Foreign diplomats expect closer partnership with China on green tech, AI during southern tour

Diplomats from 37 countries have expressed the hope to enhance partnership with China in emerging sectors such as green development and AI after experiencing the country's latest achievements in such sectors during a five-day tour to China's economic powerhouse Guangdong Province.

The tour, titled "Set Sail for the 15th Five-Year Plan: China's Growth, World Opportunity (Guangdong)", concluded on Friday and was organized jointly by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Guangdong provincial government. It drew 60 diplomatic envoys to Guangdong to experience economic vitality and explore deeper cooperation.

Traveling across four cities in the southern province, the envoys were impressed with China's latest advancements in new energy, green and low-carbon technologies, artificial intelligence, and robotics.

During a stop in Zhongshan, a city in southern Guangdong, the delegation visited Mingyang Smart Energy, a wind turbine manufacturer and clean-energy solutions provider. The Chinese manufacturer recently deployed the world's first dual-rotor floating offshore wind platform off the coast of Yangjiang, capable of generating enough electricity to power 30,000 households for a year.

The company's wind turbines also stand along Pakistan's Indian Ocean coast, converting offshore wind power into a driving force for local development.

"It is great to have companies like Minyang, which can provide customized solutions, for every country, but more so for developing countries, which have limited resources, but they also want to overcome the climate change problem, but they need access to these instruments and tools and technologies which they can afford," said Khalil Hashmi, Pakistan's Ambassador to China.

"It was really interesting how [they] have been working with energy, for example, in the ocean, that something really interesting to explore in nations of Latin America, not only El Salvador," Luis Lopez, ambassador of El Salvador to China.

The delegation also observed the surging artificial intelligence and robotics ecosystem in Guangdong. The province has grown into China's largest cluster for intelligent robotics, hosting more than 7,000 robotics-related enterprises.

Across four cities in the province, the diplomats observed how AI-driven humanoid robots use multilingual capabilities and environmental adaptation to conduct site tours. The demonstrations effectively showcased the robots' commercial readiness for diverse roles in both the service and manufacturing sectors.

"Technology in Guangdong is amazing. The technology in terms of robotics and the technology in terms of electric vehicles, this is really something which is new, and it is something which is required in the future. And so we want to thank Guangdong for being pioneers in bringing these new technologies to the world," said Willy Bett, Kenya's ambassador to China.

Foreign diplomats expect closer partnership with China on green tech, AI during southern tour

The Honghe butterfly valley in southwest China's Yunnan Province is expected to see a 10-year high butterfly boom this year.

As one of the world's richest regions for butterfly species, the butterfly valley in Jinping County sees a massive butterfly emergence every year in late spring and early summer.

From May to June, billions of butterflies emerge and fill the skies above the valley.

Experts estimate this year's butterfly number could be the highest in nearly a decade.

Scientists say such a spectacle is only possible in a healthy ecosystem.

For nearly three decades, local resident Yang Zhenwen has devoted himself to monitoring and protecting the butterflies.

Every day during the emergence season, he serves a special meal to help the tiny creatures replenish their energy: a nutrient solution he developed together with researchers.

"The solution is made mainly from local ingredients, including pineapples, fermented glutinous rice juice and brown sugar. After being boiled together, a small amount of salt is added," said Yang.

Yang regularly patrols the mountains, monitors butterfly habitats, records species data and tracks the growth of host plants.

Recently, over 40 content creators were invited to the county to promote biodiversity conservation through artistic installations and online campaigns. With support from the local government, conservation is also driving rural development.

"We have invited some social organizations. They bring some artists to come here to help our people design butterfly craft products, and also, some professional guides to train our people to become a good tourist guide. I would like to say it's a vivid proof of how human beings and nature can live in harmony," said Liu Xuan, deputy head of Jinping County.

The butterfly valley is drawing in a growing number of tourists.

Butterfly boom forecast to hit 10-year high at butterfly valley in Yunnan