Chinese-constructed mega railway in Malaysia 30% completed

Malaysia’s East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) is a key venture of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with Malaysia. The project is primarily funded by a loan from China’s state-owned Export-Import (EXIM) Bank. Given Malaysia’s close economic relationship with China, which is its largest trade partner, the country has appeared as a BRI focal point. The rail line is scheduled to commence operation by 2027. BRI Monitor The construction of the 655-kilometer ECRL project, undertaken by China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), has been progressing steadily, with 30 percent of the work completed by May. Excavation work has also commenced on the … Continue reading Chinese-constructed mega railway in Malaysia 30% completed

Egypt’s first electrified light rail system starts trial runs

Egypt’s first electrified light rail transit (LRT) system jointly built by Chinese and Egyptian companies started its trial run on July 3, 2022. The LRT project is the fruit of a $1.24 billion contract signed in August 2017 between Egypt’s National Authority for Tunnels and the consortium of China Railway Engineering Corporation and AVIC International Holding Corporation. The first phase of the LRT contains 22 trains and will serve 360,000 passengers daily. The LRT project is divided into several phases, covering a total distance of about 103 kilometers with 19 stations. The Chinese enterprises have also trained young Egyptian technicians … Continue reading Egypt’s first electrified light rail system starts trial runs

China-Nigeria agricultural cooperation aims for greater food production

ABUJA, June 11 (Xinhua) — On a farm in the northwest suburb of Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, Wang Xuemin, sweating profusely under the hot sun in June, walked along a ridge between rice paddy fields where a big harvest is apparently expected. He stopped from time to time and raised the loudspeaker in his hand, speaking to the crowd following him about the rice varieties, estimated yields and planting techniques used on the paddy fields, and answering questions from the crowd. This is a field program on the promotion of Chinese rice planting and breeding techniques conducted by a Chinese company … Continue reading China-Nigeria agricultural cooperation aims for greater food production

Cuba and China announce patent for new Pan-Corona vaccine

Cuba and China announce patent for new Pan-Corona vaccine, aiming to protect against future Covid-19 variants several related viruses. The China-Cuba research center in Yongzhou (Hunan province), led by Cuban scientists from the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, developed the … Continue reading Cuba and China announce patent for new Pan-Corona vaccine

China’s first international journal on grassland science starts publication

China’s first international academic journal on grassland science has begun publication, highlighting the roles of grassland science in sustainable development, according to Lanzhou University. Grassland Research is co-sponsored by the Chinese Grassland Society and Lanzhou University. It publishes forefront research on rangelands, forages and sown pastures, as well as amenity grassland and ecosystems, said Lanzhou University. The first issue of Grassland Research has been published online with seven articles by authors from 10 countries. The journal has three major sections: rangeland, forage and turf, and ecosystems. It publishes academic articles on study results, overviews and opinions on all aspects of … Continue reading China’s first international journal on grassland science starts publication

LNG plant blast cripples US gas exports

An explosion in the US state of Texas has knocked out 20% of USA’s l;iquified natural gas (LNG) export capacity for weeks. One of the largest US plants producing liquefied natural gas (LNG) for export has been damaged by an explosion and fire. The incident has forced the Texas Gulf Coast facility to cease operations in a move expected to impact European and Asian markets. “As a result of today’s fire, Freeport LNG’s liquefaction facility is currently shut down and will remain shut down for a minimum of three weeks,” the company announced on Wednesday night, providing no further details. Earlier in the … Continue reading LNG plant blast cripples US gas exports

China to step up efforts to control ‘new chemical pollutants’

“New pollutants” refer to pollutants that pose risks to the environment or human health, but are not managed yet or cannot be managed through existing measures so that the risks are contained. These include various toxic chemicals including persistent organic pollutants, endocrine disrupting chemicals and antibiotics. By the end of 2022, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment will publish China’s first list of “new pollutants” for priority control, according to an action plan released by the State Council on 26 May 2022. China Dialogue reports that “by the end of next year, the ministry should complete its first round of environmental risk … Continue reading China to step up efforts to control ‘new chemical pollutants’

World’s largest pumped-hydro storage power station starts operations in north China

The Fengning pumped storage power station in north China’s Hebei Province, which will provide green electricity to the Beijing Winter Olympics, started operations on 31 December 2021. To achieve carbon emission reduction, China is developing new sources of energy, such as wind and solar, and adjusting the energy structure are among the priorities. China is putting efforts to expand its pumped hydro energy storage over the next decade, aiming to have 62 gigawatts of storage facilities operating by 2025, and 120 gigawatts by 2030, according to a plan published by the National Energy Administration. The hydropower station is designed to … Continue reading World’s largest pumped-hydro storage power station starts operations in north China