Maritime Silk Road lends fresh impetus to trade, cultural exchange

HANGZHOU -- At a well-equipped factory in Machakos County, Kenya, local workers are busy assembling smart meters on a streamlined production line. With an annual capacity of 400,000 units, the factory plays a key role in improving energy efficiency across the region.

Zhejiang Chint Instrument & Meter Co., Ltd., based in east China's Zhejiang, owns the factory. Fan Hongyan, regional head for southeast Africa, noted that 90 percent of the factory's workforce are local employees, and the company offers regular training for young people from nearby communities.

It aims to collaborate with more countries like Kenya to integrate green and low-carbon practices into all aspects of production, manufacturing, services and daily life, Fan said.

His vision has been echoed at the ongoing 2024 Mayors Exchange Conference on Maritime Silk Road City Influence in Zhejiang's Wenzhou, where participants are focusing on strengthening win-win cooperation and fostering innovation among cities along the Maritime Silk Road.

From smart ports and intelligent manufacturing to sustainable urban planning, these cities demonstrate how technology can transform governance and quality of life, said Saleem Mandviwalla, chairman of the Senate Finance and Budget Committee of Pakistan.

He noted that China's latest initiative to train young Pakistani professionals in advanced technologies ensures that young people in Pakistan are equipped to lead the transformation.

China has played a consistent role in fostering mutual benefits through similar initiatives. Data from the Ministry of Commerce shows that by the end of 2023, Chinese companies had established 17,000 overseas enterprises in countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, with direct investment stock exceeding 330 billion U.S. dollars.

Last year, direct investment from Chinese companies in these countries totaled 40.71 billion U.S. dollars, a 31.5 percent increase from the previous year.

These mutual benefits are amplified by China's expanding visa-free entry list. "China's mutual visa exemption policy has accelerated personnel exchanges," said Pov Somnang, special assistant to the secretary-general of ASEAN.

He highlighted the fruitful cooperation between China and ASEAN in areas such as tourism, media partnership, think-tank exchange, and international communication among civil organizations.

"We view the Maritime Silk Road not just as a trade network but as a transformative force connecting distant civilizations, enriching humanity's shared cultural heritage, and laying the foundation for today's interconnected world," Hisham El-Zimaity, secretary general of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, said at the conference.