Editor's Note:

Friendly exchanges between China and Africa have enjoyed a long history and have deepened in recent years, covering various fields such as politics, the economy, and culture. The Global Times is launching a China-Africa Rhapsody series, aiming to showcase the profound human connections and development visions between the two peoples by sharing the true stories of Chinese people in Africa and African people in China. From touching stories of China-Africa cooperation and exciting collisions of youthful ideas, to debunking fallacies concocted by some Western sources about the China-Africa collaboration, this series hopes to promote closer cooperation and deeper understanding between the peoples of China and Africa.

In this installment, we turn our attention to the world of sporting arenas. The Paris 2024 Olympics successfully concluded on Sunday night, local time, with athletes from China and Africa showcasing their remarkable talents. Sports cooperation between China and Africa began in the 1950s, and in recent years, significant achievements have been made in this field, making sports exchanges an important bridge for cultural exchange and mutual understanding between the Chinese and African peoples.

We spoke with coaches, experts, and enterprises directly involved in China-Africa sports exchanges to hear about their rich and diverse experiences and insights from working in Africa.
Sports have become a new link in China-Africa cooperation, bringing joy and numerous benefits to numerous people.

Sports exchanges between China and Africa began in the 1950s. In 1957, less than a year after China and Egypt established diplomatic relations, the Chinese table tennis team visited Egypt, marking the first Chinese sports delegation to set foot in Africa.

Since then, sports have played a vital role in bridging the two regions. The Chinese basketball and soccer teams have visited multiple African countries, while African teams like the Guinean and Moroccan national soccer teams have visited China.

These exchanges have deepened mutual understanding and trust, significantly contributing to the development of China-Africa relations.

In recent years, China has sent coaches for sports like badminton and table tennis to countries like Uruguay and has built or upgraded sports facilities in nations such as Guinea-Bissau. Additionally, China has provided technical training for large cultural and sporting events.

The 2021 White Paper "China and Africa in the New Era: A Partnership of Equals" released by the State Council highlighted that China has built 45 stadiums and 170 schools across Africa since 2000, training over 160,000 professionals, demonstrating the tangible benefits of the China-Africa partnership.

This growing "sports diplomacy" underscores the importance of cultural exchange and cooperation, enhancing the friendship between China and Africa.

The new home stadium

Wang Neng's initial impressions of Africa, aside from the scorching weather in West Africa, included the people's passion for soccer.

"Adults and children alike show off their soccer skills wherever they go," said Wang, 34, a project manager with the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) based in Cote d'Ivoire.

Wang first arrived in Africa in 2015. He told the Global Times that most of the fields here were simply patches of wild grass, slightly modified for use as main venues for Cote d'Ivoire's soccer league. Ordinary people and children played casually on hard, unpaved fields.

Wang has made friends with locals by playing soccer, but he and his colleagues have done much more than that.

In January 2024, the 34th Africa Cup of Nations kicked off in Cote d'Ivoire, with the Laurent Pokou Stadium in San-Pedro, built by the CCECC, drawing significant attention.

The Laurent Pokou Stadium, with a seating capacity of over 20,000 and more than 2,000 parking spaces, saw local cultural elements incorporated into its construction. The venue boasts a world-class field, athletic track, and lighting. The CCECC also installed solar photovoltaic technology to support the country's sustainability efforts.

Now, with the CCECC having completed the construction of the main stadium and four training grounds in San Pedro, the local demand for sports facilities has been greatly met. The stadium's construction has also spurred the development of surrounding infrastructure, including hospitals, hotels, universities, airports, and municipal roads, significantly enhancing the city's image, the Global Times has learned from the CCECC.

Moreover, at least three stadiums built by Chinese companies were used in the Africa Cup of Nations held in Cote d'Ivoire earlier this year.

Despite some biased criticisms and attempts by Western media to sow discord in China-Africa relations, China's aid to Africa has consistently demonstrated a genuine understanding of the continent's needs and has withstood various tests.

Even The New York Times acknowledged in a February article that "no country has invested more effort in integrating into Africa's sports scene than China."

Perhaps they do not need not worry on behalf of Africans.

Team Cote d'Ivoire chose Laurent Pokou Stadium for their first two warm-up matches as the host country. Their star player, Sébastien Haller, praised the stadium, "For me, [it is] the best turf is at San-Pedro."

On February 13, 2024, Haller scored the winning goal in the final, helping Cote d'Ivoire defeat Nigeria to claim the championship of the 34th Africa Cup of Nations.

Coach for better

In the China-dominated table tennis field, there are also more African players who, with China's assistance and support, travel tens of thousands of miles to receive training in China along with their Chinese peers.

In late July, Nasri Malissa from Algeria made a speech at the 7th China-Africa People's Forum, sharing her story of receiving table tennis training in China. In 2016, Malissa attended the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Youth Championships held by the China Table Tennis College (CTTC) at the Shanghai University of Sport.

Malissa got the precious opportunity of being coached by renowned world champions including Zhang Yining during the championships. After that, Malissa said she made many excellent achievements in international competitions.

Malissa's experience has planted a seed in the hearts of more table tennis players in her home country, who dream of a similar journey to China. At an opening ceremony of the CTTC's summer school on July 1, 20-year-old Amdjed Oustani shared his excitement.

Oustani first heard of the CTTC from Malissa, who told him about the college's high-level coaches, first-class equipment, and an opportunity to meet the stars of the Chinese national table tennis team. "So, I was very happy and excited when I received the invitation from the CTTC," he said at the opening ceremony. "I'm super looking forward to learning more in the following month, and to become stronger in the world's number one table tennis country."
The month-long summer school program in Shanghai was not easy for most international participants. Oustani, who finished the program and returned to Algeria last week, recalled that he had a few difficult times in the beginning, as he "was not used to training like this before."

"But the days became very good after that," Oustani told the Global Times. "I learned a lot in table tennis with this program, and also I learned from the serious discipline of the Chinese [table tennis teams], which is very important."

Oustani spent a wonderful month in Shanghai at the CTTC. He was coached by former members of the Chinese national team Feng Zhe and Zhang Qin. The latter used to coach Sun Yingsha, currently the world's top-ranked female table tennis player. Apart from training, Oustani visited tourist attractions across the city, from the most iconic The Bund and Yuyuan Garden, to the ITTF Museum and China Table Tennis Museum.

Oustani joked that he was born with a racket in his hands. His father was also a table tennis player, and he has been practicing the sport for 14 years. His favorite table tennis players are Ma Long, Wang Chuqin, and Xu Xin, all of whom are household names in China. "My goals in table tennis are to be an African champion and, why not [try to] beat some good and known players?" he told the Global Times.

Oustani participated in the CTTC's summer school program with the help of the college, the Chinese Embassy in Algeria, and the Algerian Chinese enterprises association.

Similar to what Malissa did at the China-Africa People's Forum, Oustani expressed his gratitude to China, which made this opportunity possible with joint efforts.

With the development of table tennis in Africa and the deepening of the China-Africa friendship, more African players are expected to receive training and learn advanced playing skills in China.

Sports for everyone

Of course, sports are not just for professional athletes - they're for everyone.

Today, in various locations across Africa, fitness parks built by Chinese companies have become popular destinations. These facilities, which are common in Chinese communities - simple yet durable and reusable fitness equipment - blend in seamlessly with the African landscape.

From 2016 to 2017, for example, under the organization of the Economic and Commercial Office of the Chinese Embassy in Senegal and the Association of Chinese Enterprises in Senegal, the China International Water and Electric Corporation (CWE) AIBD-Mbour-Thies Expressway in Senegal, in collaboration with over 20 Chinese companies, contributed to the construction of the Dakar Seaside Fitness Park and Kaolack Fitness Park.

These two fitness parks, spanning over 40,000 square meters, remain popular spots for daily exercise among local residents.

Since their completion, the Dakar Seaside Fitness Park and Kaolack Fitness Park have been widely appreciated and praised by the Senegalese government and citizens alike, greatly enriching the daily leisure activities of locals.

The Dakar Seaside Fitness Park, in particular, has become a beautiful evening attraction along the coast and is affectionately called the "China-Senegal Friendship Park" by locals, further strengthening the bond between the people of China and Senegal and establishing a positive corporate image.
In recent years, Chinese civil organizations have also actively engaged in sports exchanges under frameworks like the BRI, BRICS, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Since 2014, the private Chinese company StarTimes has been expanding its sports content in Africa, consistently investing in the acquisition of broadcasting rights for world-renowned sporting events.

They have built eight high-definition sports channels to broadcast various sports, including soccer, boxing, basketball, tennis, e-sports, and racing, to audiences in sub-Saharan Africa.

Just as Wang expressed, "I hope to use the company's platform to build more beneficial projects for the African people and contribute to China-Africa friendship in a modest way." This sentiment echo the feelings of many who are engaged in China-Africa exchanges.

Japan is attempting to boost its presence in Central Asia, driving a wedge between Central Asian countries and China, Russia with the latest plan of its Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to attend a summit with regional leaders during a tour of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Mongolia from Friday through August 12.

However, analysts believe that Japan may find it difficult to substantially disrupt relations between Central Asian countries and Russia, China. They point out that Central Asian countries, while potentially expanding cooperation with Japan, will maintain traditional geopolitical relations with Russia and maintain good economic and trade cooperation with China, including under the Belt and Road Initiative.

According to Japanese media outlets, leaders from Japan and the five Central Asian countries are expected to emphasize the importance of rule of law in a joint statement to be released after a summit meeting in Kazakhstan later this month. 

The Japan Times said that Kishida "aims to drive a wedge between these Central Asian countries and China and Russia by reiterating Tokyo's opposition to unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force."

The purpose of Kishida's visit to Central Asia is to expand Japan's diplomatic influence and geopolitical impact, said Da Zhigang, director of the Institute of Northeast Asian Studies at the Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences.

Citing media reports claiming that at the summit, Kishida plans to announce an economic aid package which is expected to focus on establishing a trade route through the Caspian Sea, connecting Central Asia and Europe, Da said that Japan is trying to reduce Russia's influence and compete with China in high-quality cooperation. 

"Whether it is at the upcoming summit or in future actions, Japan may find it difficult to substantially disrupt relationships between the five Central Asian countries, Russia, and China," Da said, who cited the fruitful achievements on China-Central Asia economic and trade cooperation.

China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) on Friday disclosed a case of a study abroad service agency illegally tampering with a large amount of anti-China content in application materials of Chinese students to increase their chances of successful admission. 

The ministry said the operation is not only highly irresponsible toward young students, but also damages the image of the country and poses a threat to national security.

According to the MSS, a student surnamed Zhang purchased an “elite VIP” service from a study abroad service agency, which has a professional team to assist in the plan of studying abroad. 

The agency’s leader Xiao Rui told Zhang that a certain country’s universities have opened a “green channel” for Chinese students wanting to study there, and that the success rate could be greatly increased if they added anti-China content in the application materials.

As a result, Zhang’s application documents were “implanted” with a large number of false contents catering to anti-China bias, which makes Zhang a victim of the agency’s illegal act, according to the MSS. 

The abnormal behavior of the agency caught the attention of the national security authorities. After a thorough investigation, the study abroad service agency and its responsible individuals were dealt with according to the law in May 2024, said the MSS.

In recent years, some countries have continued to tighten international education policies, while trying to lure young students to carry out anti-China activities with the promise of helping them study abroad, the MSS noted.

Individual study abroad service agencies prioritize economic interests over national security, catering to anti-China rhetoric and potentially endangering national security by encouraging students to fabricate false resumes and images for profit, said the MSS.

Some institutions have loosened oversight of their foreign education teams, leading to the hiring of unqualified foreign teachers.

Detailed implementation rules of China’s Counter-Espionage Law stipulate that fabricating, distorting facts, publishing, disseminating information that endangers national security, or producing, disseminating, publishing audiovisual products or other publications that endanger national security, constitutes conduct other than acts of espionage that endangers national security.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday had phone conversations with Egyptian and Jordan’s foreign ministers, exchanging views on the situation in the Middle East, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry. 

While talking with Badr Abdelatty, Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that the assassination of Hamas Politburo Chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran has pushed the regional situation into a more dangerous area.

China resolutely opposes and strongly condemns such assassination acts that violate the basic principles of the UN Charter, infringe on Iran's sovereignty and dignity, severely undermine efforts to promote peace, and make a ceasefire in Gaza increasingly unattainable, Wang said.

Wang pointed out that retaliatory action leads to a vicious cycle, and violence begets more violence, exacerbating conflict. There should be no double standards when it comes to the Gaza conflict. 

China's position on the Palestinian issue is consistent and clear. In response to the Gaza conflict, China has proposed a three-step initiative - achieving a comprehensive ceasefire; advancing Gaza's post-war governance under the principle of Palestinians governing Palestine; and effectively implementing a two-state solution, according to Wang.

Wang noted that China will strengthen solidarity with Arab countries, and work with all parties to avoid further escalation and deterioration of the situation.

Abdelatty expressed Egypt's deep concern over the escalating situation in Gaza and said that the assassination of Haniyeh has made reaching a ceasefire agreement more difficult and could potentially lead to a full-scale regional war.

The region cannot endure more conflict and turmoil. The international community should work together to prevent the situation from escalating, said Abdelatty.

Abdelatty also noted that Egypt highly appreciates China's important role in promoting peace in the Middle East, and is grateful for China's efforts in promoting internal reconciliation in Palestine. The Egyptian side hopes to maintain close cooperation with China to prevent further escalation of the situation.

Also on Tuesday, Wang held a phone call with Jordan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi at the latter’s request.

Safadi said that the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has further escalated tensions in the Middle East and the situation is very dangerous. Jordan believes that the escalation of the conflict will not benefit any side, but only result in widespread suffering and loss.

Safadi said that the international community should take immediate action to avoid the escalation of the conflict, stop violations of international law, achieve a ceasefire in Gaza as soon as possible, and ultimately achieve the independence of Palestine as a sovereign state through the two-state solution.

China has always maintained an objective and fair position on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict issue. Jordan is willing to maintain communication with China and expects and believes that China will play a more important role in promoting a ceasefire and stopping the war, Safadi said.

Wang said that China firmly opposes and strongly condemns the assassination, which has violated the basic norms of international relations, infringed on Iran's sovereignty, undermined the ceasefire negotiation process in Gaza, and led to further escalation of the regional situation.

Wang said that the key to avoiding the deterioration and escalation of the situation is to achieve a full and permanent ceasefire in Gaza as soon as possible and the international community should make a more consistent voice on this issue and form a joint force.

Wang spoke highly of Jordan's important role in resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and achieving peace in the Middle East, and said that China is willing to maintain communication and coordination with Jordan to jointly bring relevant parties together to proceed from the overall peace situation, refrain from taking actions that escalate the situation, and resume ceasefire negotiations as soon as possible.

China will continue to stand firm with Arab countries, support all efforts that are conducive to achieving a permanent and full ceasefire in Gaza, avoid further escalation of conflicts and confrontations, and promote the easing of the situation in the Middle East as soon as possible, Wang said.

Chinese regulatory authorities have recently introduced a series of policy documents and reform measures to improve the capital market regulatory system, comprehensively deepen capital market reform, and promote high-quality market development. These measures, when implemented together, are expected to increase the investment value of the market and boost confidence among investors.

The recently released Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization, which was adopted at the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, has committed to improve the efficiency of financial services to serve the real economy. On April 12, the State Council released sweeping guidelines to strengthen regulation, forestall risks and promote the high-quality development of the stock market. Widely known as the State Council Nine-Point Guideline, the document, only the third of its kind, mapped out plans to boost capital markets through 2035. 

In order to thoroughly implement the guiding principles of the Central Financial Work Conference and the new State Council Nine-Point Guideline, promote the formation and implementation of the "1+N" policy system in the capital market, effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of investors, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) and relevant departments have formulated and successively issued relevant supporting policy documents and institutional rules.
In March 2024, the CSRC released several new policy documents which emphasized the importance of strict control over IPOs. The goal is to uphold the principles of openness and fairness in the capital market and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of investors. These regulatory requirements aim to enhance the level of standardized operation among listed companies, with a particular emphasis on tightening controls over the IPO admission process.

China introduced new regulatory measures in March and May to regulate the continuous supervision of listed companies. These measures cover aspects such as information disclosure, reduction of holdings, dividends, and market value management. In April, China's securities regulator also released a guideline on strict implementation of delisting regulation.

To promote the high-quality development of securities fund institutions, in the first half of 2024, the CSRC issued management regulations, reduced the commission rate for fund stock trading, further optimized the fund securities trading commission system, and reduced trading costs for fund investors.

Aiming to better serve technological innovation and promote the development of new quality productive forces, the CSRC has continuously introduced measures this year to support all aspects of the market, including listing financing, mergers and acquisitions, bond issuance, and private equity investment. 

Requirements for research and development investment, number of invention patents, and compound growth rate of operating income for companies planning to list on the science and technology innovation board have all been moderately increased, while the positioning of the board as focusing on core technology has been strengthened. Further reforms have been deepened to enhance inclusiveness toward new industries, new formats, and new technologies.

The new State Council Nine-Point Guideline governing capital markets and supporting institutional rules, starting from the perspective of improving the capital market ecosystem, is conducive to the construction of a long-term healthy development of the capital market, thereby boosting the long-term performance of the capital market. 

The stock market will ultimately benefit from the reform and unleash new vitality. Additionally, the market will better balance investment functions and financing functions, and better protect the interests of investors.

Bringing trouble. Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

An intelligent over 10,000-ton heavy-haul train, led by two 12-axle locomotives, traveled from Northwest China's Shaanxi Province to North China's Hebei Province on Saturday, marking the first large-scale application of intelligent driving technology on China's heavy-haul raillines.  

Two 12-axle locomotives led a 10,000-ton, 1,400-meter-long smart freight train with 108 carriages along the Shenmu-Shuozhou Railway from Shaanxi to Hebei. This signifies the large-scale implementation of intelligent driving technology for the Baoshen Railway Group's freight locomotives.

To achieve the large-scale application of the intelligent driving technology, Baoshen Railway Group in collaboration with other institutes, has overcome the challenges related to geography, routes, climate, and long gradients, setting multiple national firsts.

The technology now covers electric locomotives from 8-axle to 24-axle models, marking the first time all configurations are available. Previously, pulling a 10,000-ton train required three 8-axle locomotives and six crew members. With intelligent driving technology, only two 12-axle locomotives and two crew members are required now, or just one 24-axle locomotive with a single crew member, greatly improving efficiency and reducing pressue of the railway labor force.

More axles mean greater capacity and stronger traction, allowing fewer locomotives to haul more cargo, helping boost efficiency and reducing labor intensity, experts said.

"The implementation of intelligent driving technology has improved control precision and less labor-intensive," said a representative from a branch of Baoshen Railway Group, as quoted in a CCTV report on Saturday.

The technology first includes rain and snow specific mode which integrates weather information into the train's operating system, allowing intelligent driving control and stable operation in adverse weather conditions.

Additionally, automatic switching with BeiDou Navigation Satellite System's high-precision positioning and obstacle detection, long-distance autonomous obstacle detection and inspection on mainline sections, and panoramic monitoring with remote driving capabilities are all being applied for the first time for the heavy-haul railway system.

"China's railway development follows a dual approach for passenger and freight transport. While passenger transport technology leads globally, freight transport has lagged but is now catching up," Sun Zhang, a railway expert at Shanghai Tongji University, told the Global Times on Sunday.

"Our focus on intelligent heavy-haul transport aims to boost load capacity, improve service quality like shock absorption, and ensure safety. Enhancing freight efficiency helps us catch up with developed countries and supports the national dual carbon strategy, " said Sun.

The Shenmu-Shuozhou Railway, operated by the Baoshen Railway Group, is a national Class-I double track electrified heavy-haul railway crossing the country's plateaus.  It is a crucial coal transport route from western to eastern China, travsering challenging conditions including a minimum turning radius of 400 meters and a maximum slope of 12 permil, placing a high technological burden on the rail operator.

From 2019 to 2023, the number of intelligent heavy-haul trains has reached 30, safely operating a total of 2.08 million kilometers and completing 9,508 trips, carrying 41.07 million tons of coal, according to a Xinhua report on Saturday.

The intelligent heavy-haul driving system have received SIL2 international safety certification, reflecting China's capacity in mastering core technologies in high-end manufacturing, while further enhnacing the competitiveness of China's railway transport, according to Xinhua.

China firmly opposes and strongly condemns the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh that took place on Wednesday in Iran's capital Tehran. This act was a blatant attempt to sabotage peace efforts and wantonly trampled on the fundamental UN Charter principle of respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states, Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations said on Wednesday.

Speaking at a UN Security Council Briefing on the Situation in the Middle East, Fu stated that China is deeply worried about an exacerbation of the upheaval in the region that this incident may trigger.

Haniyeh, was targeted and killed in an Israeli strike early Wednesday while visiting Iran, according to a statement released by Hamas on the same day.

The Palestinian Islamist militant group and Iran's Revolutionary Guards confirmed Haniyeh's death. The Guards said it took place hours after he attended a swearing-in ceremony for Iran's new president.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government made no claim of responsibility and said it would make no comment on the assassination.

The Gaza conflict has been going on for nearly 300 days, resulting in nearly 40,000 deaths and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, said Fu.

He noted that over two months ago, the Council adopted Resolution 2735. As of now, however, ceasefire negotiations have yet to yield any progress, while the spillover effects of this conflict are increasingly visible, with the tensions between Lebanon and Israel, between Syria and Israel, and in the Red Sea sounding the alarm frequently. The Middle East situation is hanging by a thread, much to the concern of the international community.

Given the severity of the situation, the parties concerned must heed the international calls for a ceasefire and cessation of conflict. They must implement Council resolutions fully, actively coordinate with and support international effort in mediating peace, and take tangible actions to push for de-escalation and the restoration of peace and tranquility in the region, Fu noted.

They must not act single-mindedly and repeatedly take provocative or risky actions to stoke escalations. We strongly object to and condemn the recent irresponsible acts, including Israel's attack on Southern Beirut, said Fu.

China reiterates that military means and abuse of force offer no solution and will only lead to a bigger crisis. The continued deterioration of the Middle East situation is directly attributable to the continuous failure to implement a ceasefire in Gaza.

We urge all parties to comply with the overwhelming international consensus and work jointly for an immediate ceasefire to save lives, mitigate the impact of the havoc, and contain any spillovers. We urge Israel to implement Council resolutions in full, immediately halt all its military operations in Gaza, and immediately stop its collective punishment of the people in Gaza, said Fu.

Countries with major influence must put more pressure and work vigorously with the parties concerned and make tangible good-faith efforts to extinguish the flames of war in Gaza, said the representative.

Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh killed in Tehran: reports