Beijing, 30 March 2024

Under China’s The international Media Exchange Program, China Public Diplomacy Association and huanqiu.com jointly hosted recently ‘Travelogue of China’ in which  about 33 foreign journalists from 32 countries and regions, including Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Namibia, South Sudan, Rwanda, Benin, Cabo Verde and Zambia made a journey to East China’s Jiangsu Province to explore China’s economic advancement and cultural richness.

During the weeklong journey starting from March 19, these foreign journalists visited some of China’s high-tech industrial parks, an ecological dredging project, Changtai Yangtze River Bridge and China Communications Construction Co (CCCC) in Wuxi, Taizhou and Changshu.

“This initiative plays a crucial role in promoting cultural understanding and exchange. By exposing African journalists to the cultural, historical, and economic diversity of the province of Jiangsu, it fosters intercultural dialogue and strengthens ties between our two regions,” Elhassan Ben Yahia, a journalist from the Moroccan Press Agency (MAP), told the Global Times on Thursday.

Smart industrial parks

The journalist group firstly visited the Xishan Electric Vehicle Industrial Park to understand and experience the world’s top-selling two-wheeler Yadea electric vehicles. The firm’s products mainly cover electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, electric mopeds and electric scooters.

Besides their headquarters in China, Yadea has a US office, a German operation center and branch in Vietnam. Yadea’s business spans more than 100 countries with over 70 million users. The company holds over 1,900 national patents, with its core technology focusing on converting kinetic energy into electricity and utilizing high-end power batteries, greatly improving energy efficiency and extending battery life.

Héribert-Label Elisée Adjovi, Journalist from Benin commented that ‘I was impressed by the technological advancements of Yadea Technology Group and their commitment to sustainable mobility solutions. Seeing their diverse range of electric vehicles and learning about their global presence highlighted the significant impact of Chinese innovation in this field, especially when they let us try their products and witness their latest technology in terms of battery charging and security,” he added after riding the electric bikes.

Another journalist also expressed his admiration for Yadea electric vehicles. “I have observed that Yadea electric vehicles are mainly exported to Europe. I hope that our country, Benin, can also have these, which will greatly improve our lives”.

Besides high-tech applications in the transportation field, the visit to Hodo Group also left a deep impression. Established in 1957, the company has played a role in the growth of the clothing, tire, and pharmaceutical industries and is currently ranked as the 80th strongest entity in China’ s manufacturing sector. Hodo Group also collectively developed the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone (SSEZ) with Cambodian enterprises.

It established the first smart factory in the domestic clothing industry, in collaboration with China Unicom. The application of 5G networks not only optimized assembly line processes and achieved real time monitoring of workshop operations but also facilitated online customization of clothing for customers, enabling direct interaction between factories and consumers.

During on-site visits to the intelligent production lines, journalists observed the utilization of 5G technology to operate production lines and reduce reliance on labor. Uaueza Kanguatjivi, a journalist from Namibia, told the Global Times that traditional manufacturing industries in Namibia are predominantly reliant on manual labor, and are lacking in technological advancements. She expressed her hope that 5G technology could also be implemented in Namibian production lines to enhance efficiency and increase output.

“I truly experienced the manifestation of China’s new quality productive forces in the clothing manufacturing industry. It’s highly advanced… I can hardly imagine this factory could produce so many garments per year,” Sami Kaidi, a journalist from Algeria, told the Global Times.

Large-scale engineering projects

In addition to smart factories, journalists also visited significant engineering projects. One of them is the ecological dredging project for the Meiliang Lake area of Taihu Lake. The primary goal of the project is to dredge and dispose of sediment in the lake.

The project employs the “Taihu Star,” the world’s first ecological dredging intelligent integrated platform ship, which holds full intellectual property rights in China. It can efficiently dredge up to 5,000 cubic meters daily while also performing mud press filtration and solidification. As project operators explained, this program shows that China has made environmental preservation has become a major priority.

“It is fascinating to learn how the severely polluted sediment is removed from the lake’s bed and recycled to be used for construction or in agricultural projects. This speaks to China’s prowess and ambition to achieve modernization, with all aspects of people’s wellbeing taken into account. This is a good thing that many countries need to copy to make the world a better place to live in,” said Theophile Niyitegeka, a journalist from Rwanda.

CCCC Tianjin Dredging Co has completed some projects in Africa, including dredging work for the expansion of Algiers Port in Algeria. “I hope China can transfer its technology so that Algeria can replicate this model, which would help in the dredging operations for a vital river valley in the capital currently,” said Sami, a journalist from Algeria.

Another national engineering project is the Changtai Yangtze River Bridge which spans the river to connect the cities of Changzhou and Taizhou. With a total length of 10.03 kilometers, it boasts a combined railway and highway section that extends for 5.3 kilometers, making it the world’s first river crossing to integrate a high-speed highway, intercity railway, and regular roadway.

After the bridge opens,  travel time between Taizhou and Changzhou will be shortened, which will benefit the economic development of southern Jiangsu cities, and even cities in the Yangtze River Delta region.

“When I heard that there was a system capable of monitoring the construction progress comprehensively and ensuring that connecting the two ends of the bridge is controlled to within two millimeters, I was amazed,” Kanguatjivi told the Global Times.

The journalists visited another symbolic national engineering project made by CCCC Tianhe Co, which is the world’s largest and most complete R&D and manufacturing base for tunnel boring machines (TBMs). A TBM “integrates excavation, support, propulsion, and lining operations,” said Deputy Chief Engineer of CCCC Tianhe Co Jin Dangpeng, adding that the machines are now “the primary item of equipment for tunnel construction.”

Linda Mupemo, a regional information officer from the Zambia News and Information Services, expressed concerns regarding the equipment’s impact on environmental protection. But Jin explained that the machines are designed with efficient energy consumption in mind, and can also “collect and treat wastewater generated during tunnel construction, minimizing the environmental impact.”

The journalists were shown different types of TBMs, including a large-diameter slurry shield tunneling machine, which has been exported and used successfully in the Bangabandhu Tunnel (Karnaphuli River Bottom Tunnel) in Bangladesh. They also saw the internationally pioneering rescue tunneling machine Tianhe No.1, which is capable of effective rescue operations within 72 hours of a crisis, and the world’s first high-altitude, ultra-large-diameter hard rock vertical tunneling machine, Shouchuang No.1.

Understanding of new quality productive forces

During their trip to Jiangsu, the foreign journalist delegation had a chance to to understand the concept of new quality productive forces. “We witnessed the most advanced application of technology aimed at enhancing production levels. New technologies, serving as new quality productive forces, are substantially improving the means of work and economic development,” said Joao Crisante de Pina, a journalist from Cabo Verde.

“When officials at the two sessions specifically emphasized this issue, it reflected the country’s commitment to reducing unemployment while promoting innovation. It also indicates China’s determination to maintain its own development in the face of trade barriers. China has achieved remarkable milestones in various aspects of development,” said Niyitegeka.

“I’ve observed China’s industrial prowess, especially in heavy equipment manufacturing. Looking ahead, African and Arab countries can collaborate with China to tap into the innovative potential across China, Africa, and the Arab world, creating a brighter future for their people and all of humanity,” Ahmed Soliman, a foreign affairs chief editor from Egypt, told the Global Times.