Nigeria Times

By Wang Haonan, People’s Daily

The 2025 World Robot Conference opened in Beijing on August 18, bringing together more than 200 global robotics companies and unveiling over 100 new products. Just days later, the city hosted another event: the 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games, the first of its kind globally, which kicked off on August 14, drawing 280 teams from 16 countries and regions.

At the games, Chinese tech firm Unitree Robotics’s G1 humanoid robot completed the 100-meter obstacle race in 33.71 seconds, while its H1 robot won the 1,500-meter race in 394.40 seconds. Although these results fall short of professional human athletes, Unitree founder Wang Xingxing expressed confidence in the trajectory of progress: “Robots will soon outperform humans.”

Today, humanoid robots extend beyond racing tracks to precision factory tasks. Yet a pressing question persists: how close are they to seamless integration into everyday life?

According to Jia Baoxiong, a researcher at the embodied robotics center of the Beijing Institute for General Artificial Intelligence, humanoid robots have already demonstrated remarkable abilities in specialized tasks such as sprinting and dancing. 

But to transition into everyday life, breakthroughs are required in several areas: enhanced autonomy in open environments, greater precision and stability in movement and manipulation, and above all, safe and reliable interaction with humans, Jia added.

“We are seeing continuous breakthroughs in hardware performance, leaps in AI-driven decision-making, and stronger foundations in datasets and virtual simulation,” said Xu Xiaolan, president of the Chinese Institute of Electronics, at the World Robot Conference. Humanoid robots are now at a critical stage, moving from laboratory experimentation toward industrial application, Xu added.

Still, obstacles remain. Why do some robots stray from their lanes in a race or misfire in a boxing match? The explanation often lies in human involvement: many robots are still remotely controlled by humans, making performance dependent on operator skill and vulnerable to electromagnetic interference.

To encourage intelligence and autonomy, the 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games introduced innovative scoring. Few spectators realized that Tiangong Ultra, developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, and crowned champion of the 100-meter dash, was not actually the first to cross the finish line. But as the only competitor to complete the race using a fully autonomous navigation system without human control, its recorded time was multiplied by a 0.8 coefficient, giving it the highest overall ranking.

Smarter robots will gradually emerge through incremental breakthroughs, said Xiong Youjun, general manager of the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center. “Step by step, they will grow in capability until they can truly serve and assist us,” he added.

For now, hardware refinement remains essential, but according to Wang, the larger bottleneck lies in embodied intelligence itself, which has yet to reach maturity. This, he argued, is the key factor holding back large-scale adoption of humanoid robots in daily life.

In Jia’s view, humanoid robots are already delivering value in performance and entertainment, and when combined with wheeled platforms, they can be deployed for sorting and logistics in warehouses, supermarkets, and pharmacies. But moving them into households will require not just technical breakthroughs, but also solutions to ethical and cost concerns.

Price remains a critical challenge. Training embodied AI models requires vast amounts of real-world trajectory data. “High-quality data is scarce and expensive, driving up development expenses,” noted Xiong.

Ethical considerations are equally pressing. “How can we protect our privacy once humanoid robots enter homes? How should we coexist with them?” Such questions sparked vigorous debate at the 2025 World Robot Conference.

Despite challenges, the industry’s outlook is robust. According to the International Federation of Robotics, the global humanoid robot market is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 71 percent from 2021 to 2030. The Chinese Institute of Electronics predicts that the nation’s humanoid robot market will reach 870 billion yuan (about $122 billion) by 2030.

Humanoid robots continue to evolve at a remarkable speed. The day they “run” into households and integrate into everyday life may not be as far away as it seems.

By Zheng Hai’ou, People’s Daily

At a recent exhibition on intangible cultural heritage in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, technology transformed time-honored traditions into captivating new experiences. Ancient customs took on new vitality, leaving visitors marveling at displays they described as “magical” and “unbelievable.”

Stepping inside transported guests to ancient streets. Sparks from molten-iron fireworks illuminated the space, reviving the festive grandeur of traditional celebrations. A single drumbeat set digital folk dancers in motion on a screen, their movements shifting with the rhythm. With a shadow puppet rod in hand, spectators themselves became performers, staging their own shadow plays.

The combination of technology and intangible cultural heritage is steadily becoming an integral part of everyday life. Online, creative videos powered by AI generation, motion capture, and other technologies are giving heritage a cool, futuristic look. Viewers can now watch porcelain kilns transform, witness the hidden intricacies of double-sided embroidery, or observe how shadow puppeteers bring their characters to life. Cultural ideas, craftsmanship, and aesthetic values once hidden from view are now made visible and accessible. 

China’s wealth of intangible cultural heritage reflects the accumulated skills, wisdom, and artistry handed down through generations. Today, new technologies like 3D modeling, holographic projection, AI, and augmented reality are breathing fresh vitality into these traditions.

On one hand, they present culture in visually striking, dreamlike forms that particularly resonate with younger audiences. On the other hand, they illuminate the historical depth and humanistic values embedded in traditional practices, offering insights into Chinese perspectives on the universe, society, and morality.

Intangible cultural heritage techniques are often intricate and highly specialized. Technology helps to distill their essence, lowering the barrier for appreciation and participation.

“In the past, I could only admire silk patterns on finished products. Now, after experimenting with an AI weaving model, I can design my own patterns and discover the scientific principles and artistic meanings embedded in our ancestors’ motifs,” said a young visitor at the Xinjiang exhibition. 

With a simple hand-drawn sketch, the model instantly generated digital silk patterns. Traditional motifs such as cloud-and-thunder patterns or lotus scrolls shifted on screen, transformed by gradients, overlays, and other modern effects, brought to life by digital technology.

Interactive, game-like experiences allow audiences to both enjoy and learn, turning participation into an act of discovery. More importantly, the combination of technology and intangible cultural heritage lowers entry barriers, inviting ordinary people, especially the younger generation, into the “garden” of traditional Chinese culture to experience its richness.

Folk literature, traditional music, dance, fine arts, drama, and craftsmanship hold vast reservoirs of information, making intangible cultural heritage a valuable resource for scientific and technological innovation. China is home to nearly 870,000 intangible cultural heritage items, over 100,000 representative projects at all levels, and more than 90,000 recognized inheritors. Preserving these treasures through digitization and innovative applications not only ensures their transmission but also provides powerful momentum for technological advancement.

By creatively integrating technology with intangible cultural heritage, ancient traditions are given new brilliance, while channels of preservation and communication expand. This synergy is mutually enriching: culture gains vitality, and technology draws inspiration from the deep well of tradition.

By Huang Fahong, Hu Renba, Yin Xiaoyu

In recent years, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has made significant strides in advancing digital cooperation under the framework of the “Digital Silk Road.” From cross-border 5G coverage to interconnected e-commerce platforms, from digital payment to the growing use of AI, member states are deepening collaboration through innovative practices that are reshaping the regional digital landscape.

In northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, for instance, animal health workers can record vaccinations and file reports directly through a mobile app. When livestock are ready for sale, entering a phone number instantly retrieves immunization records from the past three years. 

Behind these user-friendly functions lies a paperless animal disease prevention system and an electronic quarantine certification system, developed by a local information technology company based in a cloud computing industrial park in Karamay.

Karamay is home to the Xinjiang branch of the China-SCO Big Data Cooperation Center. As of June this year, the branch had hosted nine training sessions for over 20 government departments, research institutes, think tanks, telecom operators, enterprises, and universities from SCO member states, attracting more than 300 participants. It has become an important platform driving digital transformation across the SCO.

Digital transformation is increasingly recognized as a driver of global, inclusive, and sustainable growth. Under the SCO framework, China has taken active steps to promote cross-border connectivity. Projects such as the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan fiber-optic cable have reduced regional network latency by 40 percent, significantly enhancing data transmission efficiency. 

At the industrial park along Egypt’s Suez Canal, China’s BeiDou navigation system and an integrated digital service platform are providing businesses with smart solutions. In Uzbekistan, AI-enabled “virtual classrooms” are expanding access to vocational training. By building a comprehensive network of “hard connectivity plus soft services,” the SCO is laying the groundwork for smoother trade flows and accelerated industrial upgrading.

Launched in March, the MeetSOHO Silk Road e-commerce platform has become an important component of the China-Central Asia trade facilitation mechanism. Nearly 30 buyers from Central Asia are already engaging with more than 500 suppliers from east China’s Jiangsu province, underscoring the vitality of digital trade.

Global digital trade is emerging as a powerful engine of international commerce. In 2024, China’s cross-border e-commerce imports from other SCO member states increased by 34 percent year on year. The China-SCO Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area has established a Silk Road e-commerce service hub to address practical challenges such as cross-border settlement. Meanwhile, the Shanghai Electronic Certification Authority is enabling digital signatures, encryption, and seals for cross-border contracts, serving more than 100 clients in both China and Russia.

“Developing the digital economy is a shared aspiration of all countries,” said Ahmed Darwish, former minister of state for administrative development in Egypt. “The SCO provides a technology-driven, innovation-led, and fair platform that is beneficial to all.”

On the fast track of digital technology, China has provided systematic solutions to support SCO partners in pursuing technological and industrial transformation, making important contributions to bridging the digital divide.

At a Luban Workshop in Kazakhstan, for example, students use tablets to control miniature self-driving vehicle simulations that respond to traffic lights and road conditions. With Chinese-provided technology and equipment, D. Serikbayev East Kazakhstan Technical University became the first in the country to offer a smart transportation course to address urban congestion.

So far, China has established 10 Luban Workshops in other SCO countries, providing training in digital technologies such as AI, big data, blockchain, cloud computing, and 5G.

SCO digital cooperation now extends to frontier technologies including AI, internet of things, and blockchain. By sharing innovations and practical applications, member states have strengthened their collective digital capabilities and expanded technology adoption across industry, transport, agriculture, healthcare, education, and energy.

From fiber-optic networks spanning the Tianshan Mountains to cross-border e-commerce platforms connecting Eurasia, and from remote medical services to data-sharing mechanisms, digital technology is becoming a bridge linking peoples and fostering shared prosperity. Looking ahead, the SCO will continue advancing innovative projects, working together to build a brighter digital future.

By Li Yingqi, Huan Xiang, People’s Daily

According to statistics recently released by China’s General Administration of Customs, in the first seven months of this year, China’s total imports and exports with other Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) members reached 2.11 trillion yuan ($295.04 billion), marking a 3 percent increase year on year, a record high for the period.

As cooperation deepens across trade, investment, connectivity, and other fields, the SCO is charting a path of mutual benefit and shared prosperity, injecting strong momentum into regional development.

On the shores of Jiaozhou Bay in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong province, the China-SCO Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area (SCODA) bustles with activity. Recent examples include a truck laden with fresh fruits and vegetables departing Qingdao’s international road transport assembly center for Moscow (reaching its destination in under a week), and 388 new energy vehicles clearing customs at the SCO International Hub Port Automobile Trading Center before shipment to Dubai. 

Such scenes vividly illustrate the SCODA’s role as a dynamic hub where people, goods, and commerce converge.

The demonstration area traces its origins to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s address at the 2018 SCO Qingdao Summit, where announced that the Chinese government supports building a demonstration area in Qingdao for China-SCO local economic and trade cooperation. Since its inception, the area has been exploring innovative models of local cooperation.

For Li Zhenye, deputy general manager of Qingdao Hongzhu Agricultural Machinery Co., Ltd., the platform has delivered tangible results. “We have participated in the SCO International Investment and Trade Expo for four consecutive years. It has helped us build lasting connections with customers from many SCO countries. In 2024, we hosted nearly 50 business delegations from SCO members, and exports to other SCO and Belt and Road partner countries now account for more than 80 percent of our total,” Li said.

According to Irfan Shahzad Takalvi, founder of the Eurasian Century Institute, a think tank in Islamabad, Pakistan, China has launched a series of cooperation platforms in recent years, facilitating the movement of goods, technology, and talent. These platforms have enabled SCO countries to share development experience, adopt mature technologies, and train professionals, promoting economic growth across the region,” he noted.

A recent demonstration of enhanced connectivity occurred on May 20, when a China-Central Asia freight train departed Tianjin Port for Xinjiang’s Horgo crossing. Carrying 50 containers from South Korea, it completed the journey in two weeks, reducing transit distance by 800 kilometers compared to traditional route.

Today, Tianjin Port connects with over 500 ports in more than 180 countries and regions and has also expanded rail cooperation with SCO member states such as Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, making it a vital bridge between the SCO and global markets.

By opening more efficient regional logistics corridors, strengthening resilient industrial and supply chains, and enhancing trade and investment cooperation, China and other SCO countries are steadily reaching new heights of practical economic engagement. In 2024, trade between China and SCO member states, observer states, and dialogue partners reached a record high of $890 billion, underscoring the dynamism and promising outlook of regional commerce.

The vibrancy of SCO economic and trade cooperation is equally evident at the Horgos International Border Cooperation Center on the China-Kazakhstan border. From Kazakh camel milk and Kyrgyz honey to Uzbek cherries and Tajik dried fruit, thousands of products from more than 40 countries fill the stalls of over 5,000 shops and 1,200 merchants. As the largest cross-border tourism and shopping zone in northwest China, it offers a vivid window into the flourishing economic cooperation between China and its SCO partners.

In the first seven months of this year, Horgos customs supervised 35,500 tons of goods with a total value of 3.65 billion yuan, representing year-on-year increases of 50.1 percent and 37.7 percent year on year, respectively. The center also handled 5.69 million cross-border travelers, a 66 percent increase over the same period last year.

Behind this vitality are streamlined and efficient customs services. At the road port of Horgos, 24-hour customs clearance ensures the daily departure of over 1,000 trucks bound for Central Asia and Europe. Simplified procedures have reduced clearance steps by 60 percent, boosted vehicle throughput by 80 percent, and cut overall business costs by 50 percent. The city of Horgos is accelerating the development of a national land port logistics hub, continuously improving port functionality and clearance efficiency.

“The one-stop inspection model and round-the-clock appointment-based clearance have further enhanced cross-border trade efficiency, creating a fast track for deeper economic cooperation between China and other SCO countries,” said Guo Ying, head of customs at the Horgos International Border Cooperation Center.

By Qiang Wei, People’s Daily

The year 2025 marks the “Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Year of Sustainable Development.” Poverty reduction and development is a shared aspiration of SCO member states and remains a central priority for bilateral and multilateral cooperation under the SCO framework.

In recent years, China has actively implemented the Global Development Initiative, aligning high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with regional mechanisms and the development strategies of SCO member states. By promoting agricultural technologies, cultivating new talent, and building exchange platforms, China has contributed its wisdom and strength to agriculture-driven poverty alleviation and economic growth in other SCO member states.

This year, apple orchards in Kyrgyzstan enjoyed a bumper harvest, filling local farmers with optimism. The apples, renowned for their diverse varieties, bright colors, and juicy flavor, not only meet domestic demand but are also exported in significant volumes to Russia, Kazakhstan, and beyond. This success stems from sustained agricultural technology exchanges and cooperation between China and Kyrgyzstan.

While Kyrgyzstan’s Chuy Region offers favorable conditions for apple cultivation, its cold winters demand frost-resistant varieties. Chinese experts have responded by breeding and selecting high-yield varieties suited to the local climate. Last year, 60,000 rootstocks were planted in a demonstration orchard, while Chinese experts traveled frequently between the two countries to share expertise in breeding and orchard management, helping local farmers raise yields and incomes.

China has likewise deepened agricultural technology cooperation with other SCO countries to advance poverty reduction. In a demonstration farm in North Kazakhstan Region, Chinese experts have continued wheat introduction trials and promoted wide-row sowing techniques, boosting yields by 20 to 30 percent compared with local varieties. 

In Uzbekistan’s Sirdaryo Region, a China-Uzbekistan agricultural demonstration park has introduced Chinese-developed solar-powered irrigation and smart water-fertilizer systems, reducing water consumption while sharply increasing cotton output. 

In Belarus, the China-Belarus Agricultural Science and Technology Demonstration Park has deployed co-developed drought-resistant seeders, planting high-quality, high-yield, and resilient wheat varieties bred in China.

Capacity building has also been a priority. On July 17 this year, the first group of 292 Pakistani trainees completed a three-month training program in Yangling, northwest China’s Shaanxi province, under the Prime Minister’s Initiative for Capacity Building of 1,000 Agricultural Graduates in China, a government-to-government program launched last year.

As a concrete outcome of the consensus reached by the leaders of both countries on strengthening agricultural cooperation, this project will bring 1,000 young Pakistani students in agricultural sciences to China in groups for training.

China regularly hosts thematic workshops and invites SCO technical experts to exchange experiences in agricultural modernization and rural revitalization. By June this year, the SCO Demonstration Base for Agricultural Technology Exchange and Training in Yangling had organized over 120 training programs, including agricultural aid and specialized sessions, training more than 2,400 agricultural officials and technicians from SCO and other developing countries. More than 300 officials have joined poverty reduction workshops, while over 42,000 participants have benefited from online courses.

Last year, during a poverty reduction and development workshop for SCO countries in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong province, a business matchmaking session enabled participants to showcase unique agricultural industries and resources. The event led to more than 20 cooperation agreements in areas such as agricultural trade and technology exchanges. 

Poverty eradication and rural revitalization remain fundamental SCO objectives. Since assuming the rotating presidency of the SCO, China has worked with all parties under the theme of the “SCO Year of Sustainable Development” to enhance policy dialogue, share its poverty reduction experience, expand practical cooperation, and help more countries explore development paths suited to their national conditions.

In May 2023, China and Uzbekistan established a sub-committee on poverty reduction cooperation under their intergovernmental cooperation committee, the first sub-committee on poverty reduction that China established with other countries at the governmental level. In May 2025, the SCO Forum on Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development was held in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, providing another vivid example of China and other SCO member states joining hands to advance poverty reduction and common development.

“The SCO will continue to strengthen its platforms for joint poverty alleviation and sustainable development, working together to build a future for our peoples that is sustainable, fair, and secure,” said SCO Deputy Secretary-General Janesh Kane.

By Liu Shiyao, People’s Daily

At Zhuonai Lake in the remote wilderness of Hoh Xil, the northeastern part of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, a surprising newcomer recently appeared among a herd of Tibetan antelopes: a robotic replica. Moving naturally alongside the animals, the robot antelope was nearly indistinguishable from its living counterparts.

By allowing scientists to observe the herd at close range without disturbing it, the robotic antelope opens new possibilities for wildlife monitoring. Researchers at the Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences also expect it to collect droppings and placentas, providing more accurate and reliable data for behavioral and reproductive studies.

Hoh Xil, China’s largest UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, sits at an average altitude of over 4,500 meters. Its bitter cold, thin air, and vast uninhabited expanses form one of the harshest environments on Earth, yet it remains a sanctuary for rare species such as Tibetan antelopes and wild yaks.

The deployment of embodied-intelligence robots in wildlife conservation and ecosystem management illustrates how technological innovation is advancing ecological protection. Across China, breakthroughs in science and technology are increasingly aligned with efforts to protect the environment.

Sound conservation begins with thorough surveys and databases, where technology plays a central role. A team from the China Academy of Space Technology, for example, has built an integrated monitoring system that combines satellites with ground-based observations. The system tracks forests, crops, and water resources, generating critical data to guide ecological compensation for public-benefit forests and to assess the value of rural land-use rights.

Clean energy development is another cornerstone of ecological protection and green, low-carbon development. China is investing heavily in clean energy and low-carbon technologies. Recently, construction began on the nuclear island of Unit 1 at Jinqimen nuclear power plant in east China’s Zhejiang province, equipped with the domestically developed Hualong One reactors. Once complete, the facility is expected to generate 55 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity each year. 

At the 800-megawatt offshore wind project in Dafeng, east China’s Jiangsu province, developed by China Three Gorges Corporation, the nation’s first booster station equipped with a meteorological radar has just been installed. The project enables precise marine weather monitoring and more efficient offshore wind power generation, setting a benchmark for the development of offshore clean energy.

From advanced wastewater treatment and cleaner coal use to data-driven monitoring of vehicle emissions, technological solutions are essential to green development. At the Baihetan hydropower station, the world’s largest clean energy corridor, a newly installed automated safety system now connects to more than 10,000 sensors. It continuously monitors deformation, seepage, stress, strain, and temperature, providing real-time analytics and early warnings to secure this massive renewable energy source.

New quality productive forces are inherently green productive forces. As scientific knowledge deepens and new technologies emerge, innovation will continue to drive ecological progress, building a greener, more sustainable home for all.

By Luo Cunkang

The exhibition Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, themed “For National Liberation and World Peace,” is being held at the Museum of the War of Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

Since its opening on July 7, the exhibition has attracted more than half a million visitors from China and abroad, offering a chance to retrace the wartime years, honor revolutionary martyrs, and reflect on the indomitable spirit of resistance that continues to inspire future generations.

On display are historical documents and artifacts, such as the earliest Declaration of War Against Japan issued by the Provisional Central Government of the Chinese Soviet Republic, detailed archives chronicling the capture and heroic sacrifice of revered war heroine Zhao Yiman, and Fang Dazeng’s Record of the Lugou Bridge Incident, the earliest journalistic account of the incident.

Covering 12,200 square meters, the exhibition presents 1,525 rare photographs and 3,237 cultural relics, providing a comprehensive account of the monumental struggle in which the Chinese people fought for national survival, national rejuvenation, and human justice.

The Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was the first complete victory in modern Chinese history over foreign invasion. From 1931 to 1945, the Chinese people endured 14 years of relentless struggle, ultimately defeating the aggressive Japanese militarists and contributing decisively to the global triumph over fascism. 

As Chinese President Xi Jinping has emphasized, the great victory was a historic turning point at which the Chinese nation rose from severe crisis in modern times and embarked on a journey toward great rejuvenation, and also an integral part of the world’s triumph over fascism. The victory belonged to the Chinese people, and also to people across the world.

China’s resistance against Japanese aggression was inextricably linked to the future of humanity. The Chinese people fought not only for national independence but also for global peace. China was the first to fight against fascist aggression and sustained the longest resistance. The tremendous sacrifices of the Chinese people sustained the main Eastern Battlefield of the World Anti-Fascist War.

China tied down and fought the bulk of Japanese forces, wiped out more than 1.5 million enemy troops in the war, and prevented Japan from launching northward or southward offensives, making a major contribution to the triumph of the World Anti-Fascist War. These efforts significantly relieved strategic pressure on the Soviet Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, and other Allied powers. 

After the outbreak of the Pacific War, the Chinese battlefield continued to consume Japan’s main forces, providing crucial support to the Allies. Despite enormous hardship, China dispatched expeditionary forces abroad and provided vital strategic materials such as tung oil and tungsten to the Allies. 

China not only built the earliest anti-Japanese national united front in the East, but also advocated and helped forge the international anti-fascist united front, making historic contributions to the establishment of the United Nations (UN).

The ordeals of war deepened the Chinese people’s commitment to peace. Having endured more than a century of foreign aggression, humiliation, and exploitation since the mid-19th century, China did not embrace the law of the jungle but became more resolute in its determination to uphold peace. The great victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was a new beginning for China and a significant milestone for humanity’s pursuit of peace and development.

In the world today, changes on a scale unseen in a century are unfolding at an accelerating pace. The Chinese people will continue to hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit. They will unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development, firmly safeguard the hard-won victory, uphold a correct view of the history of World War II, and resolutely defend the UN-centered international system. By promoting the common values of humanity, China will work hand in hand with the peoples of all nations to build a community with a shared future for humanity.

(Luo Cunkang is the curator of the Museum of the War of Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.)