Nigeria Times

By He Yin, People’s Daily

On June 11, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the Ministerial Meeting of Coordinators on the Implementation of the Follow-up Actions of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), announcing a series of important new measures to expand China’s cooperation and openness toward Africa.
His remarks provide fresh momentum for China and Africa to pursue modernization together, and reinforce both sides’ efforts to enhance solidarity among the Global South and contribute to building a community with a shared future for mankind.
Amid a complex and evolving international landscape, China-Africa cooperation stands out for its clarity of direction and strength of certainty. Last September, during the FOCAC Beijing Summit, Xi and African leaders unanimously agreed to promote the six-point proposition on the joint endeavor to advance modernization, and to jointly implement the 10 partnership actions for modernization, leading China-Africa relations into a new stage of jointly building an all-weather community with a shared future for the new era.
Since then, both sides have worked closely to align their efforts and translate the strategic consensus of their leaders into concrete actions for high-quality cooperation. China has made an additional investment of over 13.3 billion yuan ($1.85 billion), and provided funding of over 150 billion yuan to Africa. In the first five months of this year, China’s imports and exports with Africa reached 963 billion yuan, up by 12.4% year on year and hitting a record high for the same period of the year in history.
As partners on the path to modernization, China and Africa are working hand in hand, and China is firmly committed to supporting Africa’s development through mutually beneficial cooperation. China is ready to implement the zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines for 53 African countries which have diplomatic relations with China, and provide more convenience for the least developed countries in Africa to export to China. China will also work with Africa to jointly implement the 10 partnership actions for modernization. These initiatives present new opportunities for Africa’s economic transformation.
African countries have expressed strong recognition of the opportunities presented by the Chinese market and China’s commitment to deeper engagement. Many African countries have welcomed China’s move to grant 100% zero-tariff treatment, viewing it as a significant step that will unlock new development opportunities across the continent. As Kenya’s Daily Nation noted, China has provided global public goods and fulfilled its role as a responsible major country, winning broad support across the African continent.
Openness and cooperation are the right path, and mutual benefit and win-win outcomes meet the aspiration of the people. As unilateralism, protectionism, and economic coercion become increasingly rampant, developing countries, including those in Africa, face mounting challenges in pursuing economic and social progress. In the face of such headwinds, China remains a reliable partner, consistently working to leverage its vast market to inject new momentum into the development of Global South partners.
Through its modernization initiatives, China provides substantive support for Africa’s developmental transformation. From Namibian chili sauce and Beninese pineapples to Tanzanian sapphires and Lesotho wool blankets, more than 800 African products were displayed at the fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, which opened on June 12 and was joined by 53 African countries and nearly 4,700 Chinese and African enterprises.
Since the FOCAC Beijing Summit, 22 new agricultural products from African countries, including soybeans from Zambia and peanuts from Nigeria, have gained market access to China. This increased import of African goods not only meets the growing and diversified demand of Chinese consumers, but also helps Africa boost its economy and improve livelihoods.
The joint pursuit of modernization by China and Africa will enhance solidarity and cooperation across the Global South and create a brighter future for global peace and development.
At the Ministerial Meeting of Coordinators on the Implementation of the Follow-up Actions of the FOCAC, the two sides issued the China-Africa Changsha Declaration On Upholding Solidarity and Cooperation of the Global South, calling on the international community to uphold true multilateralism in accordance with the principle of extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit, jointly oppose all forms of unilateralism and protectionism.
The declaration affirms that China and Africa resolutely oppose any party reaching a deal of compromise at the expense of the interests of other countries.
In an era marked by profound global change, when China and Africa stand shoulder to shoulder, the prospects for the Global South’s development are brighter, and international fairness and justice are more assured.
No matter how the international landscape may shift, the core principle of China-Africa cooperation of mutual benefit and common development will remain unchanged. China is ready to work with Africa to fully implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit, using the “golden key” of solidarity and cooperation to unlock a future of shared progress, jointly pursue the dream of modernization, and write a new chapter in building a community with a shared future for mankind.

By Jia Pingfan, People’s Daily

On April 29, 2025, construction officially commenced on three critical tunnels, Fergana Mountain, Naryn No.1, and Koshtet, along the Kyrgyz section of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) Railway, marking a major milestone as the project advances into its mainline construction phase.
Starting from Kashgar in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, the CKU Railway passes through the mountainous terrain of Kyrgyzstan to reach Uzbekistan. Once completed, the railway will serve as an important transportation corridor connecting the Asia-Pacific with Europe, significantly enhancing regional connectivity and fostering economic and social development along the route.
The CKU Railway stands as a compelling exmaple of pragmatic cooperation between China and Central Asia, and represents a new milestone in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. From infrastructure and industrial capacity to clean energy and logistics, cooperation between China and Central Asian countries is delivering tangible outcomes across a wide range of areas.
In Kazakhstan, major projects like the China-Kazakhstan natural gas pipeline and the Shymkent Oil Refinery are running smoothly. In Uzbekistan, the Syr Darya 1,500 MW gas-vapor cycle power generation project has been put into production, while the Olympic City project proceeds steadily. In Kyrgyzstan, projects such as the renovation of Bishkek’s municipal road network and a renovated irrigation system are improving local livelihoods. In Tajikistan, the parliament and government buildings aided by China have become new landmarks. These concrete, substantial outcomes are contributing to the sustainable development of Central Asian economies.
China’s trade and investment cooperation with Central Asia has also continued to gain momentum. In 2024, trade between China and the five Central Asian countries reached $94.8 billion, a year-on-year increase of six percent. The figure is expected to exceed $100 billion this year.
According to Yang Jin, deputy head of the Central Asia and Caucasus studies office at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, China-Central Asia relations have made substantial strides in recent years.
Guided by head-of-state diplomacy, the two sides have been deepening political trust. China has established comprehensive strategic partnerships and implemented the vision of building a community with a shared future on a bilateral level with all the five Central Asian countries.
Practical cooperation has been elevated, evidenced by the rapid growth in trade and investment. China and the Central Asian countries are also strengthening coordination in multilateral settings, particularly in efforts to maintain regional peace and stability.
Besides, institutional innovation is gaining prominence. Mechanisms such as the China-Central Asia Summit mechanism, the establishment of the secretariat of the China-Central Asian cooperation mechanism, and a China-Central Asia emergency management cooperation mechanism are enhancing dialogue and coordination.
“Central Asia is rich in natural resources, but its landlocked geography poses challenges to global market access. Meanwhile, China’s rapidly expanding domestic market is highly complementary with the region,” said Xu Tao, deputy head of the Eurasian Social Development Research Institute under the Development Research Center of China’s State Council.
“Our mutually beneficial cooperation is delivering tangible benefits to the peoples of both sides,” Xu added.
On March 19, a freight train bound for Tashkent, Uzbekistan, departed from Beijing’s Fangshan district, loaded with 90 standard containers of auto parts, medicines and other goods from the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. This marked the official launch of the first Beijing-Central Asia freight train service, creating a new, efficient land corridor for exporting high-value-added, high-tech products.
China and Central Asian countries share common aspirations for economic growth and improving people’s livelihoods. Their cooperation continues to expand in traditional sectors such as trade, finance, infrastructure, and connectivity, while increasingly expanding into emerging areas like the digital economy and e-commerce.
For landlocked Central Asian countries, working with China on water resource management, desertification prevention and control, green transition, and digital development contributes significantly to regional sustainability.
In November 2022, the Luban Workshop, co-founded by China’s Tianjin Urban Construction Management & Vocation Technology College and Tajik Technical University, was officially put into operation, the first of its kind in Central Asia. Since then, additional Luban workshops have been established in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan, with another under development in Turkmenistan.
These platforms facilitate technical exchanges and mutual learning, promoting talent development and strengthening people-to-people ties between China and Central Asian countries.
From Luban workshops and cultural centers to joint film productions, book translations, and archaeological collaborations, China-Central Asia cultural cooperation is flourishing. Exchanges in education, culture, tourism, and local governance continue to thrive, further reinforcing the foundation of good-neighborly friendship.
“Over the years, China and Central Asian countries have upheld the principles of mutual respect, good neighborliness, solidarity, and win-win cooperation,” said Yang Jin.
“By practicing true multilateralism and a common approach to security, they have set a model for a new type of international relations,” Yang added.
With deepening cooperation across political, economic, security, diplomatic, and cultural sectors, Yang believes the foundation for building a China-Central Asia community with a shared future is becoming ever more solid.

By Fu Zimei, Jiang Lin, He Linping, Wang Yunna, People’s Daily

Just how dexterous can a robotic “hand” be?
In a robotics lab in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong province, a silver humanoid robot slowly extended its five fingers and delicately picked up a series of fragile items without popping a balloon, crushing a potato chip, or damaging a piece of tofu.
This remarkable dexterity is the product of years of fundamental research originally carried out in Hong Kong, now transformed into real-world applications in Shenzhen, said Duan Jianghua, founder and CEO of Daimon Robotics, a Shenzhen-based tech firm.
With its high level of openness and strong economic vitality, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou science and technology cluster has ranked second globally for five consecutive years in the Global Innovation Index published by the World Intellectual Property Organization.
In recent years, Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao have joined forces to leverage their respective strengths, unleash collaborative synergies, and accelerate the development of a globally influential international innovation and technology hub.
In the increasingly competitive global landscape of science and technology, large-scale and organized research activities are becoming ever more important, with large scientific facilities that focus on cutting-edge exploration and foundational capabilities gaining prominence.
In the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), two innovation corridors, Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong and Guangzhou-Zhuhai-Macao, form a sprawling “Y”-shaped network. National-level scientific facilities such as the China Spallation Neutron Source, the Advanced Attosecond Laser Infrastructure, and the Research Facility of Cold-seep Ecosystems stand as critical “pillars” of innovation, while high-level research institutes like Pengcheng Laboratory and Guangzhou Laboratory have been successively established, enabling the region to achieve more breakthroughs from “zero to one.”
At the Institute of Collaborative Innovation of the University of Macau, a human-computer interaction experiment was underway. A participant wearing a headset viewed a sequence of images, with their emotional responses – like or dislike – displayed on the screen in fluctuating shades of green and gray.
The research team was focused on fundamental studies in “affective artificial intelligence.” “Thanks to a dedicated link to the National Supercomputing Center in Guangzhou and the powerful computing capabilities of supercomputer Tianhe-2, we’ve been able to tackle projects that were previously out of reach,” said Xu Chengzhong, interim director of the institute.
Just across a river in Hengqin, the Guangdong Institute of Intelligence Science and Technology has partnered with the University of Macau to establish the Joint Laboratory (Research Center) for Cognition and Brain Sciences.
“By sharing research resources, we are striving to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies,” said Zhang Xu, president of the Guangdong Institute of Intelligence Science and Technology.
Major original innovations in the GBA are the product of collaborative scientific efforts across Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao. So far, 34 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao joint laboratories have been established and are now in operation.
A series of landmark achievements underscore the area’s growing influence in science and technology: China’s first domestically developed deep-ocean drilling vessel Meng Xiang was officially commissioned in Nansha, Guangzhou; the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology led the development of a multi-functional lunar robot and mobile charging station; and the “Macao Science 1” satellite has orbited the Earth more than 10,000 times, generating a trove of high-precision scientific data. These breakthroughs are steadily pushing the GBA to new heights in technological innovation.
In the chip industry, one of the sectors where China has faced the toughest external restrictions, RISC-V pioneer Tan Zhangxi made a bold move. 7 years ago, he left California and brought his team to Qianhai, Shenzhen, where they founded RISC-V chip company RiVAI, aiming to develop high-performance server chips.
“The hardest part of chip development isn’t making a chip, but achieving sustainable iteration. The GBA offers an ideal environment for this,” Tan said.
In Hong Kong, RiVAI has established a subsidiary, working closely with research institutions, attracting talent, and engaging in international exchanges. “Guangdong has a robust electronics industry with many well-known end-user clients. Its integrated supply chains create a fast-paced ecosystem for technological iteration,” Tan explained.
“Innovation labs are connected to production lines” – this close integration between the innovation and industrial chains – is a key reason why many tech companies are drawn to the GBA.
Hong Kong and Macao offer advantages in international connectivity, global talent recruitment, funding access, and fundamental research. Meanwhile, the Chinese mainland provides complete industrial and supply chains, diverse application scenarios, and a concentration of skilled professionals – conditions that rapidly accelerate the transition from “1 to 100” in product development.
Spanning 56,000 square kilometers, this dynamic region not only supports faster innovation but also offers enterprises broad development opportunities.
Across the GBA, high-tech enterprises in fields like artificial intelligence, robotics, big data, low-altitude economy, autonomous driving, and biomedicine are a common sight. Home to 77,000 national-level high-tech enterprises, the region continues to unleash new drivers of high-quality productivity, propelling science and technology forward with ever-accelerating speed.

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

Located in the southwestern part of Xizang autonomous region in southwest China, Shigatse sits at an average altitude of over 4,000 meters and is home to Qomolangma, also known as Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak.
Among Xizang’s six overland trade ports, five are located in Shigatse: Dram, Gyirong, Lektse, Zhentang, and Ri’og. These ports form critical land corridors connecting China with South Asia. With border residents coming and going and a steady stream of vehicles passing through, Shigatse presents a vibrant picture of bustling border trade.
In Dram township, Nyalam county, the Friendship Bridge marks the terminus of China’s National Highway 318, which links the largest number of provinces in the country. Each day around 10 am, the China-Nepal border gates open, and the bridge quickly comes alive with the flow of pedestrians and vehicles, a unique scene of cross-border movement and connection.
Spanning the Bhotekoshi River, the Friendship Bridge connects Dram with Tatopani village in Nepal’s Sindupalchowk.
Chhiring, a young man from Tatopani, is usually among the first to cross the border into China each day. His small shop near the Dram Port is packed with goods like sneakers, blankets, and bedding. “Chinese products are of good quality and affordable,” he explained as he enthusiastically introduced his merchandise to customers. Business has been steady thanks to the favorable trade environment at the port.
Located about 120 kilometers from Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, Dram Port officially opened in 1966 and has since become the largest first-class land port in Xizang. At its peak, it handled over 80% of trade between China and Nepal.
Just outside the port, rows of brand-new cars lined the roadside, ready for export. Zeng Shuai, who works for an auto sales company, was busy processing customs paperwork. “Chinese new energy vehicles produced by MG and Dongfeng are very popular in Nepal,” he said.
Starting from Zhengzhou, central China’s Henan province, these new energy vehicles were transported by freight trains bound for South Asia. After being cleared in Shigatse, they were exported via Dram Port to Nepal. In recent years, Chinese-made new energy vehicles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic products – well-matched to South Asian market demand – have become star performers. In 2024 alone, 11,000 new energy vehicles were exported through Shigatse’s Dram and Gyirong ports.
At Gyirong Port, the Rasog Bridge spans a border river. According to port officials, the bridge has evolved from a wooden suspension bridge to a steel-cable structure, and now to a modern highway bridge. For generations, the Rasog Bridge has borne witness to the growing trade between China and Nepal.
The Norling Restaurant in Gyirong township is a local favorite. It is run by Nepali entrepreneur Mingma Tsomo and her husband, who introduced authentic Nepali flavors to Gyirong 14 years ago. In 2019, Mingma Tsomo expanded her business by opening a clothing and specialty store in the township’s border trade market. “We make about 300,000 to 400,000 yuan ($41,705 to $55,607) a year,” she said.
“Border trade and people-to-people exchanges between neighboring regions with complementary resources foster mutual development,” said Yang Yabo, director of the South Asia research institute at the Academy of Social Sciences of Xizang.
On November 13, 2023, the Lektse-Naiqung Port officially opened. Situated at an altitude of 4,772 meters, Lektse Port is Xizang’s highest land port. It provides access to Pokhara, a major city in Nepal. With its opening, the China-South Asia trade corridor has become more efficient and accessible.
On both sides of the border, heavy trucks are a common sight. Their cabs and trailers are often decorated with care, some even display both Chinese and Nepali flags, and are painted with phrases like “China-Nepal Friendship” and “Brothers Forever.”
In Tatopani village, Nepali restaurant owner Lapa tends to his shop during the off-season. While waiting for customers, he often watches Chinese short dramas with English subtitles on his phone. “They’re really captivating,” he said. “Many of them are about family and work – real everyday life. It turns out we’re all quite similar.”
As cross-border interactions deepen, efficient and people-oriented services help bring both sides even closer.
In recent years, Shigatse has continued to expand its opening up to the outside world. The city now boasts 15 foreign exchange service outlets that support businesses with cross-border trade settlement, securities investment, overseas direct investment, and personal currency exchange. These services are available in 9 border counties as well as the Gyirong and Dram ports.
“Thoughtful service brings tangible results,” said Tsering Tsomo, deputy head of the general affairs section of Shigatse customs. “In the first quarter of this year, Shigatse’s total foreign trade reached 907 million yuan, a 22.2% year-on-year increase, with 574 million yuan attributed to trade with South Asian countries. Given the current momentum of exchanges and cooperation, we expect to set a new record this year.”