Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi met with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa on Monday in New York at the latter's invitation. Wang said China's opposition to Japan's discharge of nuclear-contaminated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station into the ocean is entirely justified, and that China will conduct an investigation and handle the individual case of the attack of a Japanese student in Shenzhen in accordance with the law, and the Japanese side should view this matter calmly and rationally, avoiding politicization and escalation.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, stated that comprehensively advancing the strategic mutually beneficial relationship between China and Japan is a shared responsibility of both sides. He hopes that Japan will work with China to grasp the correct direction of bilateral relations, implement the consensus reached by the leaders of both countries, and promote the healthy and stable development of China-Japan relations, according to a release published by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday.

Kamikawa said that Japan values its relationship with China. In the face of rising risks and challenges in the international situation, Japan and China should maintain communication and dialogue at all levels and in all fields, including negotiating solutions to the nuclear wastewater issue, and jointly safeguarding regional peace and development.

The important foundation of the bilateral relationship lies in the exchanges between the peoples of the two countries. The Japanese foreign minister said it is hoped that China will properly handle the case of the Shenzhen schoolboy and ensure the safety of Japanese nationals in China.

Wang stressed that China's opposition to Japan's discharge of nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station into the ocean is entirely justified. Since Japan has agreed to accept long-term international monitoring arrangements and independent sampling and monitoring by relevant countries, including China, it should follow through on its commitments and avoid unnecessary complications.

China will investigate and handle the individual case of the Japanese schoolboy attack in Shenzhen in accordance with the law, and will continue to ensure the safety of all foreign citizens in China. Japan should view this matter calmly and rationally, avoiding politicization and escalation, said Wang.

An ongoing exhibition about Han Dynasty (206BC-AD220) stone reliefs at the Art Museum of West Taihu Lake in Changzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province, has been a major draw during the Mid-Autumn Festival holidays.      

The stone reliefs are unique artistic works from the Western and Eastern Han periods and were created to decorate tomb chambers, ancestral halls, mausoleum gates, stone coffins and cliff grottoes. 

This exhibition brings together nearly 200 precious collections from about 20 cultural institutions and university research units across China. It collects the latest research achievements in Han Dynasty stone reliefs, featuring new archaeological discoveries from various regions, archaeological sketches, outstanding publications and literature. 

The 2024 12th China Beijing International Magic Carnival and World College Magic Exchange Convention kicked off in Beijing's Changping district on Friday. The event features promotional activities, hiking tours, and performances by magicians from China, Germany, the US, and Argentina, offering a top-tier magical showcase.

“As a key platform of Beijing's role as a national cultural center and an international exchange hub, Changping aims to use magic culture as a medium to create a ‘golden business card’ for international cultural exchange,” said Zhi Xianwei, mayor of Changping district.

Zhi briefed Changping’s rich history and deep cultural heritage. He extended a warm invitation to artists and university students from around the world to visit Changping, encouraging magic as a medium for deeper cultural exchanges and collaboration.

During the event, a series of magic performances and cultural activities were presented, with magicians from various countries presenting their talents to an audience of university students.

At the close-up magic show, American magician Bill Bentz performed a magic trick using three ancient Chinese coins he collected during his first visit to Xiamen, Fujian Province. As the coins moved between his hands, the audience, particularly the students, watched in awe.

“When I first saw these three Chinese coins, I knew I wanted to use them in a performance in America. I’m proud to celebrate China’s traditional culture,” Bill said.

In recent years, the blending of disciplines has become more prevalent in cultural tourism. With its flexibility and adaptability, magic has seamlessly integrated into various cultural and tourism contexts into various cultural and tourism contexts.

Tang Yanhai, secretary of the Chinese Acrobats Association, noted that the magic carnival not only adheres to international standards by hosting high-level exchange activities but also explores new paths for industry integration, combining the magic experience with cultural and tourism consumption, and creating new cultural tourism experiences.

Jin Chutong, a Beijing-based folk magician and magic instructor, told the Global Times that Chinese folk magic is an important part of the country’s cultural heritage.

“Over the years, I’ve seen magic expand beyond theater into tourist attractions and cultural activities, offering audiences more opportunities for close-up experiences. This integration has created more performance opportunities and brought magic into everyday life,” Jin noted.

“Magic requires both innovation and preservation. I hope more young people will join the field and revitalize Chinese folk magic in the modern era,” he added.

Gao Gao the giant panda is 32 years old, equivalent to 112 years old in human age. Although he is in the sunset years of his life with some unavoidable age-related health issues such as abraded teeth, Gao Gao still lives in the Dujiangyan panda park of the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) and has been nicknamed "Grandpa Gao."

Chen Rui, one of the breeders at the CCRCGP who is in charge of taking care of Gao Gao, told the Global Times that he still remembers when he first met the giant panda at the airport after returning to China from the US.

"The lovely 'grandpa' was a fussy eater at the time," Chen recalled, adding that it took a lot of efforts to transform Gao Gao's "addiction" to cookies, persuading him to accept a more balanced diet.

Such stories of giant pandas like "Grandpa Gao" and their breeders happening every day at the breeding base have been presented in a TV show called Panda's Family, recently released on Hunan TV and Mango TV, capturing how Chinese breeders guard giant pandas from cradle to grave and help them return to the wild, giving the public a new perspective on the interactions between humans and animals.

Netizens commented that they saw the cross-species affection between breeders such as Chen and Li Rong and the pandas in their care. These breeders, who are the closest humans to giant pandas, dedicate most of their time and energy to the work and become family to the giant pandas.

The team of panda breeders is growing larger. In the TV show, six younger interns gain experience as breeders and also build firm bonds with the pandas they are caring for. Ma Xiaoyu, one of the interns, told the Global Times that she is eager to take the mantle of caring for giant pandas after officially joining the team.

The program has since come to an end, but the story of the ­harmonious relationship between humans and giant pandas, as it extends into the natural world, lives on.
Love and trust

Mornings at the breeding base are typically busy for Ma. She and other interns need to clean the colony houses for more than one hour and then prepare the giant pandas' breakfast on time, a basin of milk formula specifically formulated for panda cubs and fresh bamboo for the adult pandas.

They then monitor and record the situation of pandas every half hour to spot and rapidly respond to any abnormalities in the pandas' behavior. The collected data is then given to veterinarians and biological experts regularly to help safeguard the endangered animals' health.

"The feeding capability of panda cubs is not like that of the adults, so we need to care for the cubs skillfully and patiently," Li told the Global Times. She has been responsible for taking care of panda moms and their cubs.

The delicate nature of panda cubs also challenges Li's ability to observe and react. She said that they must take painstaking measures to prevent the cubs from contracting diseases as mild as influenza. "Accurately telling if panda cubs are ill usually relies on plenty of experience," Li noted.

Now Li has developed the "eye," instantly taking note of tiny dangerous factors as minute as a wooden thorn in a panda cub's toy.

Chen, who works in panda-related healthcare for aged pandas, has also expressed concern over the fragile state of giant pandas' health. He said that illness among old pandas is usually cumulative and he has to closely monitor surrounding pandas' excrement and movement to confirm if they are healthy.

Chen and Li both mentioned that their attitude to the work has transformed from just a responsibility to an indispensable part of life after becoming closely involved with pandas. Additionally, the pandas also display deep affection and trust in the breeders.

Destination in nature

"Tao Tao, as you walk into nature today, I wonder if we will have the chance to meet again in this lifetime. I hope you grow healthier and stronger in the wild and build your own family," Mou Shijie, the CCRCGP's breeder responsible for captive pandas' rewilding training and release, said to himself when staring at the first panda he trained and released running in the woods.

Chinese giant panda breeders not only care for captive pandas, but also try hard to help the endangered species return to the wild and maintain a wild population. Mou is a veteran member of the rewilding team.

Mou said that rewilding training work consists of two stages. The first is to build trust with panda moms and ensure that the nutritional needs of the cubs are met. When the cubs are about 1 year old, the mom and cubs are transferred to a broader area ready for training.

"The panda mother leads her cubs in the training area, where they can freely eat bamboo, find water sources, locate shelter, and learn crucial survival skills like avoiding predators. These are lessons only a panda mother can teach; we humans can't instill that wild instinct in them," Mou noted.

So far, the CCRCGP has successfully trained and released nine giant pandas back into the wild, which should ultimately be their true home.

The highly anticipated documentary The Sinking of The Lisbon Maru will be released publicly across China on Friday. The film tells a story interwoven with the cruelty of war, the brutality of the Japanese fascists, as well as the courage and humanitarian care of the ordinary Chinese people.

The truth about the sunken Lisbon Maru needs to be known by the whole world, said renowned Chinese filmmaker Fang Li, who directed and produced the documentary.

“I hope that every audience can further learn about the brutality of war through it, and cherish the peace we have today,” Fang told the Global Times on Thursday.

The documentary features the 1942 sinking of the “Lisbon Maru,” an armed Japanese cargo ship that participated in World War II. In October that year, Lisbon Maru transported more than 1,800 British prisoners of war (POWs) from Hong Kong toward Japan, without bearing a sign indicating it was carrying POWs – a violation of the Geneva Convention.

After being struck by the torpedo of a US submarine, Japanese soldiers cruelly battened the POWs down below deck, left them to drown, and even shot at them, leading to the deaths of 828 prisoners.

When the ship went down off the coast of Zhoushan Islands in East China’s Zhejiang Province, 384 POWs were fortunately rescued by local Chinese fishermen, who pulled them from the water risking their own life.

For decades, the Japanese authorities refused to acknowledge their atrocities committed in the Lisbon Maru incident. By chance, Fang, who is also an expert in geophysical exploration and marine technology, heard the story from some fishermen in Zhoushan in 2014, and later thought about making a documentary about it.

“I made the film to reveal the truth, for the young men who died in the Zhoushan Islands waters, and for the Chinese fishermen who helped rescue them,” Fang told the Global Times.

The film is not only for Chinese moviegoers, but audience from all over the world, particularly young people, he added. “I hope the film enables today’s youth to cherish their families, the people around them, and appreciate everything they own.”

Ahead of its nationwide release, The Sinking of The Lisbon Maru has already received many positive reviews in its preview screenings.

During the 26th Shanghai International Film Festival in June, several families of the POWs attended the documentary’s premiere. Denise Wynne, daughter of one of the survivors Dennis Morley, said that the heroism of the Chinese fishermen showed in the filmed impressed her a lot.

“My dad always said that the Chinese fishermen were heroes, and without them, I wouldn’t be here,” Wynne told the Global Times after the premiere.

Two trucks released a flock of more than 2,000 pigeons onto an expressway in North China's Hebei Province, leading to a semi-trailer's windscreen cracking as it navigated through the chaos, according to the traffic administration bureau of the Ministry of Public Security on Wednesday.

The two drivers, employed by a racing pigeon owner, transport over 2,000 racing pigeons from North China's Shanxi Province to Hebei for release, in order to test the time it takes for the pigeons to return to their breeding base in Shanxi.

They had planned to release the pigeons in a parking area, but since the area was not open, the two drivers were worried that the pigeons might die if they stayed in the vehicle beyond the release time. Consequently, they stopped at the ramp entrance and released them.

Over 2,000 pigeons burst into the sky within an instant, and the two even took out their cell phones to record the event, according to the report. Eventually, a heavy semi-trailer passing by was hit by a pigeon, causing its windscreen to crack.

The traffic police took action against the pigeon owner and the two drivers, and asked them to compensate the semi-trailer driver.

Recently, media representatives from China, Europe, and Africa, who were participating in the 2024 Media Cooperation Forum on Belt and Road, embarked on a journey to Leshan city in southwest China's Sichuan Province to explore the true essence of Emei.
Forging friendship through martial arts

What happens when Emei martial arts, known for combining hardness with softness, intersects with submission grappling, which focuses on defeating opponents with skill?

In front of the main entrance to the Chinese Studies Hall of the Emei Kung-Fu Alliance, more than 30 young martial arts trainees were practicing martial arts moves.
During a follow-up demonstration session, Emei martial arts practitioners showcased a range of martial arts techniques and equipment, drawing the interest of foreign media representatives who expressed a desire to become their apprentices and engage in skill-sharing.

"Emei martial arts, originating from Mount Emei, is known for its combination of hardness and softness, speed and slowness, and flexibility. It is recognized as one of the three main genres of martial arts in China," explained Wang Chao, an inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage of Emei martial arts.

"With its roots deeply embedded in Chinese culture, Emei martial arts embodies a harmonious blend of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, making it a highly inclusive practice," Wang elaborated.
Inspired by the atmosphere, Per Markus Andersson, an editor with The Nordic Times, Sweden, and Isac Bomen, an editor with Nya Dagbladet, Sweden, teamed up to showcase submission grappling, earning warm applause from the spectators.

"Martial arts exchange fosters mutual learning among diverse civilizations. I have discovered that grappling and Emei martial arts share similarities. For example, both disciplines do not promote violence; rather, they are practiced to cultivate strength, encouraging individuals to develop self-discipline and a positive mindset," said Andersson.
Bonding over craft

What happens when tea from Mount Emei meets coffee from Kenya?

Seated around a table, Yang Mei, a Chinese tea artist, and Agnes Mbithe Mwangangi, an editor with the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), were presenting Chinese tea culture alongside the coffee culture of Kenya.

Warming the cup, observing the tea leaves, adding them to the cup, steeping, and brewing, all while listening to soothing music, a pot of Mount Emei tea was good to go.

"As the tea neared my nose, a refreshing aroma filled the air, I really enjoy the scent and taste of this tea," said Mwangangi. Kenya is famous for coffee production, and Mwangangi demonstrated the brewing method of Kenyan coffee.

"This one has a chestnut-like aroma when you drink it," said Yang.

"Coffee and tea can also be combined. We have partnered with a coffee shop to create a special blend of coffee and green tea. This unique blend has a fragrant and rich taste, offering a one-of-a-kind flavor experience," Yang added.

"In Kenya, many people also brew and drink tea using locally grown tea leaves. This exchange has brought us closer together," said Mwangangi.

United by artistry

In China, calligraphy is not just visual art but a reflection of deep cultural values, with its unique spirit and poetic essence.

"What does 'De Bu Gu' mean?" asked Cristina Andrade, a journalist from El Periódico de España after receiving a piece of calligraphy.

"It means virtuous people always find like-minded companions," explained a Chinese journalist.

"The Chinese characters represent harmony and kindness, values I strive to promote. If all countries embrace this, the world will be a better place," Andrade said, after knowing the meaning of the Chinese characters.

Foreign journalists gathered around the table of Lin Xu, an inheritor of Mount Emei finger painting, an intangible cultural heritage.

Emile Gankama, editorial director of Les Depeches De Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, a painting enthusiast, joined Lin to finish the same work.

"Painting brings us closer together," Gankama said as he showed off the finished artwork.

"Our collaboration was seamless. I started with a portrait of a man, and Lin really got what I was going for, adding arms and a suit to round out the painting," he explained.
As music started playing, Lilon Bongmatur from Vanuatu Broadcasting & Television Corporation, Vanuatu, pulled Chinese journalist Qiu Yue onto the dance floor to perform a traditional dance from the South Pacific island nation.

Gankama quickly joined in, followed by Lin.

As the music played, people from China and other countries formed a circle, clapping and dancing together, creating a lively atmosphere. Journalists from different countries exchanged invitations and well-wishes as they danced, fostering friendship.

China and ASEAN will eye more practical cooperation in digital technology and green economy, Chinese officials said on Wednesday, as the upcoming China-ASEAN Expo will add a new strategic theme, focusing on the development of new quality productive forces.

The expo is expected to shed light on the latest technological developments in digitalization, low-carbon transition, new energy and smarter internet-connected auto vehicles.

Vice Minister of Commerce Li Fei told a press conference that this year's expo, to be held in Nanning, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, from September 24 to 28, will showcase the latest achievements covering China's cooperation with ASEAN, focusing on promoting the construction of Version 3.0 of China-ASEAN Free Trade Area and their high-quality growth.

Li said that the expo will set up a high-tech products exhibition area from ASEAN countries, to display high-tech achievements from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia and more, covering health, biomedicine, new energy and IT services, in order to support ASEAN's high-tech enterprises to explore new market shares in China and beyond.

"Both China and ASEAN are facing challenges relating to environmental protection and sustainable development, and there is extensive room for cooperation between the two sides in green infrastructure, green energy and green transport," Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Moreover, there is huge potential for cooperation between the two sides in areas such as e-commerce, artificial intelligence, big data and smart cities, Wang said, noting that China's digital economy is among the world's largest, with the world's leading 5G network and a wealth of application scenarios.

"As an important platform for economic and trade cooperation between China and ASEAN, the expo has played an important role in promoting further cooperation between the two sides in emerging areas," Wang noted.

Li said that it will be the first time to invite some Gulf countries to participate in this year's exhibition, with the United Arab Emirates as a special partner to organize buyer groups to participate in the expo.

For the first time, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) countries will be invited to participate in the fair, and some products from Kazakhstan and other SCO countries will be displayed. Australia, Japan and other RCEP members and the enterprises from Poland, Serbia and other Belt and Road partner countries will also participate in the exhibition, Li said.

China will support the expansion of trade with ASEAN in agricultural products and manufactured goods, and ramp up imports of products with specialties from ASEAN countries, Li noted.

The expo has gone through 20 years of development, and witnessed the rapid development of China's close partnership with ASEAN, Li said.

Since 2013, China's trade with ASEAN has grown at an average annual rate of 7.5 percent. China has remained ASEAN's top trading partner for 15 consecutive years, and ASEAN has been China's top trading partner for four consecutive years.
China's bilateral trade with Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, and other ASEAN members have all exceeded $100 billion. From January to July this year, China-ASEAN trade volume reached $552 billion, an increase of 7.7 percent year-on-year, accounting for 15.8 percent of the country's total foreign trade in the period.

In the first seven months, China's direct investment in ASEAN amounted to $12.96 billion, a year-on-year increase of 15.3 percent; ASEAN's direct investment in China reached $7.3 billion, up 14.1 percent.

With the implementation of RCEP and the accelerated negotiations on Version 3.0 of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area, the level of regional trade and investment liberalization and facilitation has seen marked improvement, Li said.

"The constantly strengthening partnership between China and ASEAN will help shore up regional stability and prosperity, while create a more favorable environment for furthering cooperation," Wang noted.

China has proposed 10 measures to enhance global public security cooperation, focusing on joint collaborations to crack down on cross-border crime and worldwide terrorism, build peaceful, safe, and open cyberspace as well as deal with risks brought about by the development of artificial intelligence (AI), the Global Times learned from the Chinese Ministry of Public Security (MPS). 

The measures were announced at the Global Public Security Cooperation Forum held in Lianyungang, East China's Jiangsu Province, from Sunday to Tuesday. 

They are a vital part of a concept document on global public security cooperation formulated at the forum. Zeng Weixiong, the forum's president, told a press conference on Monday that the document lays out a global public security cooperation framework. "More specific cooperation and outcomes will come out in the future." 

The concept document calls for the establishment and improvement of a global cybersecurity governance order and framework, addressing the differences in cyber governance issues between developing and developed countries, and building a consensus on cybersecurity governance.

It also called on more countries to enhance intelligence and information sharing to effectively monitor and prevent global terrorist activities. Developing countries should be provided with more technical training and equipment support to strengthen their counter-terrorism capabilities. 

A research report on global public security index was a major topic of discussion during the forum. According to Zeng, the report is set to be published for the first time later this year to support sustained and long-term cooperation in the field of global public security.

A total of 2,100 experts, scholars, and personnel from law enforcement departments of 122 countries, regions and international organizations attended the forum in Lianyungang.

Under the guidance of the Global Security Initiative launched in April 2022, China has been enhancing its actions to make more contributions to promoting global public security. 

At the opening ceremony of the forum, State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong announced that China would offer training to 3,000 law enforcement personnel from various countries in the coming year, part of the country's efforts to strengthen international cooperation to tackle global security challenges, media reports said. 

About 100 senior law enforcement officials, principals of police academies and police experts from 19 countries and regions jointly launched a training plan (2025-2026) for talent in global public security during the forum. 

Recently, at the invitation of MPS, six police officers from Serbia have visited China to undertake a one-month joint police patrol mission. According to the agreement between the two sides, Serbian police will collaborate with their Chinese counterparts to address the safety needs of Serbians in China and jointly foster a secure environment for tourism.

Editor's Note:

The 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) kicked off in Beijing on September 4. It takes place at a critical juncture when the world is grappling with various regional and global crises and there is a pressing need for countries from the Global South to join hands. How will this year's FOCAC elevate ties between China and Africa? What is the significance of building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future? The Global Times (GT) interviewed a number of former officials and pundits from various African countries to share their insights and stories. 

In the third article of this series, GT reporter Li Aixin interviewed Hisham El-Zimaity (El-Zimaity), secretary general of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs and former ambassador of Egypt to Japan, Hungary, Slovenia and Pakistan.

GT: This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Egypt comprehensive strategic partnership. How do you view the progress in China-Egypt relations over the past decade?

El-Zimaity: A decade is a just a part of the friendship between China and Egypt. Our relationship originally dates back to 1956. Egypt was the first country in the Middle East and Africa to establish diplomatic relations with China. Since then, our friendship has grown deeper and deeper. The elevation of our relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, which happened just 10 years ago, was a natural and logical outcome of this deep bond.

The civilizations of China and Egypt have histories that stretch back thousands of years, unlike other countries that count their histories in the hundreds of years. China and Egypt each have a history of 5,000 years, perhaps more. The depth of these civilizations is deeply rooted in history, rich in experience and abundant in wisdom.  

GT: How do you understand the idea of a "high-level China-Africa community with a shared future," which is a part of the theme in this year's FOCAC?

El-Zimaity: In this interconnected world and in this era of globalization, we are all in the same boat. While we may be geographically distant, we are united in our goal to develop our nations and benefit our people. We face significant challenges in education, health, industrialization and agriculture. We struggle with issues like water scarcity and diseases. Therefore, modernizing and building a strong China-Africa community with a shared future is essential. The populations of China and Africa together make up about one-third of humanity. Working together on issues and sharing a future is both natural and something we strongly support.

We should not forget the flagship initiatives introduced by China, such as the Global Development Initiative, which assists developing countries in meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals and strengthens the understanding of development; the Global Security Initiative, which aims to bring countries together under a security framework governed by the principle of mutual non-interference; and lastly, the Global Civilization Initiative, which advocates for respect for the diversity of civilizations, rather than imposing ideas, such as universal values that are not universally agreed upon. If we add these three initiatives to what will be discussed by the leaders in Beijing, I believe we have a very rich agenda, which will contribute to the success of this forum.

GT: The FOCAC theme also focuses on modernization. How could China and Africa cooperate to join hands to advance modernization? 

El-Zimaity: Modernization is the culmination of development. Development begins with establishing political stability and educating people. Additionally, infrastructure is crucial for attracting investments. While Chinese investments across the continent are most welcome, there is a need to attract even more. To achieve this, we must focus on improving education, healthcare and infrastructure, while maintaining political stability. Modernization is a goal in itself that will be achieved through the sustainable development goals. 

During the pandemic, Egypt and China demonstrated a remarkable example of solidarity. While other countries were refusing to provide vaccines to Africa, China and Egypt worked together to supply vaccines to African nations. It's a wonderful example of our collaboration.

GT: How do the Egyptian public and businesses view the BRI? 

El-Zimaity: Egypt was among the very first countries to join this important initiative. When I say "important," it's because it was a game changer - a game changer that addressed a significant gap in the field of development. This initiative was introduced by the Chinese president as something that would bring us together - not only China and Africa, but China and probably the rest of the world, as the initiative now involves more than 150 countries.

For the Egyptian business community and the public in general, this is a very welcome initiative, and will be fruitful. The initiative itself, as you know, focuses on infrastructure, such as developing ports, roads and industrial zones. It also includes health, the digital Silk Road and the educational Silk Road. It is a comprehensive initiative, where everyone stands to gain, and no one loses.

On the other hand, other [countries'] initiatives launched after the BRI have not materialized. The only initiative that is functioning properly is the BRI. What has greatly contributed to its success is the AIIB, which serves as the tool to implement agreements made among governments. This is something we greatly appreciate in Chinese thinking regarding the development of our region.

China's developmental experience, which managed to lift over 800 million people out of poverty through hard work, sacrifice and real efforts by everyone, is something we in Africa would like to learn from. Unfortunately, in Africa, we have around 600 million homes without electricity and about 900 million households without clean cooking energy. These are challenges that Africa hopes to address by learning from China's successful experience in reducing and alleviating poverty, and hopefully, one day, eliminating it completely from the developing world. 

GT: From Egypt's perspective, what would an ideal world order look like? How can China and Africa collaborate to fulfill this vision?

El-Zimaity: It's a difficult question. We want a stable world where we can conduct business, trade, communicate, and exchange goods, services, and ideas. However, this ideal situation unfortunately does not exist.

What we need to do now is to try to pacify all parties. Let's do our best to achieve as much stability as we can. We need to stop further destabilization and the financing of terrorism by some actors. Terrorism has destabilized many countries in the Middle East and Africa. It's high time we cooperate to stabilize the world and address its problems. 

It would be much better to resolve these issues at the negotiating table so that we can all benefit from the future. Egypt is not an enemy to anyone and wants to play a role in stabilizing the world, or at least our region, if possible. This includes solving the Palestinian issue by allowing Palestinians to establish their own state and live in peace. This is crucial for our stability, future and the development of our nation.