Shenzhen – Ahead of the opening of the Asia-Pacific Media Forum, a media delegation from the Asia-Pacific region visited cities including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan and Zhongshan, experiencing firsthand the speed, scale and innovation of development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area across a variety of “world-class” settings.
The guests were amazed by a series of “World Records” that are not just astonishing figures but also vivid testaments to China’s manufacturing strength and its soft power in delivering human warmth.
Cristina Christodulo Patsias, Community Outreach Manager at the APEC Secretariat, traveled through the undersea tunnel of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. She kept recording the scenes through her lens throughout the journey, deeply impressed by the experience of alternating between the bridge above the sea and the deep-sea tunnel. What moved her most, however, was not just the bridge itself, but also the builders who turned the concept into reality.
At the Nansha Phase IV terminal in Guangzhou, the world’s first fully automated terminal for river-sea-rail intermodal transport, Nguyen Dong Anh, Acting Dean of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, observed how automation technology is reshaping the traditional logistics industry and making global logistics more efficient. For ports around the world, Nansha Port offers an important reference.
Prof. Imtiaz Ahmed, Executive Director of the Centre for Alternatives, Bangladesh, marveled at the speed of the Guangzhou Metro Line 18, the world’s fastest fully underground urban metro line, saying that he had an amazing subway experience.
Guangzhou’s smart urban transportation system is one of the best in the Greater Bay Area and can serve as a model for urban governance and development in many parts of the Asia-Pacific region.
After visiting Midea’s microwave oven factory in Shunde district, Foshan, the world’s largest microwave oven manufacturing base, Bui Minh Long, Editor-in-Chief of Báo Tiền Phong, Vietnam, said what impressed him most was the almost fully automated production. In particular, he noted the unique barcode carried by each product, which allows consumers to trace the product’s origin, and spoke highly of its convenience.
Ivan Sinichkin (Иван Синичкин), Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Rossiyskaya Gazeta Editorial Board, said after visiting the “Eye of the Bay Area” in Shenzhen—the world’s largest physical bookstore—that he had never seen a bookstore as big as this. The bookstore, brimming with the distinctive vibrancy of Chinese modernization, is boosting Shenzhen citizens’ interest in various kinds of books.
When visiting the Shenzhen-headquartered BYD, a global leader in the new energy sector, Alexey Migunov, Co-founder of PrimaMedia, a Russian media conglomerate, praised the speed, environmental friendliness and convenience of electric vehicles. He believes electric vehicles are a future trend, and China is a frontrunner in this sector.
During his visit to the world-leading smart device manufacturer OPPO in Dongguan, Dahlan Dahi, CEO of Tribun Networks, Indonesia, said globalization is essentially also localization. Chinese brands like OPPO not only invest heavily in technology R&D but also proactively tailor their products to the needs of consumers in different countries and regional markets through localized designs, making their products a trendy choice for many young consumers.
At Mingyang Group, a Zhongshan-based firm recognized as a global leader in new energy equipment, Andrew Robert Drummond, Editor-in-Chief of Australian Associated Press, praised China’s strong innovation capabilities, which he described as world-leading.
He said it was astonishing to see the development achievements. There is a strong demand for renewable energy in Australia’s heavy industry sectors, and companies there need to balance production and operations with green transition goals.