China and India should enhance cooperation in the green transformation, as China's advanced production capabilities in electric vehicles (EVs) and related battery products align well with India's needs for its nascent EV industry and the fruitless "Make in India" initiative, Chinese experts said.

India's Tata Motors will reportedly source battery packs for its passenger EVs from Octillion Power Systems, a major battery pack maker, Indian news outlet Livemint.com reported on Wednesday, citing two people with direct knowledge of the matter. 

The reported move would end the practice of buying them solely from group company Tata AutoCompSystems, the report said.

Tata Motors' decision comes amid a challenging EV market for the company, and this shift aims to address performance issues, and diversify its supply and technology base, the report said.

Chinese companies lead the global EV market with their complete supply chain and advanced technology. To build a competitive edge in the green sector, India's best option is to collaborate with China, Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times on Thursday.

India holds a significant potential for the green transformation. However, EV market penetration remains minimal compared with internal combustion cars due to the higher cost of EVs, primarily driven by the battery pack, as reported by Indian media.

Octillion Power Systems has supplied more than 1 million battery systems to customers around the globe, according to the company's official website.

The move by the Indian carmaker shows that the market, rather than political factors, drives business decisions. Companies continue to pursue market-oriented approaches driven by demand and growth needs, Qian said.

A number of Chinese industry players, such as BYD, are doing business in India, either by exporting products or by forming partnerships with local companies, as the South Asian country pursues green development.

"It is hoped that Tata Motors' initiative will serve as the latest positive example for further cooperation between Chinese and Indian companies, supporting India's green transformation and the 'Make in India' initiative, which has been a failure, while offering new opportunities for Chinese companies in the Indian market," Qian said.

China-Africa cooperation sees greater opportunities in green transformation as both sides embrace high-quality cooperation in the new era, Chinese officials and experts said ahead of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which will be held from Wednesday to Friday in Beijing.

Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday at the China National Convention Center, the forum's venue, Liu Yuxi, special representative of the Chinese Government on African Affairs, said that China and Africa have seized the historic opportunity of a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation in areas such as green development and digital innovation.

Sun Xiao, secretary general of the China Chamber of International Commerce, said at a separate press conference that "many clean energy and green development projects have been conducted within the framework of FOCAC."

"China is an important partner for Africa in terms of green transition... China supports African countries to better leverage their advantages in solar, hydro and geothermal energy to achieve green, low-carbon and high-quality development," Sun said.

Energy shortages, especially the lack of electricity and the difficulty in achieving self-sufficiency, constrain Africa's industrialization and modernization, and cooperation with China has been a good response to such needs, Song Wei, a professor at the School of International Relations and Diplomacy at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times.

Energy projects have been constructed in more than 40 African countries and regions, including photovoltaic, wind power, hydropower and biomass, per official data. 

This cooperation has resulted in an addition of 120 million kilowatts of installed power capacity and the construction of 66,000 kilometers of power grid lines.

In South Africa's Northern Cape Province, the Redstone 100-megawatt tower-type solar thermal power project, constructed by the Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina), has almost finished construction. It is the first CSP project in sub-Saharan Africa, according to a statement PowerChina sent to the Global Times. 

Once it enters operation, the project will supply 480 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually to the grid, meeting the demand of 200,000 local households, PowerChina said.

Amorepacific, a South Korean cosmetics giant, has been actively exploring the Chinese market for 32 years, in line with the growing pace of cooperation between China and South Korea. By introducing a series of "beauty codes," the company has been influencing the beauty habits of Chinese consumers.

Over the past three decades, Amorepacific has gained invaluable insights into the Chinese market, continuously breaking its "comfort zone" by charting a distinctive development path in China and fulfilling its commitment to "We Make A MORE Beautiful World" with a series of innovative products and strategic adjustments. Recently, its new brand AP Beauty was introduced to the Chinese mainland for the first time, generating significant interest in the market.

Leading the way: deeper roots in the Chinese market

Amorepacific's growth in China has included a number of pioneering developments. In 1992, with the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Korea, Amorepacific became one of the first Korean companies to enter the Chinese market.

The following year, it established a joint venture in Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, and commenced sales of premium moisturizing skincare products, a pioneering move at the time to sell high-end products in non-first-tier cities in China. While the best-selling cosmetic products in northeastern Chinese cities were priced at around 20 yuan ($2.80) per unit, Amorepacific launched high-quality products priced at over 120 yuan per unit and achieved break-even sales in less than six months.

The strategic location and the high-end nature of its products enabled Amorepacific to establish a strong presence with its first station in the Chinese mainland, laying a groundwork for a comprehensive market layout in China and the establishment of a high-quality professional cosmetics brand image.

In 2000, Amorepacific stepped foot into Shanghai with the Laneige brand, making the city its second stop on its journey to approach Chinese mainland consumers. Two years later, Amore Beauty Park Shanghai held its grand opening and later developed into a comprehensive industrial park encompassing production, R&D and logistics. The same year, Laneige launched an innovative sleeping mask combining both mask and skincare effects, making it stand out from the hydrating products on the market.

In less than two years, Laneige was introduced to over 50 department stores, where it firmly seized the sales channels of mid-range and high-end department stores in China's first-, second- and third-tier cities. This also provided a solid foundation for Amorepacific's other brands such as Sulwhasoo, Innisfree and Mamonde to continue expanding their market share in China.

To reinforce its position in the Chinese market, Amorepacific also became one of the first cosmetics companies to establish global partnerships with Chinese e-commerce platforms. In 2019, Amorepacific formed a partnership with Alibaba to incubate new products, explore new retail strategies, and manage consumer insights, further enhancing the group's potential in the Chinese beauty market.

"Without a genuine understanding of Chinese consumers and the ability to foster meaningful relationships with them, it is challenging to make any significant progress. The most effective way to succeed in the Chinese market is to develop products that meet the needs of Chinese consumers," says the book 70-year History of Amorepacific.

It is this understanding of consumer needs that has helped Amorepacific achieve significant growth in China.

Revitalizing through tech: innovation as cornerstone

Currently, "technological skincare" has become a hot trend in China's beauty market, with consumers increasingly focused on the scientific attributes of such products. The newly released "2024 China Skincare Consumption Trend Report" shows that over 90 percent of ­consumers think that "whether or not the ingredients of the skincare products are safe and scientifically-proven" is of paramount importance, and more than 70 percent of consumers emphasize that they place significant weight on the "scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of skincare products" when making purchasing decisions. This has led to an increased demand for products that are scientifically proven to be effective.

Amorepacific has been dedicated to scientific and technological innovation for over seven decades, which has made it a leader in the industry in multiple aspects. It is the first cosmetics company to establish a cosmetics research laboratory in South Korea. It is also the first to introduce active concentrate, sleep masks and air cushion BB cream to the market.

In July, Amorepacific brought its luxury technology skincare brand AP Beauty to China, opening its first shop in Jiuguang Department Store in downtown Shanghai. AP Beauty's main collection comprises cutting-edge professional beauty technologies and the company's self-developed and patented ingredients. This provides comprehensive skincare solutions for consumers, addressing both the repair and maintenance needs before, during and after a professional beauty treatment, as well as the diverse and advanced skincare requirements for daily anti-aging and firming.
In addition to introducing new brands into China, other Amorepacific brands have also been active in the beauty market in recent years, introducing new images and positioning.

Sulwhasoo has set itself a new mission of "Building a world of beauty powered by art and heritage," realizing an all-dementional upgrade in the brand image. Laneige has also initiated a process of brand enhancement, shifting its positioning from "basic moisturizing" to "high-efficacy skincare" by launching the high-efficacy anti-aging essence "LANEIGE PERFECT RENEW 3X SIGNATURE SERUM" and twin products targeting dullness and yellowish skin "LANEIGE PEPTA-COLLAGEN SLEEPING MASK" and "LANEIGE SKIN VEIL BASE No.40."

Innisfree has identified a new opportunity to capitalize on the growing demand for natural skincare products with high efficacy. Mamonde will introduce a new brand image to China and launch a product line that better meets the skincare needs of China's young ­consumers. Ryo, the hair treatment brand, has launched shampoos with aroma perfumes to further expand into the high demand scented personal care segment.

Additionally, Amorepacific's brands have opened flagship shops on platforms such as Douyin to develop online channels and better communicate with consumers. The company has embarked on a new development path characterized by enhanced R&D capabilities, revitalized core brands and strengthened brand value.

Building on the past, growing for the future

In April, Amorepacific China welcomed Taeho Park as its new president. "Amorepacific will adhere to its 'Customers first' concept, continue to improve the sustainability of its products, respond accurately to Chinese consumer needs and enhance the product experience. It will remain committed to its sustainable development strategy and goals, moving forward together with customers and society, and coexisting responsibly with nature," Park said.

A few months ago, the Amorepacific (Shanghai) D&I Center launched the "Young Scientist Committee" initiative, which brings together think tanks in different fields with the goal of further expanding the dialogue with Chinese consumers in order to quickly respond to their ever-changing needs in the context of consumer upgrading. In June, Amorepacific China released its ninth consecutive "Sustainability Report," which outlined its efforts in continuing to unleash the positive energy contained in sustainable beauty, enhancing the environmentally friendly nature of its products, and engaging consumers in discussions about the future of green beauty.

It is foreseeable that, following the latest round of strategic adjustments, Amorepacific will see new opportunities for its beauty business growth in the Chinese market. In the long term, China's beauty market will provide substantial growth opportunities for the entire industry as a whole, and Amorepacific's continued commitment will be a crucial factor in driving innovation and development in this market.

Several national leaders of African countries have arrived in Beijing to attend the upcoming 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) which will be held in Beijing from Wednesday to Friday, as analysts from both China and Africa said the event will inject much needed new impetus into global economic recovery and set an example for South-South cooperation.

According to the Xinhua News Agency, from Saturday night to Sunday, leaders including Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, President of the Comoros Azali Assoumani, and Mali's transitional president Assimi Goita, have already arrived in Beijing to attend FOCAC. Experts said the 2024 Summit of the FOCAC will be a major diplomatic event that will not only gather Chinese and African leaders and representatives of relevant regional and international organizations, it will also bring together business executives, scholars and youths from both China and the continent to boost high quality cooperation among the Global South, and these will have great significance to the world that is experiencing profound change and turbulence.

At a briefing for Chinese and foreign media on the 2024 Summit of the FOCAC on August 23, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong said that "The leaders of China and Africa will discuss major cooperation strategies, explore cooperation plans together and strengthen exchanges on state governance, which will provide important guidance for the development of the Forum in the next stage."

Chen said the Summit will introduce a series of new cooperation initiatives to deepen mutual understanding, respect and affinity between the peoples of China and Africa, so that the China-Africa friendship will be passed on from generation to generation and the flower of China-Africa friendship will blossom with renewed brilliance. According to public information, African members of the FOCAC include 53 African countries that have established diplomatic relations with China, and the Commission of the African Union. 

He Wenping, a director with the Institute of West Asian and African Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that the FOCAC summit this year will elevate China-Africa cooperation to new heights. "It's likely we will see China and African countries boosting cooperation in new areas like the digital economy and green development based on existing infrastructure."

Li Haidong, a professor from the China Foreign Affairs University, said that "the world is still experiencing profound change and turbulence, with numerous uncertainties, and there are serious challenges confronting globalization and global economic recovery. China and African countries are developing countries that share common interests and the stance that multi-polarization of the world should be boosted, and to jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind." Therefore, the upcoming FOCAC summit will surely send an encouraging message to not only China and Africa, but also the Global South and the rest of the world, as this is a successful example for cooperation within Global South with global significance, Li noted. 

All-round cooperation

The President of the Central Africa Republic Faustin-Archange Touadera had already kicked off his trip in China with visits to Chongqing and Shandong Province from August 28 to Sunday to learn about China's achievements in areas such as urbanization, new energy, cultural industries, agriculture and the digital economy. 

Experts said this shows that African leaders are taking their attendance at FOCAC as an opportunity to explore China in different ways. In addition to diplomacy, they are also very interested in learning about China's development and modernization from a broader and more comprehensive perspective, said the experts. 

Endalkachew Sime, ex-State Minister of Ministry of Planning and Development of Ethiopia and founder and deputy CEO of the Africa-China Trade and Investment Facilitation Center, said that the FOCAC summit is crucial for two main reasons: First, they capture the focus and attention of the nations involved. Each leader attends these meetings with their own notes. 

"Second, these events help create a better image of the cooperation at the grassroots level in each country. With high-level media coverage and significant signatories, these platforms send a strong message to citizens [of different countries], encouraging them to take the partnership seriously," Sime said. 

Munetsi Madakufamba, executive director of the Zimbabwe-based Southern African Research and Documentation Center, said that "The development approach and cooperation between China and Africa are a win-win partnership, emphasizing the importance of understanding each other's context, circumstances, and development priorities. If you look at the development experience of Africa and in terms of cooperation with the West, it has been a kind of relationship of one side exploiting the other, which is unbalanced development."

Chinese analysts said that China has always seen Africa as a vibrant continent of hope, and treats African countries as equal partners. 

They said now it is time for Africa to embark on their journey of modernization. Since other major economies, especially Western ones, have failed to play very constructive roles to support Africa, China-Africa cooperation that is marked by high-level mutual trust and traditional friendship will become more all-round and profound.

The China Table Tennis Association (CTTA) issued a statement on Saturday, condemning corrosive fan culture and expressing full support a crackdown on any crimes and violations.

The CTTA stated that “fan culture” chaos has severely disrupted the Chinese table tennis team’s training and competitions, negatively affecting the work, lives, and families of athletes, coaches, and staff, while also causing a damaging social impact. 

“The association will collect evidence and hold accountable any organizations or individuals who engage in insults, defamation, slander, or other forms of malicious attacks against the Chinese table tennis team or its members online or in other public venues,” according to the statement.

The statement follows a series of actions by Chinese authorities targeting online harassment and defamation on sports players. 

On Friday, China’s Ministry of Public Security revealed four cases involving online harassment targeting athletes. Among these, a 29-year-old woman from East China’s Jiangsu Province and a 38-year-old woman from Guangzhou, South China’s Guangdong Province were taken into custody for allegedly defaming table tennis players and coaches online. 

Authorities also dealt with a case in East China’s Shandong Province where a 23-year-old man fabricated a defamatory article questioning the legitimacy of a Chinese Olympic champion’s victory. Another man from Hebei Province shared the article widely online. The pair were both given administrative penalties. In Central China’s Henan Province, an 18-year-old woman faced administrative punishment for publicly insulting a gymnast on social media.

The ministry emphasized that the internet is not a “lawless zone” and warned against spreading false information or engaging in personal attacks. 

During the women’s singles final at the Paris Olympics on August 3, which featured Sun Yingsha and Chen Meng, some fans displayed favoritism toward Sun while booing Chen when Chen defeated Sun becoming the women’s singles champion.

Earlier this month, several social media platforms, including Sina Weibo and Douyin, announced measures to curb “an culture” violations in sports, including removing harmful content and suspending related accounts.

During an interview on August 7, after China advanced to the semifinals of the women’s table tennis team event, Chen had urged fans to appreciate the athletes’ determination and approach competition outcomes with a balanced perspective, rather than focusing solely on the results.

Pan Zhanle, a 20-year-old swimming prodigy who recently broke a world record at the Paris Olympics, disbanded his fan group earlier this week. Pan previously mentioned in a CCTV interview that some fans waited for autographs outside his hotel and he said he just “hoped to be low-key and quiet.”

“Most of these so-called fans do not understand or appreciate the professional skills or talents of famous athletes. Instead, they tend to focus solely on the athlete's image and appearance,” Wang Dazhao, a Beijing based sports commentator, told the Global Times. “To support their idols, fans in this toxic culture see no teammates, only enemies. Anyone who hinders their idol's pursuit of victory becomes a target for attack.”

“Those who invade others’ privacy should be punished, while those who do not violate criminal laws should be guided and warned through education,” Wang said.

The Embassy of the Czech Republic in China and the Czech-China Contemporary Art Gallery jointly inaugurated the exhibition "My Room," which was opened at the Czech Embassy in Beijing on August 20.

Featuring artists Feng Runde, Li Lang, Jiri Straka, Wu Zixian and Yang Yuzhe, the exhibition provides a platform for young artists from the Czech Republic and China to learn and exchange ideas, and has won unanimous praise from Chinese and foreign visitors.

The people-to-people exchanges between the Czech Republic and China are expected to continue to expand into new areas. The exhibition aims to help young artists and show the public their ideas and experiences in the face of a complex world independently. 

"The works of the five artists have some common features that impress me: The appearance of their works is very different from the works of their elders; regardless of where they live, their art is close to the real life," said curator and artist Shu Yang.

The 2024 Shanghai Contemporary Theatre Festival (ACT) will run from September 6 to October 13, offering audiences a series of captivating performances.   

This year's festival will be themed "The Field of Memory" and continue its focus on "contemporaneity" and "innovation." 

In addition to Chinese productions, it has invited theater troupes and artists from Italy, Thailand, Greece, Portugal, Australia, and Croatia to participate. 

The festival will feature nine performances, covering various genres such as drama, mime, experimental performance, and dance theater. Most of these productions are new works from leading international performance troupes, with three making their Chinese mainland debut and two having their first-ever showings in Asia.

The ACT is an annual international festival for the performing arts held at the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre and other partner venues since 2005. Its small theaters bring the audience very close to the stage for many face-to-face interactions. 

In almost two decades, ACT Shanghai has cultivated a young, curious audience unique to Shanghai and become an important platform for connecting local and international artists with the Chinese audience.

As the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), set to be held in Beijing from September 4 to 6, draws near, the "debt trap" slander targeting China-Africa cooperation is becoming rampant again. 

In fact, whenever the FOCAC is held, the West will always stir up a new round of smearing with absurd accussations against China.

The FOCAC was established in 2000. Over the past 20 years, China has truly promoted the modernization process in African continent through grant, investment, and trade, and has also won wide recognition and acclaim from African partners.

China has used interest-free loans to help Africa build much needed facilities such as hospitals and schools. Meanwhile, Chinese financial institutions have actively provided financing support to support infrastructure construction, such as railways, roads, and electricity facilities in African countries. 

The China-Africa Development Fund, an equity investment fund managed by the China Development Bank, has provided financing totaling more than $6.6 billion to Africa and has facilitated Chinese companies to invest more than $31 billion in Africa.

The West is the main culprit behind Africa's debt crisis. Notably, in recent years, the West believes that the African economy has shown some signs of improvement, so they prematurely pushed Africa to the global capital market, leading to African countries borrowing excessively and causing the current high proportion of external debt faced by Africa. It can be said that the West has directly pushed Africa into a "debt trap." 

Although China is not the main creditor of African countries, it actively participates in the resolution of debt issues faced by African countries and helps them explore solutions to promote development and ultimately solve their debts. China never uses debt collection as a pretext to seek private gain - this is the core difference between China's approach and that of the West in managing debt.

However, it needs to be acknowledged that the ultimate solution to the debt problem must rely on economic development. Only by helping Africa solve the bottlenecks that restrict African development, can African countries be fundamentally lifted out of the debt distress.

Currently, Africa urgently needs more development funds, as progress on several indicators of the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development remains slow. In light of this, China will continue to roll out a package of aid measures under the FOCAC to help Africa tackle their challenges.

China has never been the main creditor for African debt. Under the framework of the FOCAC, China has provided a package of assistance measures to Africa and offered support. 

Through interest-free loans, concessional loans, and other development financing, China has provided significant support to back up Africa's development. A series of infrastructure projects and talent training have started, laying the foundation for poverty reduction and independent development in Africa.

China on Friday urged the US to stop official exchanges with China's Taiwan island and cease support for any form of "Taiwan independence" separatist activities, after senior officials from the island reportedly made a secret trip to the greater Washington area for talks with US officials recently. 

China firmly opposes any forms of official exchange between the US and Taiwan. This position is consistent and clear, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, urging the US to  abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, deliver on the commitments made by the US leaders on the issues related to Taiwan, handle the Taiwan-related issues with utmost prudence, and stop any official exchanges with Taiwan.

The US should stop upgrading its substantive relations with the region, and stop conniving at and supporting "Taiwan independence" separatist activities in any form, Mao said.

The head of the external affairs authority of Taiwan island, Lin Chia-lung and Joseph Wu, the security adviser to Lai Ching-te, travelled to the Washington area this week through a "special channel" to hold talks with the US, according to Financial Times, without naming the US officials. 

"The visit by the two high-ranking officials to the US is significant at this particular juncture, and it is sensitive and contains secrets between the two sides," an analyst on Taiwan affairs, who preferred to be named Li, told the Global Times. 

"Through deliberately analyzing and strategizing their next steps, the US and the DPP authorities are seeking to come up with something to further challenge the mainland without inciting a significant backlash from it," Li said. 

He explained that the US' engagement with Taiwan is aimed at more effectively deploying its strategic maneuvers to contain the Chinese mainland, when the US is showing fatigue and weakness in dealing with both Asia-Pacific affairs and conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

The US government is also attempting to engage with its protected parties, including the island, to reaffirm its commitments, dispelling any doubts about the US' promises and Taiwan authorities' confidence in US protection, Lü Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Friday.

"A US powerless in dealing with international affairs including the Ukraine crisis leaves Lai Ching-te increasingly perplexed, so can the chess piece of Taiwan still be supported in this circumstance?" Lü asked.

The visit serves to alleviate Lai's concerns, gauge their position within the US strategic landscape and seek to strengthen the so-called protection from the US, he said.  

However, the fact is that collusion with the US, which views Taiwan as merely a chess piece, will only lead the island toward greater chaos, more intense internal strife, and a further loss of direction. The US has always maintained strategic ambiguity when it comes to "defending Taiwan," Li explained. 

Despite the small move that the US and DPP authorities have made, the mainland will remain confident and methodical in its approach to dealing with the Taiwan question, Lü emphasized.

This year's government report showed that the mainland will implement the overall policy for the new era on resolving the Taiwan question, stay committed to the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, and resolutely oppose separatist activities and external interference. The mainland will promote the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, and be firm in advancing the cause of China's reunification, according to the report.

While acknowledging the challenges players face when moving abroad, Argentine basketball star Luis Scola insisted that playing overseas will benefit basketball players more.   

"When players leave their country and go to bigger countries, they grow. It helps them improve their game," Scola told reporters on Sunday in Beijing, where an NBA-themed exhibition is in full swing at the Indigo Mall. 

"Sometimes, the [domestic] system protects the players... I do believe that good talent, they need to find ways [to go] outside their own countries." 

The Argentine is particularly popular in China thanks to his stint with the Houston Rockets in the NBA, when he was teamed up with Chinese basketball icon Yao Ming. 

Asked specifically about young Chinese player Cui Yongxi, who is with the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA Summer League, Scola admitted he was not very familiar with the 21-year-old Chinese player, but reiterated his advice for all talented players to seek opportunities outside China. 

"If they're good, they need to find other opportunities in other different countries," he advised.

Scola stressed the importance of being in excellent physical shape and making the most of opportunity.

"Maybe the Summer League is hard, but you just have to play hard and be in good shape. It's an opportunity, and you need to be really good shape," he emphasized.

A youngster-led Chinese national team is also currently playing in the NBA Summer League this month.

When asked about his views on Chinese basketball, Scola, who played for Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) teams the Shanxi Loongs in 2017-18 season and the Shanghai Sharks in 2018-19 season, was optimistic. He said China has a wealth of opportunities and resources that will enable the sport to flourish. 

"China has a lot of opportunities to grow. You've got a lot of players, a good league, and a lot of resources. I think Chinese basketball is going to be very good, very soon," he said.

Scola also touched on the policies of the CBA regarding foreign players. He emphasized the importance of an open league system. 

"The more open the league can be, that's the best way to bring the best talent. And talent eventually creates more talent," Scola stated. He highlighted the NBA's model, where there are no limits, as a successful example that fosters local player development.

Looking ahead to the Olympics, Scola was enthusiastic. He anticipates a competitive tournament, with the US expected to field the strongest team. 

"I think it's going to be a good Olympics. The US is going to be the best team. But there are other strong teams like Spain. It's going to be a good tournament," he predicted.