A new generation of young miners, equipped with advanced technical expertise and digital skills, is helping drive the intelligent transformation of China's coal industry at an accelerated pace.
Shanxi Province in north China, a key national energy base, produces an average of more than 3.5 million tons of coal daily, supplying much of north China with heat and power.
At the forefront of this endeavor are young workers like Yu Jinkang, a shift technician and Wang Shuai, a hydraulic support operator at Huayang Group's No. 1 mine.
Their daily routine begins before dawn, suiting up in more than 10 kilograms of gear before descending 400 meters underground, first by suspended personnel carrier, then by mine train, followed by a 50-minute hike to the coalface.
The mine, with an annual output of 8.5 million tons, is one of China's first smart mining demonstration sites. Here, a 2.2-meter cutting drum slices coal like cake, while intelligent systems automatically manage dust and temperature. Full 5G coverage enables instant video calls to surface engineers, dramatically cutting troubleshooting time.
"As a 5G-powered smart mine, we have real-time video monitoring of operations at the transfer point, allowing us to oversee equipment performance and personnel activity on the working face. We strictly adhere to the principle: no work proceeds without video coverage, without monitoring, and without supervision," Yu said.
This tech-driven approach has boosted efficiency, increasing daily coal output by 1,000 tons while reducing the workforce by half. For young miners like Wang, the transformation represents both opportunity and responsibility.
"I believe that if we choose an occupation, we should love it and commit to it fully. Having taken on this position, we must fulfill our duties conscientiously every single day. This is not only our promise -- it's our responsibility," Wang said.
"Youth is about making an impact. When our dedication and hard work are transformed time and again into raw coal that lights up countless homes, that is the moment of greatest pride and fulfillment for every miner. That's precisely where the meaning of our struggle lies," Yu said.
As smart mining expands, the blend of youth and technology is proving vital to modernizing an industry key to China's energy security and economic stability.
Young tech-savvy miners drive smart transformation of China's coal industry
South China's Guangdong Province is accelerating its transformation into an international medical tourism hub, positioning itself as a destination for patients worldwide seeking affordable, high-quality care.
The push follows a joint initiative announced in late March by nine Chinese government departments, including the Ministry of Commerce, aimed at boosting spending by foreign tourists and enhancing exports of tourism services as part of broader efforts to expand the country's service sector.
Every day, some of the most complex surgeries are performed here. Li Zilun, deputy director of the division of vascular surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‑sen University, is among the doctors capable of carrying out these intricate procedures.
He recently completed surgery on a patient with an aortic aneurysm, a condition often described as a "time bomb" in the body’s main artery, increasingly common in aging societies around the globe. Li also specializes in highly difficult and pioneering procedures, including repairing leaks caused by failed grafts.
"This was a very challenging case. And then, we implanted the covered stent to eliminate the endoleak. Actually, the outcome was pretty good. The patient will be discharged today," said Li Zilun.
The ability to handle such complex cases -- combining international techniques with domestically produced devices -- is drawing patients from around the world to seek treatment. In addition, high safety standards and low costs are also major draws.
"Our government is encouraging innovation. So, lots of physicians -- including our vascular surgeons -- we are actively involved in the innovation that helps to increase the effectiveness and safety, and also bring down the cost," said Li.
This hospital is one of the first in Guangdong to be designated by the provincial health commission as a pilot site for building an international medical service hub.
The growing number of patients has pushed the hospital to explore new ways to transform every step -- from treatment to payment and everything in between -- into a seamless experience, reducing waiting times and delivering better care for patients.
"I think it's fast. When the patient come here for just about, I think, one week, you can solve the problem," said Xiao Haipeng, president of the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University.
The hospital is also deepening its international cooperation with top-tier medical institutions, including those at Harvard University.
"Not just for China, for the whole globe, we are facing health care challenges -- emerging infectious disease and chronic, lung infectious diseases, and also the aging population, also the shortage of healthcare workforce," said Xiao.
In response to these challenges, China is promoting its own solutions, including aggressive innovation in artificial intelligence (AI)-driven workflows, while stepping up research and development investment and global engagement along the way.
"In recent years, the innovation in Western medicine is dramatically growing. An example of my hospital -- in the past few years, we have 140 innovations and seven of them are international leading innovations," said Xiao.
As global demand for medical tourism grows, China is positioning itself as a new destination. Official data shows that the number of foreign patients in Guangdong increased by 20 percent last year. Among them, the growth in inpatient admissions was even faster, rising by 76 percent.
Guangdong fast-tracks pilot for int'l medical service hub
