Category: Foreign

By Kong Dechen
Amid the mountains of Indonesia’s Java Island, a sleek silver-and-red bullet train glides along the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway. Once a three-hour journey, the trip now takes as little as 40 minutes, a change locals notice daily.
As the first high-speed railway in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, the Jakarta-Bandung line is a flagship project of China-Indonesia practical cooperation that aligns China’s Belt and Road Initiative with Indonesia’s vision of Global Maritime Fulcrum, and its entire technical standards draw on Chinese specifications.
Delivering the project required overcoming the tropical climate and complex terrain. Joint Chinese-Indonesian engineering teams made dozens of localized adjustments to ensure the seamless application of China’s high-speed rail standards across the entire system, component sets, and industrial chain.
The project created 51,000 local jobs during construction and now provides 1,500 stable positions in operation, catalyzing new commercial districts around station areas and injecting fresh economic momentum into the region.
Thousands of miles away, at the China-Zambia Agriculture Standardization Cooperation Demonstration Zone, farmers are adopting standardized practices introduced by Chinese experts.
“In the past, we farmed by instinct. Now we apply fertilizer based on precise data,” said local farmer Charles. Since adopting these standards, marigold oil yields have risen by 15 percent, doubling his family’s annual income.
According to Cao Lili, director of the sub-Institute of standardization theory and strategy of the China National Institute of Standardization, Chinese experts worked across Zambian farms to co-develop more than 30 agricultural standards tailored to local conditions – what she calls a “golden key” to improving agricultural efficiency and productivity.
Beyond exporting products, China is increasingly sharing rules and methods: standards are becoming a form of “soft infrastructure” connecting China and global markets. From 2021 to 2025, China has led the formation of 1,079 international standards and advanced mutual recognition for over 500 standards. It has assumed 26 new secretariats of international standardization bodies in sectors such as advanced equipment and smart manufacturing. In emerging fields including new energy vehicles, advanced power systems, and aerospace, China has submitted 880 new proposals for international standards and led the formulation of 532 international standards, expanding the reach of Chinese standards.
Unified technical specifications have also supported trade in major product categories such as photovoltaics, new energy vehicles, and household appliances, noted Xiao Han, director general of the Standards Innovative Management Department of the State Administration for Market Regulation.
“For example, the China-led international standard for nano-silicon-based anode materials in lithium-ion batteries established key performance indicators for the first time, promoting collaboration and integration along the industrial chain.
Driven by the digital economy and rapid technological innovation, emerging industries increasingly rely on China-led international standards as common technical frameworks that strengthen development foundations and enable cross-border collaboration.
“For example, China spearheaded the world’s first international standard for elderly care robots, establishing reference benchmarks for design, manufacturing, testing, and certification. This standard will guide the high-quality growth of the global elderly care robot industry, benefiting elderly populations worldwide,” Xiao noted.
In recent years, China has reinforced the systems and mechanisms underpinning high-level opening up. According to Cao, standard internationalization is both a core element of institutional opening up and a strategic path for China’s participation in global governance.
“First, alignment with widely accepted international rules reduces the costs associated with technical barriers to trade, consistent with the WTO’s principle of preventing standards from becoming trade barriers,” Cao explained.
“Second, it deepens China’s integration with partners in technology, industry, and markets, enabling regional value chains based on mutual recognition of standards and supporting the dual circulation of domestic and international economies,” Cao said, adding that finally, it operationalizes the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits in global governance, fostering an open, stable, and prosperous world economy.

By Wang Donghui, Zhang Yunhe, People’s Daily
The 22nd China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) has marked a significant milestone in advancing China-ASEAN relations, with high-tech collaboration emerging as a new driver of regional integration and economic growth. The event showcased breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI), fostered innovation and entrepreneurship, and reinforced the expo’s role as a strategic platform for deepening cooperation.
CAEXPO’s achievements highlighted the steady momentum in China-ASEAN trade and investment relations. Through broader participation and increasingly pragmatic initiatives, both sides are forging new paths toward mutually beneficial, win-win cooperation.
Innovation is a central theme at this year’s expo. From AI-powered event services to displays of humanoid robots, drones, and other cutting-edge technologies, the expo provided a vivid snapshot of the region’s digital transformation.
Notably, the event featured several firsts: the debut of a dedicated AI pavilion, the launch of an AI agent, and the inaugural China-ASEAN ministerial roundtable meeting on AI. These developments signal growing regional alignment on the future of intelligent technologies.
Sugon, a leading Chinese enterprise in information infrastructure, used the AI pavilion to showcase advances in intelligent computing, cloud services, and big data. The AI pavilion at CAEXPO provides a valuable platform for technology demonstration and business collaboration, said vice president of the company Wei Zhenguo.
Thanousone Phonamat, chairman and CEO of Lao company ALO Technology Sole Co. Ltd., emphasized the potential for deeper engagement: “We look forward to drawing on China’s advanced AI capabilities to co-develop a smart, digital future.”
The prospects for cooperation in strategic emerging sectors such as AI, fintech, big data, and cloud computing are rapidly emerging. ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn observed that China’s progress in these domains positions the region to jointly set benchmarks for digital ecosystems and shape future global standards.
IBI, a first-time exhibitor, presented its progress in digitalizing procurement and logistics services. Wang Yu, president of Nedoodoo, IBI’s digital platform for new energy trade, emphasized long-term commitment: “We aim to deepen ASEAN cooperation in digital infrastructure and elevate regional digital transformation.”
According to Wei Zhaohui, secretary-general of CAEXPO Secretariat, the expo is advancing China-ASEAN trade and economic cooperation from “traditional lanes” into “new tracks” driven by digital intelligence.
Beyond high-tech, agricultural cooperation also drew strong interest. The agricultural section featured 178 geographical indication products and 76 new ASEAN agricultural offerings, fostering active commercial exchanges and cross-border linkages.
Since the establishment of the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership, bilateral trade and investment have reached unprecedented levels. According to China’s General Administration of Customs, trade between China and ASEAN increased to nearly 7 trillion yuan in 2024 – up from over 870 billion yuan in 2004, when the first China-ASEAN Expo was held, marking nine consecutive years of growth.
Cross-border trade in goods and services continues to thrive. For instance, new energy vehicles manufactured by SAIC-GM-Wuling (SGMW), a joint venture between SAIC Motor, General Motors and Liuzhou Wuling Motors based in China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, are now present in markets such as Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Meanwhile, Vietnamese-grown mesona plants can reach Chinese processing facilities from Chongzuo within a day, underscoring the efficiency of cross-border logistics.
“ASEAN-China cooperation has consistently expanded, from traditional trade to investment, digital economy, and green development,” said Lin Chuqin, chairman of the Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce.
Yu Xubo, chairman of China General Technology (Group) Holding Co., Ltd., reaffirmed the company’s strategic focus on ASEAN. The group has delivered nearly 300 aid projects in the region and completed more than 50 engineering projects in the past decade, with contracts exceeding $6 billion.
“Looking ahead, we will continue to support green infrastructure upgrades and deepen cooperation in advanced equipment such as medical imaging and machine tools, contributing to the modernization of ASEAN’s industrial system,” Yu said.
CAEXPO has become a vital platform for economic engagement and a bridge connecting the peoples of China and ASEAN. The number of trips between the Chinese mainland and member states of ASEAN exceeded 25.24 million in the first eight months of 2025, up 11.2 percent year on year. These growing people-to-people exchanges are strengthening mutual understanding and reinforcing the foundations of long-term partnership.

By Han Xin, People’s Daily
China’s urban transport landscape is increasingly characterized by “two-wheel mobility” – primarily bicycles and electric scooters – which has become a vital component of sustainable urban development.
According to the China Bicycle Association, China’s bicycle ownership has topped 200 million, with an additional 380 million electric-powered two-wheelers in use. Chinese urbanites use bicycles or e-bikes for about 30 out of every 100 trips they make. The figures point to a shift in China, where growing environmental awareness is prompting more commuters to opt for two-wheeled, low-carbon alternatives.
“Bicycles and e-bikes are well-suited for short- and medium-distance urban travel. As health and sustainability become greater public priorities, two-wheel mobility continues to gain momentum,” said Guo Wenyu, vice president and secretary general of the association.
A 2024 report on green mobility indicates that from 2021 to 2023, the average urban bicycle trip lengthened from 12.6 minutes to 13.88 minutes, particularly during peak hours when these modes of transport offer notable time savings. Compared with traditional vehicles, two-wheel mobility also provides clear advantages in terms of cost efficiency and environmental impact.
Daily use of two-wheel transport reduces national carbon emissions by approximately 10,000 tons, equivalent to saving 6.6 million liters of gasoline, based on an average fuel consumption rate of 8 liters per 100 kilometers. In 2023 alone, this reduction totaled 4.29 million tons, translating to environmental cost savings of roughly 2.6 billion yuan.
The growing popularity of cycling culture has further propelled this trend. “Ride-and-tour” tourism is becoming popular, with over 18 million cycling enthusiasts and more than 100 million regular cyclists across China.
Shared bicycles have become a cornerstone of urban public transportation, with more than 12 million in operation and approximately 24 million rides taken daily. Technological advancements, such as BeiDou-enabled bike tracking, have improved the efficiency of bike-sharing services. Meituan, a major provider, reported over 10 billion kilometers traveled through its shared two-wheel platform last year, avoiding more than 580,000 tons in carbon emissions. According to a Meituan executive, roughly 23 percent of these trips replaced travel that would have otherwise been made by car.
As urban transportation systems continue to modernize, the integration of cycling with rail transit is becoming increasingly prevalent across Chinese cities. To facilitate this multimodal connectivity, local governments are enhancing infrastructure by constructing sheltered walkways, expanding bike parking facilities, and designating parking zones near transit stations. These efforts aim to create seamless transitions between two-wheel mobility and public transit, reinforcing the shift toward greener urban transportation.
From 2021 to 2023, the proportion of bicycle trips near rail transit stations rose steadily nationwide. Notably, e-bike usage around these hubs increased by 13 percent in 2022 and an additional 11.3 percent in 2023, underscoring their expanding role in last-mile connectivity. Guo observed that e-bikes are increasingly favored over traditional bicycles, as their functionality better aligns with the demands of short-distance urban travel.
In a recent innovation, Qingdao’s West Coast New Area launched 200 hydrogen-powered shared bicycles in June. These bikes, which can be unlocked via mobile scan, offer faster refueling and an extended range of up to 100 kilometers, outperforming traditional e-bikes in both convenience and efficiency.
As China’s bicycle inventory expands, end-of-life management has become an increasingly pressing concern. Many regions are adopting circular economy practices for the retirement and recycling of bikes. In the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the bicycle recycling rate has reached approximately 25 percent, while the shared bicycle sector has achieved near-total recycling and reuse of decommissioned units.
“Two-wheel mobility has evolved from a basic mode of transportation into a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle,” Guo noted. “More people are using cycling not only to commute, but also to explore their cities, mapping their lives through the routes they take.” With continued infrastructure development and rising environmental awareness, two-wheel mobility is set to remain a key driver of green urban development.

By Cao Lingjuan, People’s Daily
Shanghai continues to make steady strides in building a more open, convenient, and supportive environment for international professionals, ensuring that individuals from around the world can work, live, and pursue opportunities in the city with ease.
In September 2025, Anna, a 29-year-old Russian national working at a catering enterprise on the Bund, visited the Bund Service Center for International Professionals to apply for a work permit. Thanks to seamless English-language support, her application was processed within minutes. Impressed by the efficiency, she praised the convenience of being able to complete the entire process in one location.
Launched in April in Shanghai’s Huangpu district, the Bund Service Center for International Professionals serves as a one-stop hub for international professionals. Covering 36 integrated government services, including work permits, visa applications, permanent residency, customs facilitation, business services, and daily life assistance, the center consolidates what once required multiple trips across various departments into a single, efficient experience.
“In the past, foreigners often had to visit as many as four different offices, the exit-entry administration center, district administrative service center, employment service center, and community affairs center. Now it can all be done here,” explained the center’s director.
Zhao Shuai, human resource manager at Three on the Bund, where Anna is employed, echoed this sentiment, recalling the previous burden of running between government offices. “Now, many procedures can even be completed entirely online, thanks to the new policies Shanghai has introduced,” she said.
To further support international professionals, Huangpu district has consolidated a wide range of resources related to government services, living guides, and entrepreneurship into a unified platform. A bilingual handbook provides practical guidance on working in Shanghai, finding housing, and navigating tax procedures. It also includes cultural insights, such as the distinction between shengjian mantou and xiaolong mantou, adding a light-hearted touch to practical advice.
As Shanghai’s “heart, window, and signboard,” Huangpu district is leveraging its strategic riverside location to position the center as the first stop for international talent. The district aims to build a comprehensive, end-to-end support system that facilitates career development, daily life, and cultural integration.
Openness, innovation, and inclusiveness have long been hallmarks of Shanghai’s identity. Beyond Huangpu, the Hongqiao Service Center for International Professionals enables foreigners to apply for both work and residence permits in a single visit, while Jing’an district has rolled out additional measures to attract global talent for work, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
From the heart of the East, Shanghai extends a sincere invitation to global professionals, welcoming international talent with open arms and tangible, forward-thinking support.

By Li Xinping, People’s Daily
In 1975, deep in the Qinling Mountains, China’s first fully electrified railway, the Baoji-Chengdu Railway, marked the beginning of a transformative journey toward railway modernization.
Half a century later, on the Chengdu Plain, engineers are developing a cutting-edge 400 km/h traction power supply system for the CR450 bullet train, which is expected to establish a new global benchmark in high-speed rail operations.
From humble beginnings to a globally leading network, electrification has played a pivotal role in China’s railway evolution, from conventional lines to high-speed rail, and from operations to digital systems. By the end of 2024, China’s operational railway network had reached 162,000 kilometers, with more than 120,000 kilometers, or 75.8 percent electrified.
Electrified railways rely on electric traction power, with high-speed rail representing their most advanced form. The core components – power supply systems, traction, communications, and signaling – form the technical backbone of the electrified network.
Compared to diesel-powered lines, electrified railways offer superior performance. In freight transport, China’s heavy-haul electrified railways can handle 5,000 tons with a single locomotive, while the Datong-Qinhuangdao Railway has normalized operations with trains weighing up to 20,000 tons. In passenger services, a 16-car high-speed train carries approximately 900 tons.
Speed is another transformative aspect. When the Baoji-Chengdu line was non-electrified, trains ran at only 20 to 25 km/h. Today, Fuxing CR400 bullet trains can reach a commercial speed of 350 km/h. Electrification also delivers significant environmental benefits: electric trains emit no exhaust, generate lower noise, and contribute substantially less air pollution than diesel alternatives.
China now boasts the world’s largest electrified railway network, operating across diverse and challenging environments – from frigid winters to scorching summers, and from humid lowlands to high-altitude plateaus. These experiences have positioned China as a global leader in railway electrification and high-speed rail technology.
While some might reduce electrification to “poles and wires,” the underlying engineering is highly complex. Take overhead contact wires, often called the “lifeline” of high-speed trains. These wires must withstand extreme demands in terms of strength, conductivity, heat resistance, and durability.
“In the early days, we used copper-magnesium and copper-tin wires,” explained Zhang Jian, chief engineer at China Railway Self-creation Electric Co., Ltd. “But they couldn’t fully support the requirements of 350 km/h or higher speeds, prompting urgent innovation.”
After three years of research and development, Chinese engineers became the first in the world to industrialize high-strength, high-conductivity copper-chromium-zirconium alloy wires. These new wires improve conductivity by 20 percent and support safe, stable, and cost-effective operations at 400 km/h, filling a crucial gap in global rail technology.
As the world’s busiest high-speed rail network, China faces ongoing challenges such as overhead line wear. Traditionally, defect detection involved capturing millions of inspection images and manual review by experienced engineers.
“The workload was immense,” said Zhang Zhongyi, general manager of the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway maintenance company. “Our team had to manually analyze over 14 million images annually.”
To address this, China developed a visual intelligence system for high-speed railways in 2019, using AI to pre-screen and detect over 1,300 types of potential defects before human verification. The system has significantly enhanced detection accuracy and efficiency.
Leveraging technologies such as big data, 5G, cloud computing, drones, image recognition, and intelligent equipment, China has built a smart maintenance platform that has cut traction power maintenance costs by 20 percent, extended overhaul intervals by 20 percent, and increased the service life of components by 20 percent.
From the Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway, the highest electrified railway in the world, to the Datong-Qinhuangdao Railway, which has transported over 9 billion tons of freight, and to the newly opened Chongqing East-Qianjiang section of the Chongqing-Xiamen high-speed railway with a designed speed of 350 km/h, China’s electrification journey exemplifies the nation’s transition from “made in China” to “smartly manufactured in China.” It continues to drive economic growth, social development, and the broader process of Chinese modernization.

By Chang Qin, People’s Daily
Many Chinese consumers have observed a significant decline in the prices of once-premium fruits like blueberries and Shine Muscat grapes. This trend is primarily driven by market dynamics and expanded production capabilities.
“Price fluctuations reflect fundamental supply-demand dynamics. Increased availability naturally leads to price adjustments,” said Wang Wenhui, director of the fruit storage and processing research center at the Research Institute of Pomology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
Fruits like cherries and blueberries have seen substantial import growth, creating competitive pricing pressure. Meanwhile, domestic production of blueberries and Shine Muscat grapes has also expanded rapidly, pushing their prices onto a downward track.
Data show that over the past decade, China’s fruit planting area and output have continued to rise. By 2023, fruit output reached 327 million tons, with per capita availability exceeding 232 kilograms, well above the global average. This increase has been supported not only by steady supplies of seasonal fruits but also by the rapid rise of off-season produce cultivated in controlled environments.
The Shine Muscat grape is a vivid example. Introduced in China in 2011 as a premium variety, it now covers nearly 2 million mu (133,000 hectares) nationwide, with output exceeding 3 million tons. Its price has fallen dramatically from an initial farm-gate price of 150 yuan ($21.08) per kilogram and retail price of 300 yuan per kilogram, down to around 10 yuan today.
Wang explained that the rapid expansion of planting, soaring yields, and standardization across the industrial chain have transformed Shine Muscat grape from a luxury fruit into an everyday option for consumers.
At the same time, fruit imports are also booming. Over the past decade, China’s fruit imports have grown rapidly, with total imports in 2024 up 77.1 percent compared with those in 2015. Sources and varieties have diversified, with popular fruits such as cherries and blueberries seeing explosive growth in import volumes.
New varieties are gaining market access, while favorable policies such as lower tariffs and faster customs clearance are being introduced. Trade fairs including the Canton Fair, the China International Import Expo, and the China International Consumer Products Expo are creating smoother channels for international suppliers. Meanwhile, infrastructure projects such as the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor and the China-Laos Railway, along with expanded cold-chain logistics, storage facilities, and shipping routes, are making fruit trade between China and the world more efficient and convenient.
In addition to supply-side changes, demand-side adjustments are also influencing the prices of high-end fruits. Wang noted that the imported fruit market in China is becoming more segmented, with different grades of products now offered to cater to different consumer groups. This provides consumers with more diverse options and better value for money.
China’s geographic diversity also means that different regions produce distinct high-quality specialty fruits, which often come at more competitive prices. With the growth of e-commerce and new retail models, consumers now enjoy a wider range of purchasing options, which makes it easier to find fruit that suits their preferences.
Looking ahead, as global fruit production continues to expand, trade becomes increasingly convenient, and China’s domestic fruit industry continues to upgrade, Chinese consumers will have access to a wider variety of fruits at more reasonable prices.
“With abundant supply in the Chinese market and increasingly smooth distribution channels, fruit prices are expected to remain stable. The ‘fruit basket’ will keep expanding, giving consumers more variety and making fresh fruits increasingly accessible,” Wang said.