Workers on duty at a battery production line in Xining City, northwest China's Qinghai Province, February 21, 2024. /CFP
With the festive spirit of the Lantern Festival fading, China is transitioning into a new season of economic development, marked by a renewed focus on high-quality engineering advancements. This emphasis comes as the nation resumes its workweek on Monday, signaling a collective shift towards achieving long-term prosperity through innovative and sustainable engineering solutions.
The Lantern Festival (which fell on February 24 this year), also known as the Yuanxiao Festival, marks the end of the Spring Festival (which fell on February 10 this year) celebrations on the 15th day of the first lunar month.
According to CCTV.com, the number of employed workers in China's over 2,000 key industrial parks will increase 5.8 percent during the Spring Festival travel rush (January 26 to March 5) comparing with the same period in 2023.
Industries such as food and furniture manufacturing will witness the biggest increase in employment of 6.6 percent, with equipment manufacturing industries such as automobile and electrical machinery expecting an increase of over 6 percent.
Furthermore, some local authorities indicate that the post-holiday resumption of work is proceeding smoothly. According to the Hunan Department of Industry and Information technology, as of February 21, more than 17,900 enterprises in the province had resumed work, with a resume work rate of 87.8 percent.
The figure saw a five-percentage-point increase from the previous day, involving manufacturing enterprises including food, light industry, textile, construction machinery, automobile and more.
A view of the construction site of the Naning-Yulin section of the Nanning-Shenzhen high-speed railway, Nanning City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. /CFP
The commitment to high-quality development is manifesting in various initiatives and projects across the nation, aiming to propel China towards a more robust, sustainable, and technologically advanced future. The country recognizes the crucial role of engineering in achieving its high-quality development goals.
Mega engineering projects such as the Nanning-Shenzhen high-speed railway, south China's Guangxi's first self-invested 350 km/h high-speed railway, exemplifies China's commitment to upgrading its transportation networks and fostering regional connectivity.
The 665-kilometer high-speed railway links two major cities in south China, Shenzhen City in Guangdong Province and Nanning City in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The main construction project of the Naning-Yulin section, connecting Nanning City and Yulin City in Guangxi, of the high-speed railway has entered the sprint stage, as it will be put into operation within this year.
Professor Xie Kaizhong from the School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Guangxi University, told CGTN that during the construction of the Naning-Yulin Railway bridge, the team faced basic karst geological problems such as high temperatures and humidity, and typhoons and rainstorms, each bringing more challenges to the construction.
"Our team has advocated for "four news" (new materials, new technique, new technology and new machinery) throughout the project, and we developed a bridge-building machine for long-section construction of Liujing Yujiang Bridge which had greatly improved our efficiency," Xie added.
Worker on duty at a battery production line in Xining City, northwest China's Qinghai Province, February 21, 2024. /CFP
In northeast China, the Daqing Oilfield's offshore photovoltaic power station showcases the country's efforts to integrate clean energy sources into existing infrastructure, contributing to a greener future.
Thanks to four technological breakthroughs for efficiency improvement, more than 2,400 oil wells in the Daqing oilfield have advanced the annual crude oil output of 300,000 tonnes to 1.2 million tonnes.
In addition, northwest China's Qinghai Province is focusing on building a modern industrial system, vigorously promoting innovation and strong chain, and constantly cultivating and expanding emerging industries. Its focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and biotechnology underscores China's commitment to embracing new technologies and shaping the future of various sectors.
During the Spring Festival holiday that just ended, a total of 55.98 billion yuan (about $7.77 billion) of new industrial park, green intelligent computing centers and other 14 key projects opened in Xining City, injecting strong new momentum for high-quality development.
Shi Jianping, mayor of Xining City, Qinghai Province, told China Media Group (CMG) that "our goal is to strive to carry out projects and construction in the development of new quality productivity, so as to enhance our comprehensive strength and core competitiveness of enterprises."
In central China's Henan Province, breakthroughs like solid alloy technology for hydrogen energy storage demonstrate the country's dedication to fostering cutting-edge solutions for clean and efficient energy utilization.
Researchers there successfully tackled the problem of hydrogen energy storage in solid alloy technology, adding a new way for hydrogen energy storage. In 2024, the province will focus on the cultivation and growth of key industrial chains, and strive to make breakthroughs in the output and transformation of major innovation achievements, providing a steady stream of power for high-quality economic development.
Zhang Rui, head of the Department of Science and Technology of Henan Province, told CMG that "in 2024, we will integrate resources for platforms to upgrade our traditional industries, cultivate and develop emerging industries and advance layout of future industries."
Workers on duty at a production workshop of an electronics enterprise in an industrial park in Ji'an City, east China's Jiangxi Province, February 26, 2024. /CFP
Moreover, initiatives in east China's Jiangxi Province to modernize its manufacturing industry's key chains highlight the focus on enhancing efficiency and competitiveness in established sectors.
The province is vigorously implementing the modernization of the key industrial chain of the manufacturing industry, strives to build six advanced manufacturing clusters such as electronic information, aviation, lithium battery and photovoltaic new energy.
By prioritizing high-quality engineering advancements, China can not only solidify its position as a global leader in infrastructure development and technological innovation but also contribute to building a more sustainable and prosperous future for itself and the global community.
(CGTN's reporter Zhao Chenchen also contributed to the story.)