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China's ongoing efforts to support development in Africa are receiving a positive reception, with a recent survey showing African youth appreciate the country's contributions in areas such as investment and infrastructure.

According to the 2024 African Youth Survey, released on Tuesday by the Johannesburg-based Ichikowitz Family Foundation, 82 percent of respondents perceive China's influence on the continent as positive.

The survey, conducted among 5,604 respondents aged 18 to 24 across 16 African nations, highlights that China remains one of the most influential non-African countries for the continent's youth. 

Positive views of China's impact were nearly unanimous in Rwanda and Chad (96 percent each), Kenya (95 percent), and Nigeria (93 percent).

Key factors driving these favorable perceptions include the affordability of Chinese products (41 percent) and Chinese investments in infrastructure development (40 percent). 

China has been actively fostering cooperation with Africa in capacity building, offering initiatives such as the Luban Workshops, which focus on practical skills, and Confucius Institutes, which promote cultural exchange. 

The 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) is being held in Beijing from September 4 to 6. Talent support policies and personnel exchanges have become a hot topic of discussion.

China is an increasingly popular destination for African students seeking international education, providing talented African people with front-row seats to the future of innovation, Karanja Ngina, a young Kenyan observer who closely follows news about the Forum, told the Global Times.

Fang Jing, a 24-year-old who exports small commodities to Africa, told the Global Times that many of her African business partners are curious about how China's internet economy and mobile payment systems work. 

"They follow news on China's cutting-edge technology closely. I can feel their enthusiasm and aspiration for modernization," Fang said.

China-Africa cooperation delivers strong results, becomes international model GraphicAnalysis: GT

A new air corridor linking Shanghai and Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan Province, will commence operations on Thursday, aimed at reducing congestion for east-west flights and enhancing connectivity with some Southeast Asian countries, including Myanmar and Laos.

The Shanghai-Kunming air corridor, is able to handle more than 1,400 flights every day and covers seven major airports in six cities, China Media Group reported.

Experts attributed the demand for the route to rising economic, trade, development and personnel exchanges, which will allow efficient connection not only between the country's eastern and western regions, but also with neighboring countries, further promoting high-level opening-up.

The vital route in China's extensive transportation network has been upgraded from a "single-lane" to a "dual-lane" system for one-way traffic, improving air traffic efficiency and safety, according to media reports. 

The expanded corridor now includes two parallel routes, offering enhanced connectivity between Shanghai's air terminals and the western regions.

Under the plan, a total of 13 new flight routes will be established, while nine existing routes will be adjusted. This initiative will benefit over 1,400 flights per day, accounting for 8 percent of the country's total flight volume, according to Zhang Junjie, an official from Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

An enhanced air route network is anticipated, aligning with the rapid growth of the country's civil aviation market, said the official, suggesting that the average daily passenger flight volume has increased from 10,360 flights in 2013 to 19,000 flights in summer this year.

"The route network is expected to meet growing aviation transportation demand over the next five years and can be adjusted as needed, benefiting over 80 percent of travelers nationwide," said Yan Xiaodong, deputy director of the air traffic management division of the CAAC.

Previously, China has established and activated seven air corridors nationwide, effectively reducing airspace congestion caused by the rapid increase in flight volume. 

The 8th air corridor, linking Shanghai and Kunming, will significantly enhance the capacity of the main air route network, supporting the rapid industrial growth and providing strong backing for local economic development, Lin Zhijie, an independent market analyst, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Yunnan province has been strengthening infrastructure connectivity with South and Southeast Asian countries for years, represented by the China-Laos Railway, experts said, adding that such developments are crucial for driving industrial upgrades and stimulating economic growth in the region. 

The enhanced connectivity has facilitated the flow of people and goods, bolstered regional economic ties, and played a key role in promoting shared development, Xu Liping, director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Recently, the reporter learned from the State Grid Henan Electric Power Company that since the beginning of summer this year, Henan Province has set two new records for new energy power generation. Specifically, at 12:55 on August 11, the maximum power generation from new energy reached 29.37 million kilowatts, an increase of 920,000 kilowatts from the previous record, accounting for 45.5 percent of the province's electricity load at that time, and a 30 percent increase from the peak value of the previous year.

It is learned that in recent years, the State Grid Henan Electric Power Company has vigorously promoted the precise reinforcement and upgrade of the backbone network at various levels. The number of substations and the length of transmission lines at or above 220 kilovolts have increased by 73 percent and 39 percent respectively, and the scale of the distribution network has doubled, significantly enhancing the capacity for new energy consumption and allocation. The company has resolutely implemented the decision-making and deployment of the provincial committee of the CPC and government, actively developed a distributed source-network-load-storage coordinated control system, achieving full coverage of "group adjustment and group control" for distributed photovoltaics across the province. The establishment of the Henan Province Distributed Photovoltaic Bearing Capacity and Open Capacity Release Platform has guided and supported the standardized and healthy development of distributed photovoltaics, providing useful exploration and important support for ensuring the long-term safe and stable operation of the power grid and the coordinated development of source-network-load-storage.

By the end of 2023, the installed capacity of new energy in Henan Province reached 59.092 million kilowatts, representing 42.5 percent. In 2023, the total electricity generation from wind and photovoltaic power within the province reached 73.8 billion kilowatt-hours, a year-on-year increase of 25.7 percent, equivalent to saving 23.247 million tons of standard coal and reducing 73.5786 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions. In the first half of 2024, under the condition that the new installed capacity of new energy in the province increased by 3.78 million kilowatts, accounting for nearly 50 percent of the total installed capacity, the high proportion of new energy use was ensured, achieving the goal that new energy can be generated and supplied.

While continuing to back Manila's provocative actions in the South China Sea, some allies of the US have been intensifying moves to smear China, Chinese observers said on Monday, when commenting on recent noises on the South China Sea issue from external parties.

The latest irresponsible remarks came from the European External Action Service (EEAS) spokesperson, which condemned China's "dangerous actions," in a statement issued on Sunday. 

The fact was that the Philippine Coast Guard ship MRRV-9701, which has been illegally stationed at China's Xianbin Jiao, on Saturday lifted its anchor and conducted continuous maneuvers, stirring up troubles in the lagoon of Xianbin Jiao. China Coast Guard (CCG) Vessel 5205 took measures including verbal warnings, monitoring and control in accordance with the law and regulations.

In the process, the Philippine MRRV-9701 deliberately rammed into CCG Vessel 5205 in an unprofessional and dangerous manner, causing a collision for which the Philippines bears full responsibility.

China strongly deplored the EU's accusations over the collision, a spokesperson of the Chinese Mission to the EU said on Monday.

Soon after the collision, the US on Saturday backed the Philippines' stance and claimed China's actions to safeguard its own interests were "escalatory." US allies including Australia followed suit in making a biased statement. Japan has also made a high-profile response targeting China over a previous China-Philippines collision incident at Xianbin Jiao in August. 

The Philippines aims to internationalize the issue by leveraging alliance to mislead the public. By engaging with these non-involved parties, including making some off-table trade-offs, the Philippines seeks to "enhance its bargaining power and maritime presence," said Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies.

The US is the real "mastermind" behind the tension in the South China Sea, instructing Manila to stir up trouble but avoiding a scenario that goes out of control, and it is also the US that has mobilized its close allies to back the Philippines, Chen said. 

The quick responses from the US and its allies after the Saturday incident fully demonstrated their close coordination in this disinformation campaign against China, and their ultimate goal of destabilizing the South China Sea and pushing the US' Indo-Pacific Strategy, analysts said.

President Xi Jinping met with Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

The Paris 2024 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games "deeply regrets the incident" and is investigating how table tennis player Wang Chuqin's racket was broken on Tuesday after the mixed doubles final match, according to the Beijing Youth Daily on Thursday.

Paris 2024 said they are investigating the cause to ensure there is no repeat of the incident where a member of the press accidentally stepped on Wang's racket while hustling to take a photograph. Paris 2024 has strongly reminded photographers that they must adhere to the strict guidelines in place and always remain in the designated areas for photographers, according to a reply by the committee posted by the Beijing Youth Daily.

Wang's bat was broken on Tuesday after the mixed doubles final match, so he had to use his backup paddle. The world No.1-ranked player failed to advance to the round of 16 after a shock 2-4 defeat to 26-ranked Truls Moregard of Sweden on Wednesday.

The racket incident occurred right after Wang and his mixed doubles partner Sun Yingsha took gold on Tuesday. When Wang put his racket down to hold the national flag, a group of photographers rushed to capture the moment and stepped on his bat. Some Chinese netizens are repeatedly watching video recordings to figure out how the paddle was damaged.

Chinese athletes Liu Hao and Ji Bowen captured the gold medal in the men's canoe double 500m at the Paris Olympics on Thursday.

China last won this event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, when Meng Guangliang and Yang Wenjun successfully defended their title. Sixteen years later, Liu and Ji have once again brought glory to China, breaking the Olympic record.

The pair advanced to the semifinals with a time of 1:37.40 in the heats, setting a new Olympic record for the event. They then secured their spot in the final as the top team from the semifinals.

In the final, Liu and Ji dominated the race, leading from start to finish to clinch the gold medal with a commanding performance.

Liu, who won silver in both the men's 1000m double sculls and single sculls at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, came to Paris with the goal of completing his medal collection with a gold. After the 2021 National Games in Shaanxi Province, Liu partnered with the younger Ji, as the Paris Olympics saw a shift from the 1000m to the 500m distance in the men's double sculls.

Despite the changes, the 30-year-old Liu quickly adapted, forming a strong partnership with Ji. Liu described Ji as fast and noted that he soon became a role model.

"I feel responsible for keeping the team's morale high. I can't let the energy drop, especially during long training sessions," Liu said.

Ji also spoke about their partnership: "We first met in 2019 at a competition. I thought I was fast, but compared to Liu, I was far behind. I see him as a role model and strive to meet his standard."

Their hard work paid off when they secured their Olympic spot with a second-place finish at the 2023 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships. Their gold medal in Paris now stands as a testament to their dedication and teamwork.

Fujian Maritime Safety Administration and Donghai Rescue Bureau, both under the Chinese Ministry of Transport, jointly conducted maritime patrol and law enforcement operations in the Taiwan Straits from Saturday to Sunday, with a total duration of 30.5 hours and a total cruising distance of 413 nautical miles.

Experts said the operation has enhanced the Chinese mainland's maritime management agency's control over maritime traffic and emergency rescue capabilities in the Taiwan Straits. Previously, maritime departments from the mainland had already achieved regular law enforcement patrols in the waters near Kinmen, and now this "regularization" has been further extended, they noted.

The operation was jointly carried out by a patrol flotilla consisting of three vessels, China Central Television (CCTV) reported.

The primary tasks of the operation involved patrolling the waters of the Taiwan Straits, examining coastal shipping routes, anchorages, offshore construction sites, high-risk collision zones for commercial and fishing vessels, busy traffic areas, accident-prone zones, Taiwan Shoal, and other waterways, according to the report.

Additionally, tasks include investigating and addressing maritime traffic violations, upholding navigational regulations, inspecting shipping routes in the central Taiwan Straits, organizing and controlling traffic, conducting spot checks on passing vessels, and inspecting on-site the implementation of emergency search and rescue plans.

The operation also involves inspecting and verifying navigational aids in the Taiwan Straits, confirming ship identification code details on-site, testing communication capabilities over land and sea, and ensuring the orderly conduct of radio communications on the water. Since the fishing ban in the southeastern coast of China was lifted on Friday, a large number of fishing vessels entered the Taiwan Straits, increasing the risk of collisions between commercial and fishing vessels, CCTV said. 

The operation reached within two nautical miles east of the middle of the Taiwan Straits, and the southernmost point reached the Taiwan Shoal, covering an area that was wider than in previous years, Yuyuan Tantian, a social media account affiliated with state broadcaster CCTV, said in a post on WeChat on Sunday.

Due to geographical reasons, the Taiwan Straits has relatively large winds and waves, making it prone to accidents. The operation served to protect the safety of navigation for ships passing by, and also to demonstrate the mainland's jurisdiction over the relevant waters of the Taiwan Straits, an expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Sunday.

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