The 2025 edition of the Hong Ting Forum took place on Wednesday in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, bringing together senior government officials, diplomats, scholars, industry executives and media practitioners to explore ways to advance China-Africa cooperation on modernization. Hosted by Xinhua News Agency Africa Regional Bureau, the forum was held under the theme “China-Africa Dialogue on the Path to Modernization.” Korir Sing’Oei, principal secretary in Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, said the forum reaffirmed the importance of fostering…

All-round and historic progress has been made in the human rights cause in China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, according to a white paper released on Friday. The document, titled “Human Rights in Xizang in the New Era,” was released by the State Council Information Office at a press conference held in Lhasa, capital city of the region. The Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government have implemented effective measures to develop the economy, improve living standards and people’s well-being,…

China has been and will remain an ideal, secure, and promising destination for foreign investors, Chinese President Xi Jinping said while meeting with representatives of the international business community in Beijing on Friday. Xi pointed out that the country, which is on a Chinese path to modernization in all respects, has been a major contributor to and anchor of stability for global growth for many years. Committed to the fundamental national policy of opening up to the world, China is…

During his second White House term, Trump’s governing style remains characteristically assertive, launching a full-scale offensive from day one. Domestically, he’s pushing for sweeping government reforms. On the international stage, he’s swiftly announcing withdrawals from numerous international organisations and aggressively deploying foreign policy moves, seeking to reshape the landscape of American influence globally.  So, what does Trump’s return mean for Africa? Despite his stated policy goal of maintaining American hegemony, Africa may become the biggest victim of his policies. Guided by the America First principle, Trump’s second term is likely to feature an Africa policy that largely ignores the…

Artificial intelligence (AI) was a hot topic at this year’s annual meetings of the National People’s Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, also referred to as the Two Sessions. The recently released AI chatbot DeepSeek has quickly gained global attention and users with its rich features.  Daan du Toit, deputy director general of international cooperation and resources at South Africa’s Department of Science and Innovation, believes China is already a world leader in AI…

Since the start of its “going global” strategy in March 2000, China has pursued a more open approach to cooperation, backed by the aspiration for shared prosperity. Needless to say, this has not been without resistance. Indeed, there has been a wave of anxiety-driven economic policies in the West, particularly in the US. In contrast, as we advance towards globalisation and shared prosperity, such restrictive trade policies and economic insecurity can only be counterproductive, to say the least. However, now…

The Spring Festival, China’s most significant holiday, is also a vital driver of the country’s economy. This year, it shone even brighter, as the festival followed its inclusion on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, sparking renewed enthusiasm domestically and attracting heightened interest from abroad.  The statistics speak for themselves: 2.3 billion cross-regional trips and a record box office of 9.51 billion yuan ($1.3 billion) during the Spring Festival holiday from 28 January to 4…

Propelled by the synergy of policy, technology, and market demand, the low-altitude economy has emerged as a powerful driver of high-quality development in China. This burgeoning sector is reshaping traditional industries while forging new strategic pathways for China to excel in the global competitive arena.  In recent years, the sector has experienced rapid expansion. By 2023, China’s low-altitude economy surpassed 500 billion yuan ($68.6 billion), with an annual growth rate of 33.8 percent, according to the China Centre for Information…

As an economic concept, the low-altitude economy aims to utilise the unique resources of low-altitude airspace in a bid to develop general aviation or civilian non-airline flight, and energise the related industries from the sky to the ground.  The concept of low-altitude economy was first proposed by China, providing a theoretical contribution to the development of global general aviation. A common understanding is that low-altitude airspace is an equally important economic resource and engine of productivity as land and marine…

Volocopter, a pioneering German company in the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft sector, recently filed for bankruptcy, drawing significant international attention. Founded in 2011, Volocopter was hailed as a leader in the emerging air taxi industry, benefitting from technological breakthroughs and substantial international investment.  The reasons for Volocopter’s collapse, analysts suggest, include a lack of funding, cumbersome regulatory processes, and insufficient policy support. This bankruptcy underscores the ongoing problems in the eVTOL industry, which still faces challenges of…