Fujian Province in east China opened its first direct shipping route to Timor-Leste on Sunday, with the voyage taking only seven days, saving 15 days compared with the previous transshipment mode.
The move is expected to give a boost to trade between the world's second largest economy and the Southeast Asian country.
A cargo ship loaded with 1,357 tons of screw-thread steel bars, trucks and engineering vehicles left the Huajin Terminal of Quanzhou Port for Dili Port in Timor-Leste, marking the official launch of the fastest sea lane linking China with Timor-Leste.
According to Xiamen Customs which administers Quanzhou Customs, Quanzhou City's exports to the Belt and Road Initiative partner countries came in at 124.36 billion yuan (about 17 billion U.S. dollars) in 2024, up 5 percent year on year and accounting for 62.6 percent of its total foreign trade.
As of February 23, Quanzhou Port has opened 36 shipping routes for Belt and Road cooperation.
The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe, Africa and beyond.
So far, more than 150 countries and over 30 international organizations have signed Belt and Road cooperation agreements, with the initiative extending from the Eurasian continent to Africa and Latin America.
China's Fujian opens first direct shipping route to Timor-Leste
A Chinese medical team left China on Saturday heading for Ethiopia, where they will offer technological assistance and support to talent development in the country's healthcare sector over the next 12 months.
The 14-member team includes experts in clinical medicine, medical technology, hospital administration, and logistical support.
Mainly selected from the First Hospital Affiliated to the Army Medical University (AMU) in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, the team members possess extensive experience in medical practice and management.
During the mission, the experts will help the country's military hospitals to enhance medical service capacity, promote the application of new technologies, strengthen hospital operations, train professional personnel, and support the establishment of healthcare management systems, thereby contributing to the improvement of local medical services.
"I feel deeply honored by this mission, and I'm fully aware of the responsibility it carries. We are committed to carrying forward the spirit of China's overseas medical teams, which features tenacity, dedication, commitment to saving lives, and love that knows no borders, and will apply our skills for the benefit of the Ethiopian military and civilians," said team member Guo Hao from the AMU.
Since 2015, the AMU hospital has dispatched 11 batches totaling more than 100 medical experts to Ethiopia.
Their efforts gave strong support to achieving notable progress in medical facility construction, and technological and talent development in the country's healthcare sector.
China sends 11th group of medical experts to Ethiopia
