If you asked people about artificial intelligence (AI) 10 years ago, most wouldn't have understood its meaning. Today, however, AI has been gradually integrated into all aspects of daily life in China, such as travel, retail, medical care, entertainment, logistics and many other fields. 

Analysts noted that the acceleration of digitalization and expanded AI applications in the services sector has become a new trend, driven largely by advancements in AI innovations.

In the near future, a more extensive and faster digital transformation of the services sector is essential to ensure broader benefits for the public. Progressively, thousands of industrial lines will be empowered by AI, which could reduce the cost of manufactured products and service charges. 

Recently, several AI-powered service examples were showcased at the just-concluded 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing.

Deep AI integration

For example, AI has already assisted many people to land a job in China. At the 2024 CIFTIS, Alipay unveiled an AI-powered public employment robot named Xiaogu, designed to support the smart transformation of employment-related services. 

According to data, assisted by AI, the matching rate of people and job vacancies has been increased by at least 10 times, Alipay said. 

While AI-powered services like this may go unnoticed by many, the application of AI innovations in sectors like tourism and online gaming is more visible. 

The integration of AI with specific scenic spots in China is providing significantly improved travel experience. 

For instance, in the scenic area of Mount Huangshan in East China's Anhui Province, an AI escort service has been introduced -- showcased at the 2024 CIFTIS. The AI-powered application can recommend services throughout the entire journey, assisting tour guides, taxi bookings and food options, based on tourists' spatial positioning, the Global Times has learned. 

"AI can facilitate very creative content production, and the digital content can be combined with the natural scenes in the scenic spots, using augmented reality (AR) technology carriers, like AR glasses," Chen Xi, a vice president of Rokid, a Hangzhou-based AR tech startup, told the Global Times on Friday.

AR is a technology that enhances or provides additional information about what people can see in physical reality through digital images, sounds and text. AI enhances AR by enabling it to recognize and augment the real world more effectively.

"In addition to immersive travel experience realized by tapping the AR technology, we could also create some treasure-hunting games with the help of AI in the context of local culture to better fit in to the needs of the sightseers," Chen said.

AI technologies have been applied in museums too. Foreign tourists visit exhibitions using AR tools in Chinese museums, enhancing the quality of their experience, as AI could help remove barriers such as language, Tian Feng, dean of SenseTime's Intelligence Industry Research Institute, told the Global Times on Friday.

OUTPUT, a Shanghai-based leading digital content technology company aiming for the creation of an ecosystem for digital culture, has recently created digital content and new scenario-based experience works in collaboration with Beijing's Palace Museum and Shanghai's Yuyuan Garden.

"We have helped showcase the treasures of the Palace Museum digitally in Singapore and participated in the Yuyuan Garden Lantern Festival in Paris and Shanghai to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France," said Liu Yinmeng, founder and CEO of OUTPUT.

'AI Plus' initiative

"The development of AI technologies will bring great changes and opportunities to many sectors, such as tourism, sport and gaming," Tian said.

"AI Plus" was mentioned in the State Council's Government Work Report for the first time in 2024, saying that China will launch an AI Plus initiative, and build digital industry clusters with international competitiveness, and will also promote the digitalization of the service sector.

"AI Plus" will serve as a key driving force of the economy, integrating with a wide range of sectors such as healthcare, education, while helping promote the transformation and upgrading of many traditional industries, Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday.

In 2023, China unveiled a plan to ramp up the country's comprehensive digitalization process, including support for in-depth integration of digital technology and the real economy, and the application of AI technology in agriculture, manufacturing, finance, education, medical services, transport and energy.

China has experienced rapid development in the creative industry, also known as the "orange industry", industry observers said on Friday at the Orange Industry and Sustainable Investment Forum, a sub-forum of the 2024 CIFTIS.

The UN defines the creative economy as cycles of creating, producing, and distributing goods and services  that use creative intellectual capital as primary inputs.

According to UN Trade and Development, by 2020, China was the largest exporter of creative goods and services, at a reported value of $169 billion. The export value of China's creative industry has grown from $59 billion in 2020 to $67 billion in 2022.

With the rapid advancement of information technologies, such as 5G, big data, cloud computing, and AI in the country, China's "orange industry" is developing quickly globally, Liu noted. 

Industry analysts said that the "orange industry" exemplifies creativity and innovation, aligning closely with China's pursuit of an innovation-driven development strategy and the cultivation of high-quality new productive forces.

"In the coming years, China's 'orange industry' is expected to see significant growth. Technological innovation, market demand and government policy support will promote the industry to become an important force in China's economic diversification," Liu said.

Editor's Note:

Over 700 years ago, Italian traveler Marco Polo journeyed through China, documenting his experiences and introducing the splendor of ancient China to Europe in his book. Fast forward to the present day, when people discover China through online videos. With China's visa-free policies and the introduction of 144-hour visa-free transit, a wave of international YouTubers and vloggers has flocked to China.

After exploring gateway cities, where they gain initial insights into China's modern cityscapes and rich cultural heritage, these YouTubers and vloggers soon turn their attention to localized regions, delving into frontier areas, revolutionary sites, and public infrastructure to find the answers to the questions: "What is modern China like, why is it the way it is, and how does it function?" Through their cameras, they present a real, friendly, and vibrant China to the world. They are affectionately referred to by the Chinese as the "Marco Polos" in the New Era.

Therefore, the Global Times presents this "Marco Polo" Trilogy. In the first story, we shared the story of those young travelers who have ventured into China's border regions. Their videos and posts showcase the vast grasslands and bustling markets of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and the majestic mountains and mysterious temples of Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, displaying to the world a diverse and peaceful China.
"I am in Xinjiang… the most controversial region of the country." This is the first sentence uttered by German travel content creator "Ken Abroad," in a video he shared on YouTube in February.

"In this video, we will get impressions of this Uygur Autonomous Region, which is over Western media for not-so-good reasons," he says, while walking on a snowy street in Urumqi, capital of Northwest China's Xinjiang Autonomous Region. "Let's see what life is really like here."

Ken Abroad is among an increasing number of international vloggers who have visited Xinjiang with great curiosity. A somewhat remote and mysterious region in China, Xinjiang is nonetheless a name constantly spotlighted in many Western media stories, which are usually filled with misinformation.

Many travel vloggers including Ken Abroad and their audiences are eager to get a closer look at Xinjiang in person. "I am curious to see things with my own eyes. So, I booked a flight to Urumqi," Ken Abroad wrote in the video caption, which garnered over 800,000 views as of the end of February.

"According to some comments on my channel, I would not be allowed to enter, as the region is apparently closed to foreigners. Well, I was able to enter without any problems and soon after I found myself exploring the city center of Urumqi," wrote the vlogger with 356,000 YouTube subscribers.

The first time Ken Abroad visited China was at the end of 2023, when he only visited Shanghai. "I had a Chinese friend at university, and I also made a Chinese friend on other travels. Both of them told me so many great things about China," he told the Global Times. "That made me curious to visit the country."

Ken Abroad's vlogs about his visits to China have amassed millions of views thus far. "I am happy to see that so many people watched my China-related videos, and the responses I got were overall mostly positive," he said.

In the Urumqi tour video, Ken Abroad said that he understood Xinjiang from some Western media reports which claimed that "Uygur Muslim here are being oppressed, and they can't practice Islam."

"[Let's] see if we can find any mosques," he said.

Then the video cuts to views of different mosques across the city. In the vlog, Ken Abroad also tasted local snacks and talked to locals. He asked about the opening times of the nearby mosques and received friendly responses.

"[An] interesting fact about the mosques here, as I read before, is that Xinjiang, this region of China, has more mosques than the US or any Western countries in Europe do," Ken Abroad said in the video while walking on the street.

"And, …do you have the impression so far that the majority of people that we spoke to today, we interacted with, we saw, were Muslims?" he asked. "Yet the Western media are trying to tell us that the Muslims are being oppressed here by the Chinese government; that they don't live a normal life. I don't want to judge now, but just asking you, what is your impression of the people that we have seen so far?"

'Is that real?'

Compared with Xinjiang, Xizang region might appear even more mysterious.

Due to Xizang's high altitude and harsh climate, as well as the challenging rescue and medical conditions in some inaccessible areas, there are certain precautions in place, according to local authorities.

To prevent such incidents, authorities implemented the Entry Permit requirement. This permit allows them to confirm the traveler's itinerary and provide appropriate services, including medical support if needed.

However, some of the most daring travelers have made Xizang the ultimate destination on their bucket lists when exploring China.

Birat Aanupam, a young journalist and writer from Nepal, remarked "For me, Lhasa felt like home."

He noted that the sweet tea served in Lhasa is a familiar drink enjoyed daily across Nepal, and he found it easy to pronounce Tibetan names and understand Tibetan culture, as Nepal shares aspects of this Himalayan culture, tradition, and lifestyle.

Lhasa's Barkhor Street, where Nepali traders have maintained a presence for centuries, was another unforgettable sight for him. The presence of Nepal's Consulate General, Lhasa's only diplomatic mission, also held significant meaning.
Aanupam was amazed by Xizang's development. His 435-kilometer-long journey aboard a bullet train from Nyingchi to Lhasa provided a striking example of Xizang's rapid progress.

He saw no conflict between development and traditional practices, observing road signs in English, Putonghua, and Tibetan, as well as monks using smartphones.

Aanupam told the Global Times that the Xizang he imagined was both similar to and different from reality. The similarities lay in the friendly locals and well developed infrastructure, while the differences were in the deference shown for the local language, culture, and traditions.

Aanupam observed that foreign perceptions of Xizang have begun to shift slightly, with people starting to see the region differently.

After sharing videos of rail travel and conversations with locals in Xizang on social media platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Reel, X, and Facebook, many of Aanupam's friends began asking, "Is Xizang really like this?"

Safe and comfortable

"Xinjiang is not what you think!" "Unbelievable impression in Lhasa!" Alongside thumbnails featuring exaggerated expressions, such videos have been emerging on YouTube in recent months.

In the past year alone, at least five YouTubers with over 100,000 subscribers have posted travel vlogs about their journeys to Xinjiang, amassing millions of views.

Whether in Xinjiang or Xizang, in the videos, these vloggers encountered kind and friendly locals, felt comfortable and safe, and discovered that these regions, while preserving their unique cultures and cuisines, are just as convenient as other parts of China.

One viewer's comment under a latest Lhasa vlog on YouTube channel "Josie lifts things" reads, "I don't think there is a country that cares for its people as much as China. Just knowing the geographical location of Xizang, you can see how much the Chinese government loves Tibet. There's even a 5G network at an altitude of over 5,000 meters, and the hydropower facilities are perfect. These projects are very challenging."

British budget travel blogger Mike Okay recently hitchhiked to Kashi, the cultural center of the Uygur people in Xinjiang. He documented his journey, including being picked up by a friendly truck driver from North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

While on his travels, Mike Okay recorded at least three instances of being stopped by Xinjiang police for passport checks. Although the officers were friendly - one even bought him traditional Xinjiang naan bread to try - Mike Okay still found the frequent checks puzzling.

His confusion was cleared up at the end of his recent video. While staying overnight at a camping park in Aksu Prefecture, which had well equipped facilities including bathrooms and water, he was approached by a few police officers who recorded his information before leaving.

A manager at the camping park, who later sat down to have tea with Mike Okay, used a translation app to explain that the checks were not a sign of any problem.

On the contrary, since foreign tourists are rare in the area, the police needed to document his presence to ensure no incidents occurred.

"This is for your safety," the manager said.

An increasing number of people have come to understand that the intensified efforts on enhancing security in Xinjiang is not an overreaction.

From 1990 to the end of 2016, ethnic separatist forces, religious extremist forces, and violent terrorist groups plotted and carried out thousands of violent terrorist attacks in Xinjiang, resulting in a large number of innocent civilian casualties. Since 2014, authorities have dismantled 1,588 terrorist groups, arrested 12,995 terrorist suspects, and seized 2,052 explosive devices. The infiltration of extremism has been effectively curbed, and public security has significantly improved, greatly protecting the basic rights of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang, including the right to life, health, and development.

With several consecutive years free from violent incidents, local residents have come to deeply cherish this sense of security. According to China Youth Daily, the public safety index in Xinjiang increased from 87.58 percent in 2012 to 99.14 percent in 2021. Xinjiang has achieved lasting stability and prosperity.

A farmer picks grapes at a planting base in Yuncheng, North China's Shanxi Province on September 13, 2024. Farmers are ramping up efforts to send fresh grapes to the market to meet surging demand during the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival holidays. Photo: VCG

The 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) commenced on Thursday, showcasing China's determination to further open up to the world and its willingness to share the dividends of its growth. The event witnessed enthusiastic attendance from countries around the world, offering a strong rebuttal to the decoupling efforts by some politicians in the West, analysts said. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday sent a congratulatory letter to the 2024 CIFTIS. Xi pointed out that CIFTIS, having been successfully held for 10 years, is a vivid portrayal of the high-quality development of China's services industry and services trade, making positive contributions to the building of an open world economy.

On Thursday, the China National Convention Center and Shougang Park in Beijing were crowded with exhibitors and visitors from around the world, with displays featuring exhibits ranging from artificial intelligence (AI)-powered surgical robots and passenger drones to hydrogen fuel motorbikes, giving the event a tech-driven, futuristic feel, the Global Times observed.

Together with the China Import and Export Fair and the China International Import Expo, which will be held later this year, the CIFTIS underlined China's commitment to opening up its services sector and sharing its vast market potential with the world, Chinese analysts said.

Paulo Jorge Nascimento, Portuguese Ambassador to China, told the Global Times on Thursday that Portugal, having a keen interest in expanding the services trade, has been following CIFTIS for a long time and "now we think it is the right time to set up our first independent booth as the two countries celebrate the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations."

The ambassador said that with trade in goods dominating bilateral trade currently, "there is a huge space to increase trade in services between the two countries."

Companies and exhibitors expressed optimism about leveraging China's rapidly growing services sector and benefiting from the country's innovation-driven growth. 

A long list of Global 500 firms, including Tesla, Siemens and Amazon, attended the event, which runs from September 12 to 16.

A resolution adopted by the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in July called for adopting innovative measures to boost trade in services, and fully apply the "negative list" for cross-border trade in services.

China's determination to further open up its services sector has resonated well with global companies. 

"The world is quite complicated today, and we see stability in China. The recent string of Chinese government policies aimed at further opening up add predictability for us. As a result, we are making plans to further increase our reach in the Chinese market," Wu Haifeng, general manager of Greater China with Norway-based industrial software company Kongsberg Digital AS, told the Global Times on Thursday.

"CIFTIS has significant global influence, as it is currently the world's only national-level, international, and comprehensive platform for services trade. With China recently introducing new measures to further open up its services sector, this year's event is expected to be a key highlight," Huo Jianguo, vice chairman of the China Society for World Trade Organization Studies in Beijing, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Unlike certain Western politicians pushing for "decoupling" with China in some areas, multinational corporations prioritize investment opportunities and returns, Huo said.

With China's economy still growing at around 5 percent and its emerging industries showing strong vitality, companies won't be passing up investment opportunities in China. "In fact, they're rushing in, worried that other countries might snap up opportunities first. While US-led decoupling efforts may cause some external disturbances, the key lies in the resilience of China's own economic growth and its promising prospects," Huo noted.

The National Development and Reform Commission, China's top economic planner, said on Sunday that it will work with other government agencies to further advance the opening-up of the services sector.

Former European Central Bank chief and Italian prime minister Mario Draghi presented a report at a news conference in Brussels on Monday, titled "The Future of European Competitiveness." In the report, he calls for EU to "radically change." However, is the "prescription," offered by Draghi amid the EU's extreme anxiety over declining competitiveness, really what Europe needs?

The report's main concern is Europe's declining competitiveness. Europe is facing an unprecedented dilemma now, with sluggish economic growth, declining industrial competitiveness, high unemployment, and low business confidence. As a result, Europe has begun to explore various "prescriptions" for its challenges.

In the 69-page "Draghi's Report," China is mentioned in 25 pages. The report points out that "the EU's competitiveness is currently being squeezed from two sides. On the one side, EU companies are facing weaker foreign demand - especially from China - and rising competitive pressures from Chinese companies." In April, Draghi specifically condemned China for "threatening to undercut" Europe's industrial base by "attempting to capture and internalize all parts of the supply chain in green and advanced technologies."

"Draghi's Report" reflects Europe's overall anxiety. Understandably, Europe is seeking a way out of its current predicament. However, this solution should not involve position China as a target obstructing European development, nor should it come at the expense of China-EU relations. If the EU resorts to such an approach, it would not only fail to help Europe overcome its challenges but could even exacerbate its problems.

Europe's current economic difficulties reveal deep-seated structural defects. In the face of intense market competition, European companies are struggling to transform and adapt to new economic and technological developments, putting them at a distinct disadvantage in the global market. In this context, as China has made significant strides in emerging fields like renewable energy, some European viewpoints, with added pressure from the US, perceive the normal market relationship with China as excessive dependency and risk.

However, this perspective not only obscures Europe's own problems but also conflates competitiveness issues with complex geopolitical games, deepening Europe's economic predicament.

As a matter of fact, China and Europe share deep mutual interests in economic and trade relations, global governance, and politics. Despite their differences, the China-EU relationship enjoys strong endogenous driving force and bright prospects of development. The essence of China-EU cooperation lies in complementary advantages and mutual benefits. China can support Europe in the development of new energy, helping address the bottlenecks Europe faces. 

The decline in competitiveness acts like an invisible net, making it difficult for Europe to compete globally. The more anxious Europe becomes, the more clear-minded it should strive to maintain. A simplistic pursuit of protectionism, as the US and EU are currently doing, cannot address the fundamental, deep-seated issues facing Europe. The EU should resolve trade frictions with China through dialogue and consultation, taking into account each other's legitimate concerns, while avoiding retaliatory trade conflicts and preventing a lose-lose situation. Only by doing so can the EU enhance its competitiveness. Europe's "prescription" should not focus on exaggerating how China has "squeezed" Europe's survival space; instead, it should concentrate on fixing its own structural defects.

US legislation barring new drones made by Chinese technology firm DJI in the US “not only undermines American interests but also harms the very industry Congress intends to support,” a DJI spokesperson said in a statement sent to the Global Times on Wednesday.

The US House of Representatives approved on Monday local time a bill to ban the operation of new models of DJI drones in the US. 

With less than two months to go before the US’ 2024 presidential and congressional elections, the world’s leading drone maker has become a new target as US lawmakers prepare to introduce up to 28 bills this week targeting China, in what has been dubbed "China Week."

“While it’s disheartening to see public policy discussions once again being swayed by political considerations rather than facts, DJI remains committed to actively engaging with lawmakers to dispel misconceptions about our brand,” the DJI statement reads.

DJI drones are utilized by the US’ federal agencies, local law enforcement, and emergency response teams to keep the communities safe and save lives in the US, the spokesperson said.

The use of DJI drones has also enabled the growth of small businesses in sectors ranging from real estate to agriculture and transport. All of these sectors rely on access to DJI drone technology to support operations, DJI spokesperson stated. 

“Legislation that restricts US drone operators' ability to purchase and use the right equipment for their work, based solely on the equipment's country of origin, not only undermines American interests but also harms the very industry Congress intends to support,” the spokesperson said.

As the world’s leading drone maker, DJI accounts for over half of all drone sales in the US. 

However, US lawmakers have consistently singled out the company, citing baseless national security concerns that DJI has strongly refuted.

As early as in October 2022, the US Defense Department blacklisted DJI based on the groundless allegation of “ties to the Chinese military.” 

“In order to maintain its sci-tech hegemony, the US has been abusing export control measures to wantonly block and hobble Chinese enterprises,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on October 8, 2022 at a routine press conference in Beijing.

“By politicizing tech and trade issues and using them as a tool and weapon, the US cannot hold back China’s development, but will only hurt and isolate itself when its action backfires,” Mao said.

The latest US bill still requires approval from the US Senate before it can be signed into law by the US president, and it would not affect DJI drones already in use within the country, according to media reports.

China delivered its first domestically developed mpox vaccine into clinical trials on Monday. The vaccine, independently developed by the Shanghai Institute of Biological Products, a subsidy of the China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm), is based on a live, attenuated orthopoxvirus, Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA), the Global Times learned from the group.

According to the institute, the MVA strain has proved its safety and efficacy as a candidate vector for vaccination. The MVA mpox vaccine is produced using a mature cell factory production process, which is stable and reliable in quality. Preclinical studies have shown its safety and its ability to generate effective immune protection against mpox virus in non-human primate models.

Between January 2022 and August 2024, more than 120 countries have reported mpox, with over 100,000 laboratory-confirmed cases reported and over 220 deaths among confirmed cases, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO). 

On August 14, the WHO declared mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighboring countries to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, the WHO's highest-level alert, along with the emergence and rapid spread of a new virus strain in DRC named clade 1b.

Lu Hongzhou, head of the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, told media on Monday that although the current outbreak focused on the DRC, the possibility cannot be ruled that the 1b lineage had spread globally, which requires our heightened attention. 

Based on the current prevention and control measures and domestic epidemic monitoring system, the likelihood of a rapid increase in mpox infections in China remains relatively low, Lu said, while calling for the public to remain vigilant.

After nearly a month of speculation, German media reported on Saturday that two German warships are scheduled to transit the Taiwan Straits in mid-September. This move, if it takes place, will likely be seen as a muscle-flexing move and a nod to the US' Asia-Pacific policies, Chinese experts said, adding that it will be perceived by China as an unfriendly gesture, likely casting a shadow on Beijing-Berlin ties.

The two German warships will become the first German naval vessels to pass through the Taiwan Straits in 22 years, Der Spiegel magazine reported on Saturday, citing unspecified sources as saying Beijing would not be formally notified of the German ships' passage to emphasize that Berlin views the trip as normal.

Germany's defense ministry declined to comment, Reuters reported.

The possible transit of German warships through the Taiwan Straits aligns with Germany's policy, which seeks to enhance Berlin's engagement in the region. This move also serves as a strategic gesture to play up to the US and NATO, particularly in light of the US' efforts to counter China's influence in trade and to secure greater American support for European security, an anonymous research fellow from China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations told the Global Times.

In November 2023, US and Canadian warships passed through the Taiwan Straits. The Chinese People's Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command organized naval and aviation forces to be on high alert to track and monitor the US and Canadian vessels through their entire course and handle them in accordance with the law and regulations.

If the German warships make such a move, it will be seen by China as a gesture of "flexing muscles" and an unfriendly move, said the expert, noting that it will surely cast a shadow on Beijing's ties with Berlin. 

When asked for comment on German warships' scheduled transit through Taiwan Straits, a spokesperson from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on August 20 that Taiwan question is China's internal affair.

China has always been opposed to the undermining of China's territorial sovereignty and security under the guise of freedom of navigation, said the spokesperson.

The 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) concluded in Beijing on Friday with significant achievements made. In addition to reaching a clear political consensus on enhancing all-round cooperation, China and African countries drafted a blueprint for future cooperation, and China also proposed 10 partnership actions with Africa to advance modernization in the next three years, sending a powerful message of joint development, analysts said.

They also noted that the summit showcased unwavering confidence in the unity and cooperation of the Global South and unveiled a new chapter for building a community with a shared future for humanity.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday met with African leaders and representatives attending the summit including President of the Central African Republic Faustin-Archange Touadera, South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, Chairman of Sudan's Sovereignty Council Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, President of Madagascar Andry Nirina Rajoelina, Gambian President Adama Barrow, Liberian President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, and President of the Republic of Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso.  

The bilateral meetings are a continuation of intensive meetings between Chinese and African leaders before and during FOCAC, highlighting how the friendship between China and Africa will also contribute to their joint cooperation, advancing the construction of a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future and injecting new momentum into the development of China-Africa relations, analysts said. 

The 2024 Summit of the FOCAC, which kicked off on Wednesday, has achieved complete success, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday. 

Wang also highlighted achievements in four areas - bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China have been elevated to the level of strategic relations, the overall characterization of China-Africa relations has been elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era, six major proposals to advance China-Africa modernization have been put forward, and a blueprint for action to advance China-Africa cooperation has been drawn up.

China and Africa also agreed to oppose prejudice, address historical injustice and advance modernization to make it benefit all people, Wang said, noting that the summit has demonstrated the Global South's firm confidence in solidarity and cooperation.

Joseph Kahama, Secretary General of the Tanzania-China Friendship Promotion Association, said that President Xi introduced new dynamic initiatives for Africa that will benefit the continent's industrialization, development, and regional and global peace. 

During the speech delivered by President Xi, in which he proposed 10 partnership actions with Africa to advance modernization in the next three years, the audience burst into applause several times! That shows how inspiring Chinese initiative is and how much it aligns with the needs of African people, said Han Jinghua, chairman of Jiayou International Logistics Co., Ltd.

New prospects

This year's FOCAC session also includes business-to-business matchmaking sessions, allowing Chinese companies that are just starting to extend their business to Africa to efficiently connect with demand-side partners and engage with local enterprises.

"The dynamics of China-Africa cooperation are accumulating in more and more fields, and we will continue to contribute the strength of AI enterprises to China-Africa economic and trade cooperation," a spokesperson of 4Paradigm, one of the leading AI platform companies in China that attended sideline events of the summit, told the Global Times. 

This reunion of the China-Africa family has also highlighted new features of China-Africa cooperation, said Yang Baorong, director of African Studies of the Institute of West-Asian and African Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, noting that many African leaders, before arriving in Beijing, visited various other places and enterprises across China to promote concrete cooperation and deepen exchanges with different regions of China.  

The US and some Western media closely followed this year's FOCAC summit, with some amplifying clichéd narratives such as "debt trap." 

Economists have pointed out that the US and some Western countries promote the "debt trap" narrative due to biases and fears that China's growth and cooperation with Africa might reduce their influence in the continent. They are also reluctant to see the successful and complementary development between China and Africa, said Yang.

The success of China-Africa cooperation stems from the alignment between China's infrastructure capabilities and Africa's industrial needs. China's diverse industries provide significant advantages, addressing crucial demands on the continent.

Han of Jiayou International Logistics Co., Ltd, also refuted the "debt trap" narrative, saying that such hyping stems from a "sour grapes" mentality. 

China's investments in Africa not only create local jobs and increase tax revenues but also consider each country's specific circumstances for debt relief or deferral, so that local governments can better utilize their fiscal revenues and form a healthy, sustainable cycle of development, Han said. 

On August 15th, State Grid Taizhou Power Supply Company adopted its pioneering "power protection and prefabrication" method during the capacity expansion operation of the distribution transformer at Qiaoyangyang No. 2 Substation, successfully resolving the issue of reverse overload caused by renewable energy sources in the transformer area.

Notably, the prefabricated transformer installation took just 30 minutes, one-sixth of the time required for traditional installation methods. Furthermore, the number of on-site workers was reduced from 9 to 6, and the entire process was completed without disrupting the consumption and grid connection of photovoltaic power generation. With the significant increase in distributed photovoltaic systems connected to the grid, reverse overload issues on power lines have become more frequent.

In May this year, Taizhou Power Supply Company organized a joint research team of relevant professionals to develop a "Power Protection + Prefabrication" method specifically for low-voltage live-working operations on photovoltaic reverse overload lines. This method enables automatic and rapid switching of lines when low-voltage distribution cabinets are disconnected from the grid, allowing for the consumption of generated electricity. After the transfer of low-voltage loads, operators use prefabricated modules to dismantle the original transformer and install a new transformer through modular hoisting.

This transforms the traditionally complex installation process on distribution poles into a relatively simple and rapid modular assembly, significantly enhancing the safety of live-working operations while drastically reducing power outages. On August 15, the on-site operators transported various modules, which had been prefabricated and assembled in advance at a factory, to the Qiaoyangyang No. 2 Substation work site. Upon connecting the energy storage vehicle to the line and disconnecting the low-voltage distribution cabinet, the mobile energy storage vehicle was linked to photovoltaic power generation customers.

With the cooperation of cranes and spider lifts, the operators assembled prefabricated modules such as transformers, fuse holders, grounding flat irons, and lead wires. The entire capacity expansion operation was completed in just 2.5 hours. During this time, nearly 160 kW of reverse photovoltaic load from the transformer area was seamlessly connected to the energy storage vehicle for consumption without any disruption.