Nigeria Times

By Li Xinping, People’s Daily

In Zhengzhou, central China’s Henan province, a shield tunneling machine with a diameter of 15.7 meters rolled off the production line, bound for export to Australia. This milestone marks the largest-diameter shield tunneling machine China has ever exported, underscoring the country’s growing strength in the field of tunnel boring technology.

Meanwhile, in Shanghai’sChongming district, a Chinese domestically developed “Linghang” shield tunneling machine burrowed its way underground and reached the middle of the Yangtze River, remotely controlled by engineers.

Shield tunneling machines, formally known as tunnel boring machines (TBMs), are hailed as the “king of construction machinery” due to their immense scale and complexity. Once limited to horizontal excavation, today’s Chinese-developed TBMs can operate in multiple orientations – including vertical, inclined, and curved trajectories – earning the nickname “transformers” for their adaptability and precision.

In September last year, a TBM named “Yongning” became the world’s first large-diameter machine capable of climbing steep gradients. It successfully excavated an inclined shaft at the Luoning Pumped Storage Power Station in Henan province. The shaft, nearly 873 meters long with a slope of 38.742 degrees, had posed a significant technical challenge. “Yongning” conquered the slope with ease, marking a major leap in tunneling capabilities and improving overall construction efficiency.

The “Yongning”TBM was developed by China Railway Engineering Equipment Group Co., Ltd. (CREG), which has established multiple R&D teams to support application-specific innovation. The teams have enhanced TBMs to dig in various cross-sectional shapes – including circular, square, horseshoe, and elliptical – allowing for broader use across sectors such as water conservancy, hydropower, mining, urban infrastructure, and underground parking structures.

In October 2024, China unveiled the “Jianghai” TBM with a record-breaking diameter exceeding 16.6 meters, the largest ever developed domestically.

What drives the trend toward increasingly larger TBMs?

According to Chen Jian, a TBM expert at China Railway 14th Bureau Group Co., Ltd., the answer lies in greater cost-efficiency. Ultra-large TBMs enable the construction of single super-sized tunnels thatcan replace two traditional parallel tunnels, conserving underground space. Moreover, tunnels over 15 meters in diametercan also accommodate multi-layered infrastructure, such as roadways, rail transit, and utility corridors, within a single excavation.

However, with greater size comes increased technical complexity.

“Once the diameter exceeds 15 meters, the risks associated with unstable geological conditions increase exponentially, demanding higher levels of structural integrity, precision control, and material fatigue resistance,” said He Fei, deputy head of the CREG technology center.

Back in October 2017, China’s first domestically developed 15-meter-class slurry balance TBM, “China Railway 306,” successfully rolled off the line, breaking the longstanding foreign monopoly in this field.

Since then, China has successively rolled out the 15.8-meter “Chunfeng,” the 16.07-meter “Jinghua,” and now the 16.6-meter-plus “Jianghai,” surpassing its own benchmarks and establishing a fully integrated domestic industrial chain for ultra-large TBM production.

Today, Chinese-manufactured TBMs account for nearly 70 percent of the global market. As innovation continues, Chinese engineers are striving to make them both smarter and more environmentally sustainable.

Inside the cabin of the “Linghang” TBM, a dashboard displays real-time data on the machine’s operating status. Human intervention is minimal, as the machine runs autonomously, guided by an advanced visual recognition and intelligent control system.

“In the past, TBM excavation was akin to working blind – geological uncertainties posed serious safety risks,” said Liao Zhaojin, chief designer of the “Linghang” TBM.

Equipped with a cutting-edge geological forecasting system, “Linghang” can accurately detect geological conditions 10 to 40 meters in front of the cutterhead. Its intelligent sensing system continuously analyzes real-time conditions, enhancing both safety and accuracy. The TBM’s AI-driven control system enables it to make autonomous decisions with millimeter-level precision.

Environmental sustainability is also a major priority. On July 23, 2024, “the China Railway 1237,” the world’s first green TBM, was successfully launched.

“What defines a green TBM is its ability to optimize energy use,” explained Cao Shulei, chief designer of the machine.”We’ve equipped the machine with an intelligent system that automatically manages the various subsystems during tunneling to optimize both efficiency and energy consumption, achieving energy savings and reduced emissions.” The machine has since been exported to Italy, where it is being used for high-speed rail tunnel construction in Sicily – a sign of international recognition for China’s green TBM technology.

By Zhang Cheng, People’s Daily

On the sun-drenched plateaus of Ejin Horo banner, Ordos, north China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region, the glare bouncing off more than a million silver-blue photovoltaic panels is dazzling. The panels stretch across 42,000 mu (2,800 hectares) of terrain once ravaged by coal mining. Today, the view is unexpectedly softened by the emergence of fresh vegetation and rows of fruit trees.

Mines occupy 87 percent of Ejin Horo banner’s total area. With proven coal reserves of 56 billion tons and more than 3 billion tons already extracted, the region currently produces around 210 million tons of coal annually.

While coal continues to underpin the local economy, the environmental consequences of mining are stark: over 700,000 mu of subsidence zones have formed, with an additional 30,000 mu being added each year. These lands cannot be allowed to deteriorate indefinitely. A transition toward sustainable development is no longer optional; it is essential.

The imperative of transformation prompts a critical question: should the region pursue a wholly new direction, or should it build upon its existing industrial foundations? Ejin Horo banner chose the latter. By leveraging its well-established coal chemical industry, abundant wind and solar resources, and extensive tracts of subsidence-affected land, the region is advancing a proactive agenda for sustainable development.

Rather than abandoning its industrial base, the region is upgrading it through technological innovation to extend and deepen the industrial chain.

At the Ordos coal-to-liquid (CTL) branch of China Energy Investment Corporation, the world’s first million-ton direct CTL facility converts coal into refined products like naphtha, diesel, and gasoline. Besides, Inner Mongolia Huineng Coal Chemical Co., Ltd. processes 5.5 million tons of coal into liquefied natural gas each year. The former “dig-and-sell” model is being supplanted by a complex value chain of coal-based chemical industry.

At the heart of China’s energy transformation lies the objective of building a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient energy system.

In Ordos Mengsu Economic Development Zone, solar panels and large wind turbines power a zero-carbon industrial park. Within the park, production lines energized by green electricity employ robotic arms to assemble battery cells. From photovoltaic modules to energy storage batteries, from hydrogen fuel cells to new energy heavy trucks, an integrated industrial ecosystem encompassing wind, solar, thermal, hydrogen and storage is steadily taking shape.

This interconnection between green energy and green production fosters the development of emerging sectors, contributing to a more advanced and efficient economic structure.

Ultimately, the overarching aim of this green transition is not solelyindustrial upgrading, but also to deliver shared prosperity.

In recent years, Ejin Horo banner has carried out relevant initiatives to promote ecological restoration with preliminary ecological balance achieved.

To date, 47 green mines have been established. Of the 17 open-pit coal mines undergoing reclamation, 96.85 percent have been restored, and 94.51 percent of the land has been returned to productive use. Some former subsidence zones have been repurposed into solar farms, where crops like medick and mulberry grow beneath solar panels. The surrounding areas now support apple trees, sea buckthorns, and apricot orchards, simultaneously rehabilitating the environment and generating economic returns.

Relocated villagers are increasingly able to return to their hometowns and work in the photovoltaic industry. Through coordinated efforts in ecological restoration, mining redevelopment, and solar sector growth, these previously abandoned mines are being transformed into valuable assets, unlocking comprehensive benefits.

As the local economy transitions from black to green, the industrial footprint is shifting from subterranean extraction to surface-based innovation. Former subsidence zones are being reimagined as productive and scenic landscapes. A comprehensive blueprint for high-quality green development is steadily unfolding across this once coal-dependent region.

By He Juan, People’s Daily

At the second Wuyi Forum, a platform for international academic exchanges, Robert Chard, a sinologist and emeritus professor from the University of Oxford, said that he hopes the West can come to see that China is very cool, very interesting, and very much worth learning from.

“Cool” is a term rooted in youth culture, typically associated with what is fashionable, innovative and avant-garde. For decades, the term has been dominated by Western cultural expressions. Yet this perception is gradually shifting, as global attention increasingly turns eastward.

Consider the case of a foreign social media influencer who, after experiencing a Chinese new energy vehicle, remarked that it resembled a nanny van from the future.

“When China waters, we bloom,” said an executive of a multinational corporation, referring to the country’s fair, open, and vast market. Today, for many foreign investors, China represents a land of certainty and opportunity.

In the video game “Black Myth: Wukong,”the protagonist – long translated as the “Monkey King” for international audiences – is now introduced simply as “Wukong.” This linguistic choice, subtle yet deliberate, exemplifies a growing cultural confidence.

What makes China “cool” is not only its embrace of modernity, but also the depth of its ancient civilization. It is this blend of heritage and progress that is helping to expand and redefine the global understanding of cultural dynamism.

The introduction of visa-free policies has led to a significant increase in foreign travel to China. Online engagement echoes this trend: videos tagged “learning Chinese” have racked up billions of views on platforms such as TikTok. The desire to understand and experience China is rising markedly. But overcoming long-standing prejudices and outdated stereotypes continues to obstruct more nuanced perceptions, and dismantling these will require sustained effort.

In cross-cultural communication, the notion of”cultural discount” persists. Take theChinese animated blockbuster”Ne Zha 2″ for example. Its central theme -defiance of fate and self-realization – possesses universal resonance, while the film’s culturally specific cultural symbols, such as iconic mythological weapons like the Wind and Fire Wheels and the Jingu Bang,may prove elusive to international audiences unfamiliar with the mythology. This highlights the inherent complexity of bridging cultural divides.

Nonetheless, even entrenched prejudices are not insurmountable.

In January, an American father posted a photo of himself and his daughter on Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote abroad, accompanied by a simple greeting. The post received over 10,000 comments and sparked a genuine friendship with a family in Shanghai. The two families ultimately met in person in March and spent meaningful time together. Their experience – an authentic cross-cultural exchange rooted in sincerity – offered a small yet profound illustration of what global understanding might look like when empathy transcends distance.

Such moments are becoming more visible. American YouTuber iShowSpeed livestreamed his journey in China this year, drawing millions of viewers. Unedited and spontaneous, his broadcasts offered an unvarnished view of contemporary Chinese life, allowing global audiences to witness China’s rapid development and everyday charm in real time.

Public perception is the sunlight that dispels prejudice, and human connection bridges even the most entrenched divides. And it is authentic experience that makes for the most compelling stories and vibrant narratives.

Today, China is confidently embracing the world with openness. As more of its warm, powerful, and relatable stories resonate across borders, they will foster empathy, deepen connections, and write new chapters in cultural exchanges and mutual understanding.

By Wang Lewen, Fang Min, Bi Jingjin, People’s Daily

In the heart of central China, Henan province has made significant strides toward high-quality development, anchored firmly in the real economy. From major industrial hubs to advanced infrastructure projects, the province’s development momentum is palpable across the central plains.

At a construction site in Luoyang, the second phase of Chinese battery giant CATL’s facility is rapidly taking shape, with tower cranes punctuating the skyline. Meanwhile, in the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone, the hum of machinery fills the air as construction activities intensify to establish the Central China Medical Science District.

Henan has prioritized the real economy as the cornerstone of its economic strategy. By leveraging project development as a principal mechanism, the province has actively expanded effective investment and invigoratedthe drivers for stabilizing economic growth.

In 2024, Henan launched 16,800 major projects across various stages of development, encompassing contract signing, groundbreaking ceremonies, and production commencements. Among them, 9,718 projects pertain to advanced manufacturing. Key indicators, including fixed-asset and industrial investment,outpaced the Chinese national average, underscoring the province’s economic momentum.

In Mengzhuang township, Huixian, construction is underway on a smart logistics hub for Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com. Two large warehouses have been completed, the main building has reached structural completion, and other auxiliary facilities are advancing at a steady pace.

With a total investment of over 600 million yuan ($83.32 million), the project encompassessix centers, two bases, and one headquarters. Construction commenced in 2024, with some facilities already operational, generating thousands of jobs.

“We are striking a balance between quick wins and long-term vision,” said Tian Dongfang, director of the township’s economic development office. “Our goal is to build a comprehensive logistics hub for northern Henan, with massive growth potential.”

This equilibrium between short-term accomplishments and forward-lookingplanning underpins Henan’s confidence in its development trajectory. The province maintains a strategicapproach in the formulation and preparation of major projects.

“Henan always keeps a strong pipeline of major projects across key sectors. We maintain a reserve of at least 100 high-quality projects, revising the list every six months based on evolving needs,”explained an official with the Development and Reform Commission of Henan Province.

The province has released its list of key construction projects for 2025, identifying 1,037 provincial-level projects with a combined investment of around 3.1 trillion yuan. It aims to complete investments totaling approximately 1 trillion yuan within the year.

Henan is also capitalizing on its intrinsic advantages to reinforce its development strengths.With a well-establishedindustrial base, the province successfully attracted Chinese automaker SAIC Motor to build a new energy battery plant in Zhengzhou. Concurrently, the province is expediting the development of a 10-billion-yuan food industrial park in Luohe’sYancheng district, harnessing its abundant agricultural resources.

Innovation, infrastructure enhancement, and industrial transformation remain central to Henan’s priorities. The province targets the production of 2 million vehicles in 2025, including 1.4 million new energy vehicles. Meanwhile, it is accelerating construction of major projects such as an ethylene production facility and a fluorosilicon materials complex in Luohe, alongside critical infrastructure projects including the Yellow River Crossing Projectand Phase I project at Zhoukou Central Port.

While expanding itsoverall economic scale, Henan equally emphasizes the qualitative aspects of growth. By upgrading project structures, the province is elevating the standard of industrial development.

At Zhengzhou Hengda Intelligent Control Technology Co., Ltd., a manufacturer specializing in smart control systems for coal mining operations, research personnel now outnumber production workers by a ratio of five to one, resulting in a 67 percent increase in per capita productivity.

The company faced constraints such as limitedgrowth capacity and low automation levels. To facilitate its development, the Zhengzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone designated the construction of a new facility for Hengda Intelligent Control as a key advanced manufacturing project, providing strong policy support and logistical facilitation.

“With more automated and digitalized equipment, we’ve been able to deploy our workforce toward research, development and services,” said Lian Donghui, general manager assistant of the company.

“When planning and executing projects, our primary focus remains industrial development,” said Chen Bo, director of the Henan provincial government’s office for key project construction.

According to Chen, a single major project can serve as a catalyst for new growth, while a cluster of such projects can establish a new economic growth pole. The province actively encourages upstream and downstream businesses to co-locate in proximity to core projects, thereby accelerating cluster-based industrial development.

In Luoyang’sYibin district, a white freight truck loaded with new energy batteries departed the Phase I facility of CATL’s Luoyang base. This flagship project has attracted nine affiliated enterprises along the industrial chain, which have signed agreements to establish operations in the vicinity. As a result, a large-scale new energy battery industrial cluster, with an expected output value of over 100 billion yuan, is rapidly emerging in the city.

High-quality, large-scale projects are providing a firm foundation for Henan’s efforts to stabilize growth, improve its economic structure, and foster new growth drivers. In 2024, the value added of industrial enterprises above the designated size in the province rose 8.1 percent year on year. Fixed-asset investment grew 7 percent, while the value added of strategic emerging industries and high-tech manufacturing increased by 9.2 percent and 12 percent, respectively.

By Yu Jingxian, Fan Haotian, Xu Jing, People’s Daily

May marks the peak breeding season for fish species in key areas of the Yangtze River Basin, including the main river, tributaries, and major connected lakes.

As China’s longest river, the Yangtze River plays an indispensable role in the country’s ecological well-being. In 2021, a decade-long fishing ban was fully implemented across key conservation areas of the river to restore its ecosystem. Now in its fifth year, the effort is showing tangible results.

According to the latest data, the average fishery resource volume at monitoring sites along the river’s main stem rose by 9.5 percent year on year in 2024. From 2021 to 2024, 344 native fish species were monitored in the basin, an increase of 36 species compared to the 2017 to 2020 period which preceded the fishing ban.

Supported by conservation efforts across the entire basin, the Yangtze River is gradually recovering its ecological vitality and fostering renewed harmony between human activities and natural systems.

Early in the morning in Jiangtun bay of Yangye township, Ezhou, central China’s Hubei province, several Yangtze finless porpoises frolicked in the river, occasionally poking their heads above the water.

“The water quality has improved a lot in recent years. These ‘smiling angels,’ once rarely seen, now appear regularly,” said local resident Li Congguo, proudly showing a video clip of the porpoises captured on his phone.

The Yangtze finless porpoise – widely regarded as a flagship species – serves as a critical barometer of the river’s ecological health. Jiangtun bay, with its gentle currents and abundant aquatic resources, is one of the important natural habitats of the porpoise in the river’s middle and lower reaches.

“We plan to install panoramic cameras to enable real-time public observation of the porpoises. In the future, we’ll also explore eco-tourism and educational initiatives to further promote awareness and protection of the species,” said Yan Jian, head of Yangye township.

Conservation efforts are intensifying for other iconic species, including the Chinese sturgeon and Yangtze sturgeon.

For the first time, over one million Chinese sturgeons were released into the river last year, and an estimated 110,000 juveniles successfully migrated to the sea via the Yangtze estuary. In areas like Poyang Lake and Dongting Lake, emergency rescue operations for Yangtze finless porpoises were conducted during dry seasons, combining in-situ and ex-situ protection strategies.

The fishing impacts the livelihoods of more than 200,000 fishermen who lived along the river. How have their lives evolved in the aftermath?

At a “fish-to-farming” base in Huyang township, Dangtu county, Ma’anshan, east China’s Anhui province, Ma Wuyi, in his fifties, was weeding a crab pond. Six years ago, he was a seasoned fisherman. In 2019, as part of a government initiative to relocate fishermen away from the Yangtze River and its tributaries, Ma relinquished his nets and moved into a resettlement community with his family.

The county also launched supportive policies to facilitate career transitions, particularly toward aquaculture.Ma participated in free training courses on fish and crab farming,organized by the county and township governments. To address the challenges of vocational adaptation, Dangtu county established a technical support team at the aquaculture base, assigning experts to each former fisherman to provide free guidance on pond disinfection, feeding, disease control, and more.

This farming season, Mastocked his ponds with about 850 kilograms of crab fry and over 300 kilograms of shrimp fry. “The crabs are growing well. It’s only May, and the biggest already weighs about 75 grams. I’m optimistic about this year’s harvest,” he said.

Since the full implementation of the ten-year fishing ban, local governments have worked to ensure the proper resettlement and support of former fishermen. Continuous follow-up studies and poverty prevention monitoring have been carried out.

By the end of the first quarter of this year, all 145,000 former fishermen nationwide with both the ability and willingness to work had found new employment. All 220,000 eligible former fishermen had been enrolled in basic pension insurance, and 12,000 fishermen facing financial difficulties had been included in the Chinese national subsistence allowance system.

Rehabilitating the ecological health of the Yangtze River requires attention to both aquatic and terrestrial sources degradation. In recent years, provinces along the river and relevant departments have undertaken coordinated efforts to restructure local economies. Thousands of chemical plants have been shut down, relocated, upgraded, or repurposed to enable green development.

At the Baiyang Industrial Park in Yichang Hi-tech Industry Development Zone, central China’s Hubei province, construction is underway on a fluorosilicone materials facility. “This relocation is not just about a geographic shift – it represents a comprehensive upgrade toward high-end, smart, and green production,” said Huang Zhiliang, deputy chief engineer of Hubei YiHua Group. The company has invested 112 million yuan ($15.6 million) in building a smart chemical plant, which is expected to conserve the equivalent of 110,000 metric tons of standard coal annually.

Experts emphasize that the fishing ban has fundamentally curtailed overfishing. However, the Yangtze River’s full ecological recovery remains a long-term endeavor. Challenges such as blocked migration routes, water pollution, and habitat destruction continue to pose significant threats to biodiversity.

By He Yin, People’s Daily

On May 27, the ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations)-China-GCC (the Gulf Cooperation Council) Summit was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

This unprecedented trilateral summit reflected the growing trend of multipolarity and marked a groundbreaking initiative in regional economic cooperation as the Global South rises.

The establishment of a trilateral cooperation mechanism among China, ASEAN, and the GCC, and the deepening of their trilateral partnership, will not only promote economic prosperity for all sides, but also contribute to peace and development in Asia and beyond.

This was the first-ever summit among China, ASEAN, and the GCC. At a time when a few major countries are undermining global economic cooperation through protectionism and threatening international stability through unilateralism, the convening of a cross-regional summit by China, ASEAN, and the GCC – fellow members of the Global South – stood as a pioneering act of unity and self-empowerment.

It has sent a strong signal that countries of the Global South are becoming more proactive in safeguarding common interests and advancing shared development.

Together, China, ASEAN and the GCC account for roughly a quarter of the world’s population and economic output, serving as a powerful force for openness and cooperation. The growing cooperation among the three parties builds on a rich historical legacy, rests on strong practical foundations, and responds to the needs of the times.

China and ASEAN are each other’s largest trading partners, and the two sides have fully completed negotiations on the Version 3.0 China-ASEAN Free Trade Area. China is also the GCC’s largest trading partner and is advancing free trade agreement negotiations with the bloc.

As beneficiaries of economic globalization, all three parties understand the vital importance of deepening interregional economic cooperation under the current global circumstances. By steadfastly expanding regional opening up and fully connecting their respective markets, the three sides can unlock vast new development opportunities and generate strong synergy. As an ASEAN media outlet noted, “the combined strength of the three parties could reshape the global economic landscape.”

In today’s world, geopolitical tensions are intensifying, unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise, and talks of “decoupling,””severing supply chains,” and “building up fences and barriers”are becoming more frequent, constraining the development space of Global South countries.

The summit adopted a joint statement, in which the three parties, with firm resolve, pledged to advance the spirit of inclusivity, sustainability, resilience and equal partnership, charting a united and collective path toward a peaceful, prosperous and equitable future. It demonstrates the parties’ joint commitment to multilateralism and fairness and justice.

Some media outlets observed that the summit highlighted Asia’s growing role as a balancing force in the evolving international landscape. As the largest developing country, China is committed to working with ASEAN and GCC countries to safeguard the common interests of the vast number of developing countries, resolutely oppose hegemonism and power politics, and promote a more just and equitable global governance system.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto highly commended China’s role, noting that “China has always defended the interests of developing countries.”

China’s high-quality economic development is injecting new momentum into trilateral cooperation.

Since the beginning of this year, China’s economy has continued its upward recovery trajectory. In the first quarter, its GDP grew by 5.4% year on year, one of the fastest among all major economies. All participants in the summit expressed strong confidence in China’s development prospects and hope to seize the opportunities presented by the new cooperation mechanism.

The Joint Statement of the ASEAN-China-GCC Summit clearly states the parties’ commitment to promoting high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative and seamless connectivity.

To date, all ten ASEAN countries and GCC member states have signed Belt and Road cooperation documents with China. Accelerating the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative with each party’s development strategies will further unleash development potential and enhance resilience.

As demonstrated by China’s newly introduced visa facilitation measures for ASEAN and GCC citizens, China remains committed to high-standard opening up and will continue to roll out more initiatives for both voluntary and unilateral opening up, allowing all sides to share the dividends of China’s development.

As changes unseen in a century continue to accelerate, cooperation is the only correct path to overcoming shared challenges. The establishment of a trilateral cooperation mechanism among China, ASEAN, and the GCC will foster deeper openness and collaboration, promote stronger collective responsibility, and inject powerful momentum into the shared development and prosperity of all three parties. It will bring greater benefits to their peoples and contribute more significantly to peace and development in Asia and the wider world.

By Ren Ping, People’s Daily

Despite the ongoing global economic headwinds, recent data from two key sectors provide compelling evidence of China’s resilient economic trajectory.

On May 12, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers reported that, for the first time ever, both production and sales of automobiles in China surpassed 10 million units in the first four months of the year, a year-on-year increase of 12.9 percent and 10.8 percent, respectively. Among these, exports of new energy vehicles (NEVs) reached 642,000 units, up 52.6 percent from a year ago.

The robust performance of the auto sector, a strategic and pillar industry, reflects the deeper logic behind China’s high-quality development.

Additionally, customs data released on May 9 showed that China’s total goods imports and exports in yuan-denominated terms expanded 2.4 percent year on year in the first four months of this year. In April alone, China’s foreign trade was up 5.6 percent year on year, with exports rising 9.3 percent.

Despite global uncertainties, particularly in trade, China’s manufacturing and innovation strengths have allowed the country to sustain its economic momentum.

Reuters reported that China’s factory output showed surprising resilience in April, a sign that government support measures may have cushioned the impact of a trade war with the United States.

Together, these data points not only reflect the resilience of the Chinese economy but also its promising outlook for the future.

China’s confidence in tackling risks and challenges stems from effective macroeconomic policy and capable governance.

According to China’s Ministry of Commerce, the total number of applications for auto trade-in subsidies in China exceeded 10 million by May 11, under a mass renewal program initiated in 2024. International media outlets said this program has been particularly effective in counteracting the negative effect of U.S. tariffs on consumer confidence.

Beyond facilitating millions of vehicle upgrades, the program has significantly boosted sales of durable goods. In the first quarter, the policy helped drive a 19 percent year-on-year increase in investment in equipment and tools, and contributed to a 4.6 percent rise in total retail sales of consumer goods.

Moreover, the synergy between technological innovation and industrial upgrading is unlocking new momentum.

China’s auto industry today is experiencing a surge in technological innovation, with major advancements being made in electric vehicle (EV) technology.

For instance, Chinese EV battery giant CATL recently launched a new brand for its sodium-ion battery with a life cycle of over 10,000 charges and performance evenin extreme temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius. Inside a welding workshop of Chinese automaker Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd. (GAC Group) in Yichang, cemtral China’sHubei province, over 500 robots work in sync, producing a new car every 52 seconds.

The shift toward high-end, intelligent, and green production is rapidly becoming standard practice. A more dynamic equilibrium — where supply responds to demand and demand drives new supply — has transitioned from a theoretical ideal to practical reality.

At the recently concluded 21st Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition(Auto Shanghai 2025), over 100 new models made their global debut, with over 70 percent being NEVs. Cutting-edge technologies were everywhere at the event. As Germany’s Die Welt commented, anyone visiting Auto Shanghai 2025 would feel that the future has already come to China.

From technology importer to exporter, from attracting investment to making overseas investment, and from adapting to standards to setting them, China is gaining new competitive advantages and expanding its role in global cooperation.

In the first four months of 2024, China’s high-tech exports rose 7.4 percent year on year, accounting for around 20 percent of the country’s total exports and contributing to a 1.3percentage point rise in overall export growth. This thriving “innovation ecosystem” is central to China’s ability to navigate economic cycles and mitigate risks.

Green and low-carbon development is not only a long-term solution to environmental challenges but also a global trend. From January to April, China’s NEV output and sales both exceeded 4 million units, marking a year-on-year growth of over 45 percent.

Chinese NEV manufacturers are intensifying efforts in renewable energy, energy efficiency, material recycling, and technological upgrades to reduce carbon emissions throughout the supply chain. NEVs are now ubiquitous on Chinese streets, and more and more young Chinese are choosing NEVs as their first cars.This symbiotic relationship between green production and green lifestyles is accelerating.

Besides, Chinese manufacturing and global demand are also mutually reinforcing.

In the first quarter of this year, major destinations for Chinese auto exports included Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and Australia. A popular Brazilian auto influencer recently remarked that Chinese NEVs are becoming a new choice for car buyers in Brazil. Ricardo Bastos, president of the Brazilian Association of Electric Vehicles, emphasized: “We need clean energy to replace fossil fuels. This industrial transformation is sweeping the world.”

By embracing the opportunities presented by digital and green transformation and by leveraging both global and domestic markets, Chinese smart manufacturing is not only meeting people’s aspirations for a better life but also playing a pivotal role in the global transition to clean mobility.

By Li Jie

At Langyuan Station, a creative commercial compound nestled just outside Beijing’s East fifth ring road, visitors wander past red-brick warehouses, rusted railway tracks, and lush greenery, browsing a curated selection of lifestyle brands. The open-air site – a blend of nostalgia and innovation – offers a refreshingly different kind of consumer experience.

Once a textile warehouse complex with over 40 years of history, Langyuan Station underwent a sweeping urban renewal project in 2019. Today, it thrives as a vibrant hub for cultural and commercial activity, featuring film and TV studios, boutique cafes, bookstores, art galleries, designer furniture showrooms, niche retail stores, and live music bars.

Such destinations reflect a growing appetite among Chinese consumers for what has come to be known as “non-standard commercial projects”- a term gaining popularity in China’s evolving retail landscape.

These non-standard commercial projects stand in contrast to traditional shopping malls and department stores. Rather than conforming to conventional formats, they emphasize individuality, differentiation, and immersive experience. According to anindustry report, such projects typically distinguish themselves through innovative spatial design, creative experiences, diversified business mixes, and alternative operational models.

In recent years, the number of these projects has expanded rapidly, particularly in China’s first- and second-tier cities. Some focus on repurposing historical sites, such as Shanghai’s Hongshoufang area, where restored heritage buildings now serve as lively intersections of community life and contemporary culture. Others, such as THE BOX Chaowai, target younger, lifestyle-oriented urban consumers.

Generally more compact – often under 50,000 square meters – and highly flexible in layout, many non-standard projects incorporate open-air designs with green spaces and leisure zones. These are not simply places to shop, but also to gather, explore, and engage.

Inside Ziinlife, a designer furniture store at Langyuan Station, a soaring nine-meter-tall space has been transformed into a two-floor structure. Customers ascend wooden stairs to discover a curated experience of modern home aesthetics.

“This type of spatial design would be nearly impossible in a traditional shopping mall,” said store manager Li Fei. Years ago, when scouting for a new retail location, they chose Langyuan Station over a conventional mall because of lower operating costs and a more precisely targeted customer base.

“Unlike standardized malls, this park gives brands much more creative freedom,” Li said. “The atmosphere here, co-created by the site and its tenants, attracts a higher concentration of target customers,”said Li.

The boom in non-standard retail highlights two broader trends in China’s consumer landscape. First, ongoing urban renewal campaigns are breathing new life into agingneighborhoods, industrial zones and obsolete commercial complexes. Second, as the growth of traditional malls slows – amid increasing sameness and saturation – non-standard spaces offer fertile ground for innovation and value creation.

These developments are resonatingon social media, where non-standard retail destinations often trend for their dynamic mix of pop-up events,weekend markets, and interactive exhibitions. They have quickly become sites not only of commerce but also for cultural conservation.

Still, the model is not without its challenges. Remote locations, limited size, and the risk of fading appeal after an initial buzz all pose obstacles.

“At Langyuan Station, we follow three guiding principles: industrial logic, community logic, and design-driven logic,” explained Zhao Chunyan, general manager of Langyuan Culture Development Co., Ltd.

Zhao explained that “industrial logic” ensures that each storefront is backed by a robust business or creative industry. “Community logic” emphasizes a brand’s ability to build and manage its own loyal following through strong private traffic channels. “Design-driven logic” highlights the need for distinctive visual identity and spatial aesthetics – both to elevate the on-site experience and to amplify its cultural appeal and online visibility.

Take, ACTION, a cafe and restaurant entirely devoted to cinema. From its menu and posters to decor, everything reflects film culture. On weekends, the venue buzzes with visitors. Behind the scenes, the business is operated by a film post-production company, making the restaurant a creative extension of its brand into the realm of physical retail.

In Zhao’s view, every non-standard commercial project must offer something unique. Unlike traditional malls, these concepts cannot be mass-replicated, as its strength lies in originality.

By Li Xinping, People’s Daily

Towering wind turbines now dot the landscape across China. As the wind picks up, their enormous blades – measuring tens of meters long and weighing several tons – rotate gracefully, converting breezes into energy. None of this would be possible without a set of crucial components: the bearings.

“Years ago, a leading Chinese wind power company planned to deploy wind turbines along the coast and, based on past experience, initially chose foreign suppliers. But when those suppliers failed to deliver, we stepped in,” said Liu Haojie, an engineer at the technology center of Luoyang Bearing Group Co., Ltd. (LYC).

“Leveraging China’s only national key laboratory for aerospace precision bearings, we successfully developed in record time the main bearing for the world’s then-largest 16-megawatt wind turbine, with several technical indicators reaching world-leading levels,” Liu explained.

Every memberof Liu’s team still takes pride in the project. “The turbines equipped with our bearings set a global single-day power generation record at the time, and have withstood multiple typhoons. They are still running smoothly today,” he said.

Known as the “joints” of industry, bearings are essential to nearly any machine or device that involves rotation. Starting from humble beginnings, manually crafting basic bearings with imported tools, LYC has, over its 70-year history, grown into a manufacturer of over 30,000 types of bearings across nine major categories, providing vital support for China’s industrial strength on land, sea, and in space.

LYC’s development mirrors the broader transformation of China’s bearing industry. According to the China Bearing Industry Association, the industry achieved a record revenue of 231.5 billion yuan ($32.13 billion) in 2024, up 6.2% year on year, with total output of 33.7 billion bearing units, a 17.3% increase.

In the first quarter of 2025, 160 major bearing enterprises in China reported a combined industrial output of 25.4 billion yuan, up 11.14% from a year ago. They achieved 7.63 billion yuan in industrial added value, up 10.97%.

From micro machinery to massive equipment, bearings are everywhere, and Chinese-made bearings are moving rapidly up the value chain.

On April 24, the Shenzhou-20 manned spacecraft was sent to space atop a Long March-2F Y20 carrier rocket, once again showcased the reliability of China’s homegrown bearings.

Key components of the rocket’s propulsion system, such as three-point contact ball bearings developed by Luoyang Bearing Research Institute Co., Ltd. (ZYS) under Sinomach Precision Industry Group Co., Ltd., played a vital role in ensuring this launch.

For the spacecraft itself, ZYS designed high-precision, low-noise, self-lubricating bearings tailored for the drive system, ensuringthe reliable operation ofkey rotating mechanisms.

In recent years, Chinese bearing manufacturers have provided high-quality products for the Shenzhou spacecraft series and the Long March rockets. LYC also developed the precision bearings for the FAST – the 500-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope, the world’s largest and most sensitive single-dish radio telescope, helping it achieve unmatched sensitivity and accuracy. Their products also enabled the radio telescope on Changbai Mountain to guide lunar probes with high directional precision.

In March 2024, the main bearings and gearbox bearings for the world’s first 25 MW wind turbine rolled off the production line at Luoyang Bearing Science and Technology Co., Ltd., marking the first applicationin a wind turbine of such large single-unit capacity.

Once heavily dependent on imports, China can now independently design and manufacture critical components for ultra-large wind turbines. This marks a significant leap toward ensuring full autonomy in the wind energy supply chain and safeguarding the industry’s security.

From dancing and marathon running to twisting screws, robots can perform complex, fluid motions with the help of precision bearings that support rotation and minimize friction.

“14 years ago, we started from scratch. After countless trials and improvements, we finally mastered the core technologies for robot bearings,” said Wu Qiaoling, general manager of Luoyang Hongyuan Bearing Technology Co., Ltd. Since 2020, their products have expanded into overseas markets including Japan.

By Zhang Xiaodong, Guo Yue, Li Yanan, People’s Daily

In a smart agriculture pavilion at the Xinjiang Agricultural Expo Park in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, rows of leafy greens flourish on a mobile, multi-layered vertical growing system. It’s a vivid display of how advanced agricultural technology is reshaping farming practices in the region.

According to Yan Ji, director of the pavilion, the system’s artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms process over 100,000 data points per second, automatically adjusting devices such as wet curtain fans, shading screens, and supplemental lighting. This keeps environmental conditions stable and shortens the growth cycle for leafy vegetables from the usual 70 days to just 18 to 25 days.

By integrating frontier technologies such as spiral bio-mimetic cultivation, container farming, vertical rail systems, and reciprocating rotary racks, the smart agriculture pavilion supports three cultivation modes: vertical, circular planar, and traction-based systems. These approaches significantly boost crop output per unit of land. All equipment isinterconnected via a 5G network and centrally controlled, enabling full automation from seeding to harvest while reducing labor and saving water and fertilizer.

Today, the facility produces 100 tons of leafy vegetables and 70 tons of tomatoes annually. “Over 90% of the equipment used here is domestically made, and we’ve secured more than 50 patents,” Yan said.

The Xinjiang Agricultural Expo Park has introduced over 2,000 new crop varieties, technologies, and sets of equipment. More than 100 scientific research achievements have been put into practical use or demonstrated, and over 30 original patents have been filed.

At the production base of Xinjiang Boshiran Intelligent Agricultural Machinery Co., Ltd., the pace of smart manufacturing is equally impressive.

Inside the facility, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) follow preset routes, scanning QR codes and transporting materials from warehouses to assembly lines, where cotton harvesters are being assembled in an orderly fashion. A large digital display tracks real-time data on equipment status, daily energy consumption, and product quality.

“The addition of laser cutters and large CNC (computer numerical control) machines has greatly enhanced both efficiency and product quality,” said Wu Yongcheng, director of the general manager’s office.

“In 2024, our cotton harvesters accounted for nearly 50% of the domestic market,” said Zeng Xiaowen, director of the company’s after-sales service center. “We’re also expanding globally, with our four-row and six-row cotton harvesters now being exported to Central Asia, Australia, Egypt, and other markets.”

By the end of 2024, the level of mechanization in plowing, planting, and harvesting across Xinjiang reached 90 percent, placing the region among the national leaders in agricultural modernization.

Today, farmers in Xinjiang can be seen in crisp shirts while operating drones in the fields as a new generation of high-tech agriculture is taking root.

With the support of agricultural drones, the Internet of Things (IoT), and intelligent farm management systems, two young farmers born in the 1990s, Ai Haipeng and Ling Lei, manage several thousand mu (1 mu≈667 square meters) of cotton fields in Yuli county, Mongolian autonomous prefecture of Bayingolin in Xinjiang.

At first, their ambitions faced skepticism from local cotton growers who had been farming for decades. “Managing 3,000 mu of cotton typically requires a team of 20 or 30 people,” they were told. “How can two guys with no farming experience possibly handle it?”

Yet they proved the doubters wrong. By adopting a technique called “cotton-wheat strip intercropping,” they have significantly improved seedling emergence rates and harvest efficiency. They apply pesticides using drones, reducing chemical use and lowering costs. Remote sensing drones are used to monitor crop height and precisely track plant growth, while intelligent integrated water and fertilizer systems minimize fertilizer use. Not only do they manage the fields well, they have also achieved higher-than-average yields.

Hundreds of kilometers away, in Manas county of Changji Hui autonomous prefecture, field management is also undergoing a revolution powered by smart technology.

May is typically the busiest time of year in the cotton fields, but this year, almost no presence of farmers could be found in the fields in Manas. Instead, intelligent sprayers were moving methodically through rows of cotton.

“Our village has a modern agricultural cooperative,” said Song Guolin, a major cotton grower in Shangzhuangzi village, Letuyi township, Manas county. “All our tractors are equipped with satellite-guided autopilot systems, precision seeders, and intelligent spraying machines. From planting to harvesting, it’s all done by machines.” Even spraying schedules are automated. “We have sensors in the cotton fields that collect environmental data. Technicians analyze that information to tell us exactly when to spray,” said Xu Rongwen, a farmer in Guangfeng village, Guangdongdi township. “Technologyacts like a ‘nanny’ for our fields. It makes farming easier and gives us confidence,” Xu added