Asenbek (left) presents Uzbek handicrafts at a campus event. Courtesy of School of Management, Zhejiang University
Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail EMU train. Photo by reporter Cao Shiyun
Mousau (left) measures the blood pressure of a local pregnant woman. Photo by reporter Huang Weixin
Vision of a container terminal at the port of Piraeus, Greece. Photo by Nicholas Glogovitis
If you open the column
In 2023, the world will undergo major changes unseen in a century, and the changes in the world, the times, and history will unfold in an unprecedented way.
This year, under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, China's diplomacy overcame difficulties and forged ahead courageously, creating an active and favorable external environment for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and making more and greater contributions to the cause of progress in promoting world peace and development.
Starting today, this newspaper will launch a series of articles entitled "2023 Year-end Special Articles", focusing on major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, telling vivid stories of China working with all parties to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, and work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind.
"Over the past 10 years, we have adhered to our original aspiration and worked hand in hand to promote the Belt and Road international cooperation from scratch, vigorously developing and achieving fruitful results. On October 18 this year, in his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, President Xi Jinping reviewed the achievements of the Belt and Road Initiative in the past 10 years, summed up the successful experience, and announced China's eight actions to support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, which has clarified a new direction, opened up a new vision and injected new impetus into deepening international cooperation on the Belt and Road.
Over the past 10 years, the Belt and Road Initiative has adhered to extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, transcended differences in civilizations, cultures, social systems and stages of development, opened up new paths for exchanges between countries, built a new framework for international cooperation, and brought together the greatest common divisor for the common development of mankind, becoming a major practice of building a community with a shared future for mankind. The Belt and Road Initiative has promoted connectivity, promoted economic and social development, and enhanced people's sense of gain and happiness. The lives and destinies of countless people have been changed by the Belt and Road Initiative.
A high-speed railway, cultivate an economic belt
October 17 afternoon, Beijing, Great Hall of the People. President Xi Jinping held talks with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who is attending the 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and paying a state visit to China. After the talks, the two heads of state jointly unveiled the official opening of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway. President Xi Jinping stressed: "The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway is the 'golden signboard' of China-Indonesia cooperation in jointly building the 'Belt and Road', and China is willing to sum up successful experience with Indonesia, do a good job in follow-up high-quality operation, and cultivate the Javan-Bandung high-speed rail economic belt." ”
Indonesia is the first place proposed by President Xi Jinping to jointly build the "21st Century Maritime Silk Road", and the Javan high-speed railway, as a flagship project of China-Indonesia cooperation in the "Belt and Road" cooperation personally promoted by the two heads of state, is the first high-speed railway in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, with a maximum design speed of 350 kilometers per hour. After the official opening of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, the travel time between Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, and Bandung, a famous tourist city, has been shortened from more than 3 hours in the past to more than 40 minutes. Recently, the reporter of this newspaper made a special trip to experience the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway.
"On this road, you can see how difficult the construction of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway is, and you can really feel how significant its opening is for the development of the country. Indela, project manager of Indonesia's China High-Speed Railway Co., Ltd., told reporters. In 2016, after graduating from Harbin Institute of Technology in China with a degree in civil engineering, Indra returned to Indonesia to join the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail project team. He was deeply touched by the changes brought about by the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway.
As he spoke, the light outside the window dimmed, and the train entered the first tunnel of the trip. The tunnel, which is nearly 1,900 meters long, is located in the city of Jakarta and is under construction in a dense area of light rail, highways and buildings, which is very difficult to construct. Indra said that the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail project team innovated construction methods and solved technical problems. "Chinese engineers not only brought advanced technology, but also truly 'taught people to fish' and helped Indonesian engineers master construction technology. ”
The train pulls out of the tunnel, and outside the window, under the clear blue sky, there are continuous farmlands. "Indonesians often say: the road is connected, the money is connected. Indra pointed out the window and told reporters, "The railway is opened, and soon, there will be a number of industrial parks and enterprises here." In the future, the economy along the route will surely develop rapidly. ”
The silhouette of the town is faintly visible in the distance, with the final stop Bandung de Karur Station just ahead. Philmancia, an Indonesian boy sitting next door, excitedly took pictures by the window. He opened a barber shop in Jakarta and took the high-speed train to Bandung this time. "With the high-speed rail, it is so convenient to come to Bandung, and the high-speed rail has brought great convenience to our lives. ”
The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway is driving the development of tourism along the route. In the two months since its opening, the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway has carried more than 800,000 passengers. Entering December, the operator opened 12 additional trains, but it is still often difficult to find a ticket. At present, 6 attractions in Bandung and the surrounding area have cooperated with the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail to provide free shuttle service or tourist attraction tickets for high-speed rail passengers. Since the opening of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, the number of tourists visiting these attractions has increased fourfold. In November, Hasiana Ashadi, the general manager of a travel company in Bandung, received more than 100 tourists from Thailand, Malaysia and other countries.
The train slows down, enters the station, and stops. Walking out of the carriage and looking at the silver and red trains and the bustling passengers, Indra said with emotion: "The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway has brought great changes and new hope to the lives of Indonesian people. ”
A port, the radiation effect is constantly revealed
Winter morning, Aegean Seaside, port of Piraeus (Piraeus) car ship terminal, Greece. A huge blue and white ship is docking. With the help of pilots and dock workers, the freighter tied a cable with a diameter of several tens of centimeters and slowly entered the berth. After nearly a month of sailing, the Chinese freighter arrived at the port of Piraeus loaded with hundreds of containers of Chinese-made family cars and light trucks.
The crane securely unloads the containers from the ship to the yard, and the cars in the containers are transported to the car ship terminal. Patricia Guigubi, the deputy general manager of the terminal, began to work according to the list of goods in hand.
In 2008, China COSCO Shipping Group signed a 35-year concession agreement with Greece, and in 2009, it invested in the operation of Piraeus Port No. 2 and No. 3 container terminals. Thanks to the joint efforts of China and Greece, this century-old port, which was once on the verge of bankruptcy, has been revitalized and is now the largest port in the Mediterranean and the fourth largest in Europe, contributing about 1.56% to Greece's GDP.
On November 11, 2019, President Xi Jinping, who is on a state visit to Greece, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis jointly visited the COSCO Shipping Piraeus Port Project. Chairman Xi Jinping had a cordial conversation with local employee representatives, and Jigu reported to Chairman Xi Jinping as an employee representative. "I am still deeply impressed by President Xi's remarks: China's Belt and Road initiative is not a slogan and a legend, but a successful practice and a wonderful reality. The changes in Piraeus have confirmed the profound meaning and foresight of President Xi's words. ”
Gigu has been working at the Piraeus Port Bus Terminal, which has gradually developed into a new business growth point for the Port of Piraeus. On average, Jigu and his colleagues handle more than 1,000 cars every day, with peaks reaching 3,000. "As the first major port for ships to cross the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean, the Port of Piraeus is an important hub for transshipment of cars in the Mediterranean. Jigu said that large cargo ships are diverted here, and then small cargo ships are sent to ports in Turkey, Algeria and other countries, which greatly saves logistics costs.
On the west side of the automobile ship terminal, a railway extends to the north, passing through North Macedonia, Serbia and other countries, reaching Hungary, Austria and other countries, which is the China-Europe land and sea express. Since its launch in 2014, the China-Europe Land-Sea Express has opened more than 10 stations and more than 20 mixed marshalling lines, becoming a new trade route between China and Central and Eastern Europe. After the opening of the Hungarian-Serbian railway built by Chinese enterprises, the capacity of the China-Europe land-sea express line will be greatly increased again. "The radiating role of Piraeus as the intersection of the Maritime Silk Road and the Land Silk Road is constantly emerging. Jigu said.
On the south side of the car ship pier is a new pier under construction. "When it's ready for use, it's going to double the car throughput here. "The new terminal will introduce a digital system, and the management efficiency and service level will be greatly improved." ”
Accelerate the high-quality development of China-Europe freight trains, actively promote the integrated development of "Silk Road shipping" ports, shipping and trade, and accelerate the construction of new land-sea corridors and air Silk Road...... At the opening ceremony of the 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, President Xi Jinping announced China's eight actions to support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, which greatly encouraged Jigu and colleagues, "As a participant in the Belt and Road Initiative, I look forward to better development and better benefit to the people of the two countries and the region." ”
The whistle sounded, another boat arrived, and Kigu began to get busy again. "I hope President Xi Jinping can come to Piraeus again to see the great changes that have taken place here." Jigu said with a smile.
A maternity building to protect the health of local women and children
On a rainy night, lightning and thunder roared. Mary, a Kenyan woman, was about to give birth, and her fetus was deprived of oxygen, and she was in danger for a while. Her family rushed her to the maternity ward of the Katulumbi Health Centre, where she was able to give birth with the help of Zhang Jing, an obstetrician and gynaecologist from the China-Africa Medical Team, and Mosie Musau, the head nurse of the health centre.
On the afternoon of October 18, at the scene of the 3rd "Belt and Road" Forum for International Cooperation People-to-People Bond, this stage play called "Love in the Maternity Building" tells the true story of the maternity building built by China Energy Gezhouba Group in Makueni County, southern Kenya to protect the health of local women and children, and won the applause of the audience.
Mousau was very happy to hear that the story of the maternity building was performed at this summit forum, "The maternity building has helped us save the lives of many mothers and children, and has made a real difference in our lives. ”
Mousau is a witness to this change. She is 36 years old and has been a nursing practitioner for 8 years. "In the past, there was no dedicated delivery room, so women had to be crammed together with patients from other departments. Some mothers choose to give birth at home, and the health of mothers and babies is not guaranteed. ”
In order to change this situation, the Kenya Swak Dam Project Department of Gezhouba Group, together with the African Development Bank and the Kenyan government, built a maternity building for the health center to improve the medical environment. Since the maternity building was officially put into use in 2021, more and more mothers have been received. Mousau opened the medical records and showed the reporter, "From two or three people a month in the past to twenty or thirty people now. Some mothers in the surrounding counties also choose to go here. ”
In the ward, the mother, Helen Mueni, was resting on her hospital bed, and her mother, Stella Mutua, lamented: "I gave birth to Helen at home when I gave birth to Helen, and I suffered a lot of sins. Now with such a professional maternity building, Helen's conditions during childbirth are much better than when I was back!"
Makueni County is located in southern Kenya and is where the Asi and Swak rivers meet. In 2018, the construction of the Swak Dam project undertaken by Gezhouba Group began. In the process of building the dam, the project team also built schools, wells, and pharmacies, creating a number of "small but beautiful" livelihood projects, benefiting many surrounding counties, including Marcureni County.
In recent years, China and Kenya have cooperated in the implementation of a large number of projects such as the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway and the Mombasa Oil Terminal, and the Belt and Road Initiative has blossomed in Kenya, giving the local people a greater sense of gain. In October this year, Kenyan President Ruto came to China to attend the 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Ruto expressed his belief that the eight high-quality Belt and Road Initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping can further help Kenya and Africa achieve industrialization, agricultural modernization and economic integration.
"The Belt and Road Initiative has renewed Africa, including Kenya. As the former Vice-Chair of the African Union Commission, Erastas Mwincha was invited to serve as a member of the Advisory Committee of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Over the years, he has participated in the promotion of a number of Belt and Road projects, and his work and life have been inseparable from the Belt and Road Initiative.
"There is no doubt that under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, Africa and China will further strengthen cooperation and continue to contribute to jointly addressing global challenges and promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Mwincha said.
An exchange program to help young people develop their careers
"Spring blossoms and autumn fruits, good times. On October 18, after attending the opening ceremony of the third "Belt and Road" Forum for International Cooperation, Sapper sent such a "circle of friends" message.
Originally from Turkmenistan, Sapper is now a PhD student in energy and resources engineering at Peking University's School of Engineering. In 2015, he passed the examinations of China University of Petroleum (Beijing), PetroChina (Turkmenistan) Amu Darya Gas Company, and Turkmenistan National Gas Kangzeen Joint Training Program, and came to China to study. After completing 4 years of petroleum engineering Xi at China University of Petroleum (Beijing), he was admitted to Peking University to pursue a doctorate. "Central Asia is rich in renewable energy, and China has technological advantages in the development and utilization of renewable energy. The prospects for cooperation between Central Asian countries and China in the field of green energy are very broad, and I would like to further my studies in this field. Thatpoor said.
"At this summit forum, President Xi Jinping announced eight actions for China to support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, including promoting green development. I am encouraged and believe that my research career will make a difference in these areas!" said Sappelle.
Johman is a fellow countryman and brother of Sappour. In 2010, Johman came to China as part of a joint training program, and five years later, he brought Sappur, who had just passed the exam, to China. Over the past 10 years, Johman has witnessed the growing popularity of this joint program, "This year the number of applicants has exceeded 1,000, the competition is very fierce, and the enthusiasm of students from other Central Asian countries to study in China is also very high. Feeling the broad prospects of educational cooperation between Central Asian countries and China, Ruo Heman chose to stay and work after graduating from the Ph.D., hoping to "help more international students better integrate into China".
This year, Johman organized Central Asian students from China University of Petroleum (Beijing) to send a letter to Chairman Xi Jinping, talking about their life in China, and expressing their determination to Xi study hard, strengthen cooperation, and contribute to the building of a China-Central Asia community with a shared future. President Xi Jinping quickly replied to them. "In 2013, I put forward the initiative of jointly building the 'Silk Road Economic Belt' in Central Asian countries. Over the past 10 years, China-Central Asia relations have reached a new level, and cooperation in various fields has entered the fast lane, bringing benefits to the people of both sides. In his reply, President Xi Jinping stressed that China's friendly relations with Central Asian countries need to be inherited and carried forward by generations of aspiring and promising young people.
Towards the end of the year, Sappour's "circle of friends" is particularly lively, and everyone is busy taking stock of the year's harvest. "The Belt and Road Initiative is the key word for many friends this year. Thatpoor said. His friend, Asenbek, a young man from Uzbekistan, has participated in many "Belt and Road" activities this year and is now preparing for the New Year's sales season.
"China's eight actions to support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, including the creation of the Silk Road E-commerce Cooperation Pilot Zone, have shown me great potential for development. Asenbeck is currently studying at Zhejiang University and is also an entrepreneur in the field of e-commerce. "China has a huge market. I want to seize the opportunity of digital development and help more Ukrainian and Chinese enterprises to meet their needs and discuss cooperation. Asenbeck said.
"The gears of fate are turning because of the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative. I know many young people from Central Asian countries, and we all see the future and find the goal in the Belt and Road cooperation. Thatpoor said.
"The Belt and Road Initiative has gone through the first vigorous decade, and it is in its prime, so we must forge ahead with high spirits and rush towards the next golden decade!"
Standing at the starting point of the next golden decade, the people of all countries have a stronger desire to join hands in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and the path to a modern and beautiful tomorrow is clearer. This road of happiness for the benefit of all countries and the world will continue to be paved, and new wonderful stories will continue to be written.
(Reporter Hou Lulu, Han Shuo, Qu Pei, Cao Shiyun, Xie Yahong, Huang Weixin, and reporter Li Anqi also contributed to this article)
Typography: Cai Huawei