China is pushing forward digital trade to accelerate the Asia-Pacific's shift toward greener, low-carbon growth and to support sustainable development, said Chinese minister of commerce ahead of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting, which is being held from Friday to Saturday in Suzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province.
As China previously hosted APEC trade ministers' meetings in 2001 and 2014, this year marks its third time as the host economy for APEC. The meeting will focus on four key areas: advancing the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, safeguarding the multilateral trading system, strengthening digital cooperation, and promoting a green economy.
In advancing the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, participants will further promote the coordinated development of regional rules and standards, and enhance the level of regional economic integration.
In safeguarding the multilateral trading system, they will work with all parties to deliver strong support for the World Trade Organization, and contribute an Asia-Pacific solution to building a sound and orderly international economic and trade framework.
In recent years, APEC members have carried out extensive practical cooperation in digital areas such as paperless trade, cross-border e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and smart customs.
The Asia-Pacific Model E-port Network initiated by China has become an important platform for regional cooperation on trade digitization.
During the meeting, participants will also work to deliver more practical outcomes in the areas of digital cooperation and the green economy.
"We hope to build broad, positive consensus on advancing the digitalization of trade, and to create a more conducive digital ecosystem for regional trade and investment growth. China stands ready to work closely with all parties to align green development strategies, explore international cooperation on green minerals, and strengthen collaboration on green standards -- such as standards related to carbon emissions -- thereby promoting a shift in the region's development model toward green and low-carbon transformation," said Wang Wentao, Chinese Minister of Commerce.
China advances digital trade for greener, low-carbon Asia-Pacific
China's first two-tonne-class tethered balloon entered trial operation in a major power transmission project on Monday, providing a brand-new solution for transportation in power grid construction projects in high-altitude and ecologically sensitive areas, according to the State Grid.
The project is a massive ultra-high voltage (UHV) power transmission line that will carry clean energy from Xizang Autonomous Region in southwest China across thousands of kilometers to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in south China.
At the construction site, a large balloon with a diameter of 25 meters and a volume of 8,000 cubic meters slowly rose into the air.
As multiple mooring lines were simultaneously extended and retracted, the heavy construction materials suspended beneath the balloon were lifted off the ground and moved smoothly along a predetermined route toward the mountainous work site.
"This is our newly developed load-bearing tethered balloon. We have just completed a maximum load test of two tonnes at an altitude of 4,000 meters. Next, we will conduct a hoisting operation for power supply materials over a straight-line distance of 500 meters and a vertical drop of 120 meters," said Qin Jian, researcher at the Transmission and Transformation Engineering Technology Research Institute of the State Grid Electric Power Engineering Research Institute.
A heavy-lift tethered balloon involves launching a helium-filled balloon into the air and connecting it to the ground with one or several cables.
By adjusting the cable, the balloon's altitude and horizontal position are controlled to facilitate the transport of materials at high altitudes.
The balloon can travel up to 800 meters and carry a maximum load of two tonnes, with a positional accuracy of within 0.5 meters.
As the construction of new power grids is extending more rapidly into high-altitude, remote mountainous and ecologically sensitive areas, the transportation of materials for transmission projects has become a major challenge constraining construction progress.
Traditional road construction for transportation have long cycles and significant ecological disruption, while drones, though agile and flexible, face limitations in scenarios requiring heavy loads or prolonged continuous transport.
Tethered balloon transport technology effectively overcomes these difficulties.
"The construction section where this technology is applied is located in an uninhabited mountainous area at an altitude of over 4,000 meters. Many tower sites are situated on steep ridges inaccessible by road, making this the section with the highest altitude, most treacherous terrain and most challenging operations in the entire project. The two-tonne tethered balloon is better suited to high-altitude conditions characterized by thin air and strong winds, and its load capacity and stability can better meet transportation requirements," said Feng Tao, project manager of the State Grid Henan Power Transmission and Transformation Company.
China puts first 2-tonne tethered balloon into operation
