legacy remains the lives you have touched and the futures you have shaped. Generations yet unborn will continue to reap from the seeds you planted with courage, vision and selfless service.

As you celebrate another year today, I pray that Almighty Allah continues to strengthen you, preserve you in good health, enrich you with wisdom and grant you many more years of fulfillment and impact. May your days be long, your joy be full and your legacy continue to flourish.

Happy Birthday, Your Excellency Sir.

With profound respect and gratitude,

HE Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo, FCA
The Chief Servant of Kogi State

18th June, 2026.”

The former governor responded in equally warm terms, expressing gratitude for the tribute and describing Governor Ododo as his ‘success story now and forever’. Bello thanked Almighty Allah for giving Ododo to him, Kogi State and humanity ‘at this critical moment in our history’, commended his inclusive leadership and urged him to keep flying the state’s flag ever higher.

The exchange has been widely interpreted as further evidence of the unusual political maturity that has characterised the relationship between the two men since the transition of power in Kogi State. Rather than the familiar cycle of estrangement and political warfare that often follows succession in Nigeria, both leaders have consistently projected unity, continuity and a shared commitment to the state’s development.

For many observers, the birthday exchange was more than a private expression of goodwill. It was a public affirmation of mutual loyalty, gratitude and statesmanship – values too often absent from contemporary political partnerships.

This writer believes such public demonstrations of mutual respect are increasingly needed in a political climate often marked by needless infighting. They remind us that political transitions need not breed bitterness and division, and that governance is strengthened when successors acknowledge the foundations laid by their predecessors and predecessors, in turn, accord due respect to those entrusted with continuing the work.

As felicitations continue to pour in for former Governor Yahaya Bello on his birthday, the messages exchanged between the two leaders are, no doubt, the clearest illustrations of political continuity, mutual respect and mature leadership to be found anywhere in Nigeria’s democracy today.

Moses Okezie-Okafor is a lawyer, governance strategist and public policy commentator who works closely with both leaders. He serves as Director-General of Research and Development, Kogi State, and writes regularly on leadership, democratic institutions, public sector reform and national development.

EFCC Witness Again Fails to Link Yahaya Bello to Disputed Properties and Funds

Trial in the ongoing prosecution of Yahaya Bello, the erstwhile Governor of Kogi State resumed today in Abuja. Parties appeared before Hon. Justice Josephine Anenih to continue proceedings in the High tension legal battle.

Shehu Bala ‘Bello’, testifying for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), today underwent extensive cross-examination at the hands of defence counsel in the ongoing trial of former Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello.

The witness, who was subsequently discharged after what a journalist observing proceedings described as ‘a grilling’, is now the seventeenth prosecution witness (PW17) called by the EFCC since the commencement of the trial.

During a lengthy and detailed cross-examination, defence counsel subjected the witness to questions bordering on his relationship with Ali Bello whom he testified at the last hearing yesterday to have had dealings with, including the acquisition of various properties, the source of funds utilised in those transactions, and the ownership structure of the assets that have featured prominently in the prosecution’s case.

Despite the extensive questioning, the witness failed to directly link former Governor Yahaya Bello to the ownership, purchase, financing or control of the disputed properties and funds under scrutiny before the court. He also clarified that ‘Bello’ in his name is purely concidently, and that he is not related to the former Governor.

Under questioning, PW17 exonerated Bello from allegation of having had business dealings with him. He maintained that his dealings related principally to his own business and property transactions and he did not have direct business with the former governor on any of the properties and other assets in issue.

The development is being viewed by courtroom observers as another difficult outing for the prosecution, which has now called seventeen witnesses without allegedly producing direct evidence tying the former governor to the properties and financial transactions at the centre of the charges.

Proceedings are currently ongoing. More details later…

Cross-border e-commerce fosters new pathways for South-South cooperation

By Liu He, People’s Daily

A recent forum at the Palais des Nations in Geneva brought together around 100 representatives from UN agencies, Geneva diplomats, and Chinese institutions and businesses. The event focusing on leveraging China’s experience in cross-border e-commerce to foster new pathways for South-South cooperation.

Participants examined how this digital trade model can enhance trade connectivity and industrial development within the Global South, exploring innovative approaches to empower South-South partnerships. Discussions covered China’s advancements, from business model innovations to regulatory practices.

Chinese online marketplaces have seen surging demand for premium international goods in recent years, evidenced by the popularity of products ranging from New Zealand kiwifruit and Italian olive oil to Ecuadorian shrimp. This growth underscores the significant potential the Chinese consumer market holds for international brands.

Through cross-border e-commerce platforms, China is opening its vast consumer market to the world, enabling global businesses to capitalize on Chinese consumption opportunities. 

In 2025, 2,415 overseas brands opened their first stores on Tmall Global, a cross-border B2C online marketplace under Alibaba, marking a double-digit year-on-year increase in the number of debut stores.

In July 2025, Chinese e-commerce platform JD.com launched an initiative offering one-stop services covering customs clearance, logistics, payments, and compliance. In under a year, the initiative has launched 140 online country-specific pavilions and onboarded a total of 1,500 new overseas brands.

Cross-border e-commerce has further paved the way for Chinese enterprises to go global and empowered domestic brands to tap into international markets.

Ranging from niche everyday items like gua sha boards, thermal bottles and teapots to big-ticket home appliances, functional furnishings and smart hardware, Chinese-made goods enjoy robust sales across the globe.

China currently has more than 160,000 cross-border e-commerce enterprises, while its logistics networks reach more than 200 countries and regions.

According to Wang Zhihua, director-general of the Department of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Commerce, three key factors have driven the rapid growth of China’s cross-border e-commerce sector.

Fueling the sector’s growth is robust policy backing. Adhering to the core tenets of encouraging innovation, exercising inclusive and prudent oversight, and advancing opening up and collaboration, China has rolled out 178 comprehensive cross-border e-commerce pilot zones to spearhead institutional, regulatory and service-level innovations.

Digital technologies also deliver pervasive enabling effects. Big data, AI and other cutting-edge tools are being rapidly deployed throughout the full industrial workflow, covering product sourcing, marketing, settlement and logistics alike.

Another core driver lies in the resilient, well-entrenched industrial and supply chains. Boasting the world’s most complete range of industrial sectors, China’s manufacturing sector is advancing swiftly toward intelligent and eco-friendly production, enabling steady, timely supply of a full spectrum of commodities.

Supporting service providers are also expanding overseas alongside Chinese merchants to empower local industrial ecosystems.

Chinese cross-border e-commerce supply chain solutions provider Edayun manages over 60 overseas warehouses worldwide. Powered by its digital and intelligent supply chain platform, it has interconnected more than 50 cross-border marketplaces and local logistics networks globally, markedly boosting order responsiveness and fulfillment efficiency.

As a cross-border payment service provider, Lianlian has secured nearly 70 payment licenses and relevant operational permits worldwide. It provides services in over 100 countries and regions, with regional operation hubs established across high-growth emerging markets including Southeast Asia and Latin America. These outposts enable local merchants to process cross-border payments efficiently and in full regulatory compliance.

“Cross-border e-commerce evolves along a clear trajectory: starting with product exports, progressing to brand globalization, and advancing toward localized partnerships,” said Fan Fei, deputy head of Ebrun Think Tank. “Our survey shows over 60 percent of Chinese cross-border e-commerce enterprises regard localized service capabilities as their core competitive edge.” 

Through substantial investment and compliant business operations, these firms are deeply embedding themselves into local economic ecosystems, emerging as key contributors to local economic growth, Fan added.

Demand for cross-border e-commerce development and strengthened international cooperation is mounting across the Global South. 

Escipion Oliveira-Gomez, director of the Division of Country Programmes at the International Trade Center, noted that under the framework of South-South cooperation, China has rolled out policy incentives, infrastructure development and talent development programs to help other developing economies strengthen capacity, integrate into the global digital economy, and foster a fairer, more efficient and inclusive global cross-border e-commerce ecosystem featuring win-win outcomes and shared prosperity.

Over the past three years, China has delivered more than 100 foreign-aid training sessions on e-commerce and digital economy, drawing over 3,000 participants from more than 100 countries and regions. 

For the next five years, China plans to launch 200 training programs on digital economy and AI for Global South nations, enabling developing countries to benefit more from technological innovations and practical applications.

China has supported Africa in constructing and upgrading 150,000 kilometers of backbone communication networks and assisted Nepal in completing cross-border optical cable routes across the Himalayas. 

Moving forward, China will continue to back Global South countries in building information and communications infrastructure, intelligent warehousing and related facilities, upgrade cross-border logistics networks, and lower entry barriers and operating costs for digital trade. 

Ram Prasad Subedi, Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva, commented that China’s achievements in e-commerce and digital infrastructure development offer valuable experience and opportunities for all countries of the Global South.

Keeping classical wisdom alive for modern world

By Yue Shenghao

The Second World Conference of Classics will open in Athens, Greece on June 9, 2026. Under the theme “Dialogue between Ancient and Modern: Contemporary Inspirations from Classical Wisdom,” the conference will be jointly hosted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China, the Greek Ministry of Culture, and the Academy of Athens.

In fact, classical studies concern far more than classical theories and texts. Through the sustained efforts of generations of scholars, the hope has always been that classical wisdom may transcend the long river of history, regain vitality in the present age, and continue to illuminate contemporary life.

Today, technological advancement and productive forces are flourishing at an unprecedented pace, while the arrival of the digital and intelligent era has connected the world in ways never seen before. Still, modern society grapples with uniquely contemporary challenges: disordered values, growing utilitarianism, and individual alienation.

Against this backdrop, the seemingly distant ancient world has instead become an intellectual resource through which we reflect upon and improve contemporary life. It helps us explore how to preserve humanistic values, cultivate ideal character, and refine moral qualities in an era of accelerating technological development.

Since the First Opium War, successive generations of Chinese intellectuals have waged a sustained struggle to save the nation from peril. Research into ancient Greek and Roman civilizations likewise served as a key channel for them to draw on Western ideological legacies and reshape the Chinese nation’s spiritual makeup.

Over the past two decades and more, China’s growing national strength, together with sustained academic efforts, has enabled us to understand Western civilization from a more equal and composed perspective. 

Research into ancient Greek and Roman civilizations helps us understand Western civilization at its roots, thereby promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations and enabling Chinese civilization, on its path toward rejuvenation, to draw upon all outstanding achievements of human civilization.

The reason ancient texts and classical wisdom have endured uninterrupted across millennia lies in the tireless efforts of generations of classicists who have carried the torch forward. German classicist Fritz-Heiner Mutschler stands as one exemplary figure among them.

Born in Heidelberg, Germany in 1946, Mutschler taught for many years at Heidelberg University after completing his doctoral studies, specializing in classical philology and ancient history. From 1988 to 1992, he was invited to teach in China at the Institute for the History of Ancient Civilizations at Northeast Normal University.

Returning to Germany in 1993, he helped establish the Institute of Classical Philology at Dresden University of Technology. In 2011, he returned to China once again as chair professor of Humanities at Peking University, where he became deeply involved in curriculum development at the university’s Center for Classical and Medieval Studies until his retirement in 2016.

Affectionately nicknamed “Lao Mu” by his Chinese students — a warm honorific blending the Chinese respectful prefix Lao (meaning respected elder) with the shortened form of his surname Mutschler — he left an indelible impression on everyone he taught.

During my years at Peking University, I had the privilege of studying ancient Greek under him. He always sat on top of the classroom desk while teaching, speaking rapidly and passionately as he guided us through reading and translating Homer’s The Iliad. Gradually, the magnificent and extraordinary world of epic poetry unfolded before us.

To us, Mutschler resembled the noble hero Hector from the Iliad, brave and loyal, upright and compassionate.

His strict teaching style intimidated us, yet outside class he was an elderly scholar who cared for his students with patience and warmth. He and his wife often invited us to meals, smiling as they watched us eat enthusiastically. He eagerly participated in our cultural and recreational activities and generously mentored younger scholars as they stepped onto the academic stage.

In the Western context, classics traditionally refers to the study of ancient Greece and Rome. In recent years, both Chinese and international scholars have increasingly hoped to build a broader conception of classical studies, one that incorporates Chinese classical scholarship into the global map of classical research.

To this end, Mutschler devoted himself wholeheartedly to creating opportunities for Chinese scholars to engage with international academia on equal terms and helping Chinese classical scholarship reach the world.

Back in 2003, together with German sinologist Achim Mittag, Mutschler invited Chinese and Western scholars to participate in a comparative research project on the Roman Empire and ancient China, bringing comparative studies between Chinese civilization and Greco-Roman civilization into the field of classical studies.

In 2014, he organized an international symposium at Peking University dedicated to comparative studies of the Book of Songs and the Homeric epics, pioneering comparative analysis between these two foundational classics of Chinese and Western civilizations.

Whether through teaching or organizing conferences, the amount of labor involved was difficult to measure. Yet Mutschler never lost heart and always moved forward.

In 2024, he attended the first World Conference of Classics held at Yanqi Lake in Beijing. But before he could witness the opening of the second conference, he passed away peacefully this April.

Mutschler was an epitome of the scholars who devoted enormous energy to advancing classical studies in China. The seeds they planted have already spread far and wide.

Today, a new generation of scholars is assuming responsibility for carrying forward the intellectual lineage of classical studies and safeguarding the wisdom of civilization.

China’s classical studies have already produced substantial achievements. 

The “Classics and Interpretation” series, devoted to translating and studying canonical texts and scholarship related to Western classical civilization, has published more than 800 volumes to date.

Specialized research institutions have been established, including the classical studies office of the Institute of Foreign Literature at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Department of Classics at Sichuan University, and the Center for Classical and Medieval Studies at Peking University.

Serving as a bridge between Chinese and foreign classical studies, the first World Conference of Classics was successfully held, while the Chinese School of Classical Studies was established in Athens.

As the second World Conference of Classics approaches, scholars from different cultural traditions will transcend geographical and intellectual boundaries through exchanges and dialogue. Together, they will reinterpret classical wisdom to answer urgent real-world challenges facing contemporary humanity.

Through classical studies, civilizations can learn from one another through mutual reflection and mutual respect, offering insights for contemporary human life. This is the best way to carry forward the legacy of classical studies and the clearest testament to its relevance today.

(Yue Shenghao is a staff member of the Classical Studies at Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)

China committed to open-source development for greater innovation, shared gains

By He Yin, People’s Daily

A string of eye-catching breakthroughs has put China’s AI industry in the global spotlight. A humanoid robot developed by Chinese tech firm Unitree featured as a guest on a Polish TV show, while V4, the latest open-source large model of Chinese AI company DeepSeek, has made headlines across major international news outlets. 

Riding the worldwide AI boom, China has followed a distinctive homegrown roadmap for open-source development to upgrade its domestic AI sector. As it builds up indigenous innovation capabilities, the country also fuels sustained growth for the global digital and intelligent industry.

The vitality of an innovation ecosystem is often reflected in the data. According to a report released by a leading international open-source platform, Chinese-developed models accounted for 41 percent of all large-model downloads on the platform over the past year, making China one of the world’s most active and fastest-growing sources of open-source AI models.

Another report, jointly released by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the same platform found that Chinese-developed open-source models surpassed those from the United States in global downloads for the first time last year, ranking first worldwide.

The growing influence of Chinese open-source models is expanding beyond developer communities and into real-world applications. More companies around the world are adopting Chinese AI models for commercial deployment.

Bill Ready, chief executive officer of the U.S. company Pinterest, noted that Chinese AI companies’ decision to embrace open-source development has helped fuel the explosive growth of global open-source models.

Chinese open-source models have earned the support of developers around the world because of both their technological strength and their commitment to openness and inclusiveness.

DeepSeek’s V4 model, for example, combines advanced features such as ultra-long context windows with open access to model weights and source code, allowing developers worldwide to build and innovate on top of the technology.

Following years of development, China has now established a complete AI industrial system. The country is home to more than 6,000 AI companies, with industrial chains covering every key link from intelligent chips and computing clusters to model development and application scenarios.

An article published by Malaysia’s The Star argued that Chinese AI products place strong emphasis on practical implementation and have already achieved world-leading capabilities in resource integration. Its open-source, shared developer ecosystem has effectively accelerated technology adoption both domestically and internationally, while expanding applications in sectors such as energy, transportation, and health care.

The open-source and shared development model not only makes intelligent technologies more accessible worldwide, but is also unlocking new drivers of economic growth within China.

Multiple Chinese open-source models, including Qwen, Moonshot AI’s Kimi, and DeepSeek, have broken down technological and industry barriers, enabling creators and developers around the world to rapidly deploy AI models and develop applications.

Within China, the rapid expansion of the open-source ecosystem is increasingly translating into new engines of growth.

Daily token usage exceeding 140 trillion and a domestic user base of more than 600 million for generative AI have given rise to a rich variety of intelligent application scenarios.

Collaborative innovation among businesses, universities, and research institutions is transforming AI into a shared technological resource that benefits multiple stakeholders.

Open source is not merely a technological development model; it reflects a broader philosophy of collaboration and shared progress.

AI is profoundly reshaping human production and everyday life. Yet it should not become “a game for rich countries and rich people,” nor should it slide into the logic of zero-sum competition.

When certain countries build technological barriers, fragment industrial chains, and artificially obstruct the cross-border flow of innovation resources, the result is a widening technology gap and growing developmental imbalance, ultimately harming the global innovation ecosystem itself.

China has already become an important contributor to global open-source software and open models, and has written “advancing the development of open-source systems” into its 15th Five-Year Plan.

The development of China’s AI industry demonstrates that the more cutting-edge the technology, the greater the need for openness and cooperation; and the bigger the global challenges, the greater the need to share innovation achievements.

Only by remaining committed to innovation and openness, deepening international cooperation, and jointly creating an open, equal, fair, and non-discriminatory environment for AI development can the technology move toward inclusive and beneficial development and truly become an international public good that serves humanity.

The path of open source leads to innovation and shared success. As global attention increasingly turns toward China’s AI industry, the world is seeing not only rapid technological progress and a thriving industrial ecosystem, but also a Digital China committed to openness, open-source development, and ensuring that intelligent technologies serve the common good.

China will continue leveraging its strengths and working with all parties to help narrow the global divide of intelligent technology and jointly write a new chapter in global technological development.