Ugandans and South Sudanese have had their lives lit up by the steady flow of electricity from a massive hydropower infrastructure project, constructed by one of China’s leading contractors.  Sinohydro Corp., a Chinese state-owned hydropower engineering and construction company, recently completed construction of the $1.5-billion, 600-mw Karuma Hydroelectric Power Station in north Uganda’s Kiryandongo District.  The company was contracted by the government of Uganda. Located on the River Nile at the former location of the Karuma Falls, the power station…

In a move that could transform childbirth procedures in Rwanda, Chinese doctors at the Masaka District Hospital in Kicukiro have successfully facilitated natural birth by a woman living with HIV. This milestone marks a significant step towards safer and more accessible childbirth practices in the country.  Wu Peng, then director general of the Department of African Affairs in China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, lauded the achievement, emphasising that the woman’s successful delivery signifies a major breakthrough in maternal health care.…

The medical equipment valley in Jiading District of Shanghai, known as Shanghai MedValley, is a powerhouse of medical innovation. As an industrial park centred on creative medical equipment development, the valley has gathered a cluster of high-end medical device enterprises and highly qualified professionals. It aims to promote new quality productive forces in the medical field, with a focus on developing devices for advanced diagnosis and highly effective treatment. It is home to seven major research institutions and joint labs,…

In March, Apple opened its largest retail store on the Chinese mainland in Shanghai – the company’s second-largest flagship store after its Fifth Avenue outlet in New York. The new addition brings Apple’s store tally in Shanghai and the Chinese market to eight and 57, respectively, a significant milestone for the company, which opened its first store in China in 2008.  During his high-profile China visit, Apple CEO Tim Cook, who opened the doors to the new store in Shanghai…

Workers at a kitchen appliances manufacturer use robotic arms to make a pot in less than five minutes; dock workers use levers in an office to accurately grab and move containers; and doctors operate auxiliary robot systems to perform complex surgical operations with just a flick of their fingers …   In Shanghai, artificial intelligence (AI) has become a common sight in numerous fields including smart production, smart finance, and smart cities, and is profoundly changing people’s lifestyles. AI and other…

Wonderful, amazing, charming! These words aptly describe my first experience in China when I visited the country to attend the 8th China-Africa Youth Festival, held in Beijing and then Zhejiang Province on 19-26 May.   The visit allowed me to discover China from different aspects: Chinese culture through experiencing Chinese cuisine and art, Chinese history through visits to the Great Wall and a number of museums, and so on. I was also awestruck by the urban infrastructure development, which gives a…

When the young Africans visiting China to attend the 8th China-Africa Youth Festival were offered the choice of a seven-hour bullet train ride or a two-hour plane journey to travel from Beijing to the city of Jinhua in east China’s Zhejiang Province, they chose the train. They didn’t want to waste a single chance to fulfil the most important purpose of their visit: to experience the country as much as possible.  The festival is a project based on the consensus…

China’s evolving role in global affairs presents a narrative of progressive engagement, marked by a proactive stance on issues of trust, fairness, peace and stability. The country’s emergence as a significant player on the world stage is characterised not merely by economic prowess, but also by a growing commitment to mediating conflicts, fostering cooperation, and promoting mutual development. China’s burgeoning influence through various diplomatic initiatives and engagements has implications for the contemporary international order.  At the heart of China’s approach…

Burundi and China enjoy close collaboration in a number of sectors, particularly agriculture. Among the major initiatives, the introduction of hybrid rice cultivation stands out as a flagship project. In 2018, the first demonstration village for hybrid rice cultivation was established in the commune of Gihanga in northwestern Burundi. In 2020, this initiative reached a crucial stage with the creation of the Burundi Agricultural Pilot Centre (APC), located in Gihanga in the province of Bubanza.  A total of 56 villages…

Seven years ago, Uganda’s only international airport Entebbe International Airport was in a dilapidated state, desperately in need of structural repair and an upgrading of all its facilities.  Since its construction in 1928 and its launch on 10 November 1951, no major work had ever been done on the airport and that led to most of the buildings becoming dilapidated, with leaking roofs and the facilities like the cargo centre becoming too small to handle the ever-increasing amount of freight.  …