Latest news with #CentralEconomicWorkConference
Borneo Post
30-04-2025
- Automotive
- Borneo Post
China's zero-carbon industrial parks light way to greener future
Photo shows a charging station powered by the solar array at an industrial park in Liyang, a county-level city under Changzhou in east China's Jiangsu Province on April 17, 2025. – Xinhua photo NANJING (May 1): Along a nearly-500-meter asphalt road shaded by a glimmering canopy of photovoltaic panels, new energy vehicles travel back and forth. Some pull over at the roadside charging station powered by the solar array. This eco-friendly scene, especially fitting on April 22, the 56th Earth Day, is part of a broader zero-carbon initiative at a 100-hectare industrial park in Liyang, a county-level city under Changzhou in east China's Jiangsu Province. Since beginning operations in June last year, the park has installed around 77,000 square meters of photovoltaic panels, generating 5.2 million kilowatt-hours of green electricity annually. To achieve net-zero carbon emissions, the park is diversifying its clean energy sources to include wind and hydro power, according to Li Jie, general manager of State Grid Liyang Electric Vehicle Service Company, one of the park's key developers. Carbon-free industrial parks aim to achieve zero carbon emissions by integrating clean energy, green architecture, smart management systems and circular economy practices. China's Central Economic Work Conference, which outlined the national priorities for 2025, called for ramped-up efforts to promote a green transition across all sectors, including the establishment of a group of zero-carbon industrial parks. According to Wu Wei, an associate professor at the China Institute for Studies in Energy Policy at Xiamen University, such parks not only drive low-carbon development but also enhance enterprises' innovation capability, energy efficiency and informatisation level, serving as a key engine for China's high-quality economic growth. Zero-carbon practices power ahead According to the city's action plan, Changzhou aims to build more than 10 near-zero-carbon parks and more than 15 near-zero-carbon factories from 2024 to 2026. Among the pioneers in this plan is Nari-Relays Electric (NR Electric), a local power electronics company. By leveraging AI and cloud computing to monitor and optimise energy use in real time — from water and electricity consumption to photovoltaic output and environmental conditions — the company has cut over 21,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions and saved nearly 7,300 tonnes of standard coal since 2023. Thanks to these efforts, the cost reduction and efficiency improvement have saved NR Electric nearly 20 million yuan (about US$2.77 million), according to the company. As microgrids are a cornerstone of zero-carbon parks' operation, Changzhou has completed 39 microgrid projects with a total investment of 1.18 billion yuan and plans to construct more such projects in the coming years. An aerial drone photo taken on March 16, 2025 shows the photovoltaic devices on the roof of the BFA International Conference Center and a BFA hotel in the Boao zero-carbon demonstration zone in Boao, south China's Hainan Province. – Xinhua photo Beyond Changzhou, moves to go carbon-free are gaining momentum across China. In 2022, Shanghai released an action plan for a zero-carbon demonstration park in its Minhang District. In 2024, a plan was unveiled to build a zero-carbon park in Beijing's Daxing District. Provinces and regions like Guangxi, Yunnan and Fujian have included zero-carbon park construction in their 2025 government work reports. China has pledged to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and reach carbon neutrality by 2060. With the advancement of the dual carbon goals, it is expected to see a surge in zero-carbon parks in 2025, said Ding Hong, vice president of Jiangsu's provincial society of the urban economy. 'Advances in distributed solar photovoltaics, energy storage and smart energy management platforms will significantly lower costs of zero-carbon parks' construction and operation, and profoundly change China's energy utilization mode,' Ding said. Low-carbon innovations go global In Jiangsu's Suzhou Industrial Park, a joint China-Singapore zero-energy building fitted with rooftop photovoltaic panels, small wind turbines and an AI-controlled lighting and climate system showcases the possibilities of future urban architecture. Built using sustainable materials, the structure is part of the China-Singapore Green Digital Hub, a 6.7-billion-yuan project launched last November to boost green industries and emerging services. According to Li Wenjie, deputy director of the institute of urban development at Suzhou Industrial Park, the zero-energy building has been certified by standards organisations in both the United States and Singapore. 'This highlights that China's carbon reduction technologies have gained worldwide recognition,' he noted. Photo taken on July 13, 2024 shows a joint China-Singapore zero-energy building in Suzhou Industrial Park in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province. – Xinhua photo China's green technologies are now reaching global markets. NR Electric, for example, has provided energy storage solutions to over 30 countries, including Britain, Japan and Saudi Arabia. At Britain's Richborough Energy Park, its technology has helped reduce carbon emissions by over 10,000 tonnes — the greatest reduction among all battery energy-storage projects in the country in 2024. Currently, China is collaborating on green energy projects with over 100 countries and regions. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, the average global cost per megawatt-hour for wind power has plummeted over the last decade by over 60 per cent, and by 80 per cent for solar power. China has made remarkable progress in its green transition and technologies, said Erik Berglof, chief economist at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, during this year's Boao Forum for Asia held in late March. He noted that its journey offers a blueprint for sustainable development that other countries can follow. – Xinhua China green industrial parks sustainable Xinhua zero-carbon
Associated Press
14-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
China's opening-up embraces inclusiveness, delivers global collective goods
03/13/2025, Beijing, China // KISS PR Brand Story PressWire // The two sessions are not only a major political event in China but also a key window for the world to observe the country's democratic politics and development trajectory. This year, as in years past, the event has captured considerable global attention, highlighting China's ongoing development and its implications for the world stage. In the 'Unraveling the allure of China' series, the Global Times (GT) invites experts and scholars from around the world to delve into the multifaceted allure of China and explore how the lessons drawn from its unique experiences can provide valuable insights for other nations. This year's Chinese government work report proposed to 'expand higher-standard opening up and stabilize foreign trade and investment.' In the seventh installment of the series, Oleg Timofeev (Timofeev), associate professor at the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, talked with GT reporter Xia Wenxin to share his thoughts on China's opening-up policy and its impact on global development, especially that of Russia and Eurasia. GT: What, in your opinion, is the significance of this year's two sessions? What topics are you most interested in? Timofeev: Contrary to slowdown forecasts by certain Western naysayers, the Chinese economy is well-positioned to sustain its recovery and maintain steady growth this year. Being one of the economic superpowers, China is making efforts to ride this trend with great success. During the two sessions, fresh efforts have developed new quality productive forces through measures of scientific and technological innovation. Recently, China's high-tech startups DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics have caught attention around the world and highlighted China's technological progress. Moreover, in 2024, China launched the AI Plus initiative, which implies wider use of AI in various sectors of industry and building digital industry clusters with international competitiveness. It is widely expressed that China's AI Plus initiative, big data application and other programs, which integrate technological and industrial development, will generate new sources of growth for the Chinese economy. GT: What are your expectations for China's implementation and promotion efforts regarding opening-up this year? Are you confident about the overall prospects of China's opening-up policy? Timofeev: The third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, held in July last year, along with the Central Economic Work Conference in December and the meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on February 28, clearly emphasized the need to expand institutional opening-up as a key task of economic work in 2025. This deployment is not only a new trend of high-quality economic development, but also a major step to respond to the turbulence in international relations, unilateral sanctions and trade wars imposed by Western countries. The unique characteristics of China's opening-up policy are its inclusiveness and its provision of global collective goods. Unlike Western nations, China is widely sharing its achievements, even in the most sensitive high-tech and AI sectors. Through its opening-up policy, China is making efforts to promote multilateralism around the world. It is participating in institutions, such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, while also actively seeking to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, Digital Economy Partnership Agreement and other multilateral institutions launched with the participation of some Western states. China's interest in multilateral cooperation underlines its desire to actively participate in the formation of the new international order of global economic governance. The two sessions this year exerts an active and responsible influence on the formulation of new international norms and will adapt them to the conditions of the new international situation. Traditional trade rules mainly focus on border measures such as tariffs and non-tariff measures. As Chinese economists point out, a new generation of economic and trade rules extends beyond border measures - such as tariffs and trade facilitation - to post-border measures, including environmental standards, labor protection and intellectual property rights. Promoting these goals would contribute to strengthening China's institutional rights in the international arena. GT: In your opinion, what impact has China's opening-up policy had on China-Russia relations and the development of the Russian economy and society? Timofeev: Cooperation with China promotes irreplaceable opportunities for Russia. First of all, it alleviates the consequences of Western sanctions on Russia's economy. In the past three years, China has taken a leading position in the Russian market of cars, smartphones, electronic devices and construction equipment with a significant export growth rate. Many Chinese banks established their presence in Russia, among them are large-scale financial institutions, while some major Russian banks are also operating in China. Within several months since the imposition of Western sanctions against Russia, the renminbi has surpassed the US dollar and the euro as the primary currency for trade between the two parties, strengthening its position as the most exchanged currency on the Moscow stock exchange. Furthermore, the Russia-China economic cooperation in the new era of expanding high-level opening-up policy has involved some megaprojects, especially in the energy sector. One of the latest examples is the Amur Gas Chemical Complex, a joint venture between Russia's leading polymer and rubber manufacturer SIBUR and China's energy and chemical giant Sinopec. After its full commissioning, the plant will become a leading producer of basic polymers in the world and the industrial capacity of the complex will be 2.7 million metric tons a year. Russian business structures are waiting for further development of China's opening-up strategy. For instance, Russian consumers of China-made cars and electronic equipment need Chinese service centers to be more efficient. Under quid pro quo conditions, Russian energy giants Gazprom and Rosneft are planning to get access to more of China's market. GT: China views the Eurasian region as a key area for its opening-up. What are your thoughts on the potential of projects such as the Ice Silk Road and the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor? Timofeev: China's trade with Russia grew by almost 3 percent in 2024, reaching $237 billion. In my opinion, in the near future, the two parties' attention will be focused on the problems of mutual investment and multilateral transport and logistic infrastructure. In the latter field, the so-called Ice Silk Road project is of special interest. Both Russia, a traditional multi-century littoral power, and China, positioning itself as a rising near-Arctic stakeholder, are increasingly interested in the joint development of the Northern Sea Route. The interest is driven by the expanding shipping opportunities due to increased accessibility of polar waters, as well as the need to address the US' recent efforts to turn the Arctic into a region of an arms race. While Russia and China may have disagreements regarding issues such as the organization of icebreaker fleets in the region, these differences can likely be resolved through joint political will. The China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor could bring even more benefits to economic multilateralism in Eurasia since it provides more prospective logistics of the routes connecting Asia and Europe. This article first appeared in the Global Times: Contact Person: Anna Li Email: [email protected] Website: City: Beijing Disclaimer: This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies (including product offerings, regulatory plans and business plans) and may change without notice. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.
Associated Press
09-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
China's regional powerhouses chart distinctive paths in national modernization drive
BEIJING, March 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A report by People's Daily ： Chinese President Xi Jinping urged east China's Jiangsu province, an economic powerhouse, to play a major role in the country's overall development. Xi made the remarks when he taking part in a deliberation with his fellow lawmakers from Jiangsu during the third session of the 14th National People's Congress, China's national legislature. He also highlighted the province's responsibility to take the lead and achieve even greater success. His remarks provide significant guidance as China seeks to secure a decisive victory in the final year of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) and continues to open up new horizons in reform and development. Over the past year, China has accomplished the main goals and tasks for economic and social development. Stable performance was consolidated and sustained, and strong and solid progress was achieved. The country's economically developed provinces have played a pivotal role in anchoring this progress. Amid a multitude of uncertainties and challenges, China still faces the challenging tasks of advancing reform and development while maintaining stability. Last year's annual Central Economic Work Conference emphasized the need to support major economically developed provinces to play major roles, and encourage other regions to leverage their local conditions and advantages. By calibrating each province's comparative advantages within the broader Chinese national development framework, China is bound to fulfill the goals and tasks in the 14th Five-Year Plan with high quality and lay a solid foundation for a good start to the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). For instance, Guangdong, south China's economic powerhouse, has played a pioneering and exemplary role in further deepening reform and opening up comprehensively. In 2024, the province's foreign trade exceeded 9 trillion yuan ($1.24 trillion), an increase of 9.8 percent year on year, contributing to nearly 40 percent of China's overall trade growth. Jiangsu, anchoring itself as a major locality for developing new quality productive forces, has intensified the integration between technological innovation and industrial innovation. In 2024, 711 enterprises that use specialized and sophisticated technologies to produce novel and unique products were established in the province, the highest provincial tally in China. Shandong strives to become an important economic growth pole in north China. Capitalizing on its maritime assets, it is creating a highland for the development of a modern marine economy, projecting its marine GDP to hit 1.8 trillion yuan in 2024. Chinese economic powerhouses are cradles for fostering new business forms, new growth drivers, and new quality productive forces. They are also major engines for China's economic development. From innovation hubs to revitalized industrial belts, many provinces are carving out their specialized roles in the country's modernization agenda by amplifying local strengths while aligning with broader national priorities. For example, Hubei province in central China is accelerating efforts to build a strategic fulcrum for regional growth. Its breakthroughs - including cutting-edge memory chips, hollow-core fiber optics, and septal myectomy - are fueling its integration into China's national innovation chain. Liaoning province in northeast China is shoring up agricultural resilience while pushing industrial upgrades and service-sector expansion. As it enters the final year of its three-year action plan for comprehensive revitalization, it targets GDP growth above five percent. Shaanxi, as the ancient Silk Road's eastern gateway, is channeling its geographic legacy into modern logistics ambitions. The province is advancing a China-Europe freight train economic corridor designed to fuse transportation networks with cross-border trade and financial services, cementing its role in China's unified national market. This mosaic of localized strategies reflects a deliberate calculus: by leveraging comparative advantages - from technological prowess to geographic heritage - provinces are competing for strategic niches while avoiding homogenized development. The approach not only bolsters near-term goals like the 14th Five-Year Plan, but also lays groundwork for sustained, resilient growth. China is advancing a series of interconnected regional strategies - including the coordinated regional development strategy, major regional strategies, the functional zoning strategy, and the new urbanization strategy - to foster localized economic modernization. Every province now falls under at least one of these national development strategies, ready to channel provincial strengths into a cohesive modernization drive. These policies create favorable conditions, provide opportunities, and open up new space for different regions to explore high-quality development paths suited to their specific conditions.
Bloomberg
10-12-2024
- Business
- Bloomberg
China Begins Annual Economic Meeting to Hash Out Stimulus Plan
China is set to begin its annual economic work meeting on Wednesday to map out policies for next year, with top leaders hinting at more forceful stimulus amid the threat of a potential trade war with the US. The two-day Central Economic Work Conference is expected to run through Thursday, focusing on setting the economic agenda for 2025. It typically gathers some central government and provincial leaders, along with the heads of state-owned financial institutions and companies.
