Infrastructure

China has reportedly exceeded three million fifth-generation base stations, continuing its dominance as an internet and communications technology powerhouse, outpacing the US in annual 5G installations. Data released by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) indicated that the Asian superpower has reached a total of 3.19 million stations – an average of…

Chinese renewables giant, Ming Yang Energy Group, continues to push the limits of what’s possible in the offshore wind industry, this time announcing plans to build a world-record 22-megawatt turbine with Eiffel-Tower-sized blades. The engineering and design team expects to complete early prototype models within two years, according to Ming Yang insiders. Companies like Ming…

A team of Chinese researchers has created a low-carbon building material from brick waste, sand and other mineral grains. The inspiration for their breakthrough came from an unlikely source: sandcastle worms. Also referred to as honeycomb tube worms, the diminutive marine species build reefs by secreting sand particles combined with a glue-like substance, creating small…

Robots may play a pivotal role in preserving the world’s last giant radio telescope. Situated in southern China’s mountainous Guizhou province, the 500-metre aperture spherical radio telescope (FAST) became the only one of its type, after Puerto Rico’s Arecibo telescope collapsed in December 2020. Five intelligent robots have passed preliminary inspections to conduct maintenance work…

South African authorities have announced construction on the Mtentu Bridge has begun. The R4.05 billion cantilever bridge will span the Mtentu River in the Eastern Cape’s Winnie Madikizela-Mandela municipality and, with an estimated height of 223 metres, will be the tallest on the African continent. Conceived by Danish architecture house, Dissing and Weitling, the Mtentu…

Chinese physicists have completed the first and most crucial step towards what they claim will be the world’s first commercial onshore modular reactor. Because it is mobile, the core for the ‘Linglong One’ nuclear reactor, built by China First Heavy Industries, is an ideal candidate for small islands and other remote locations. The breakthrough marks…

Chinese officials have approved the country’s first thorium-based nuclear reactor at the Hongshagang Industrial Cluster in Wuwei City. The experimental reactor could open the door to a cheap and safe alternative to uranium-based nuclear energy in the future, according to those close to the project. Located in the far reaches of China’s north-western Gobi Desert,…

China’s first deep-sea offshore floating wind turbine is ready to go live. The gigantic wind-powered platform was developed by the state-owned energy firm, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and is expected to produce 22 million kilowatt-hours of clean electricity every year. The 11 thousand-ton turbine, called Haiyou Guanlan or CNOOC Guanlan, was installed 137…

Chinese researchers have reported a significant breakthrough on their journey to master wireless 6G communication. Researchers from the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation Secondary Institute used terahertz waves to successfully demonstrate the first live transmission of the ultra-fast 6G technology. 6th generation telecommunications or ‘6G’ technology will eventually succeed 5G technology, the latest benchmark…

Zimbabwean authorities are considering a proposal made by the China Energy Engineering Corporation (China Energy) for a 1 000-megawatt floating solar farm on the southern African country’s largest water body, Lake Kariba. The nearly $1 billion project would ease the immense pressure on Zimbabwe’s energy grid which currently fails to meet even 50% of the…

Chinese engineers have announced they are nearing completion of the landmark Maerdang Dam hydroelectric project on the upper Yellow River. Built at an elevation of 5 000 metres above sea level in the rocky mountains of Maqên County, the 2.2 million kilowatt hydropower facility is expected to begin operating early next year. The Maerdang hydropower…

A Chinese consortium will construct a $650 million toll road in the Zambian Copperbelt province, after several years of delay amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. The proposed 327-kilometre-long roadway joins the Zambian capital, Lusaka, with the country’s third most populous city, Ndola. Once complete, the dual carriageway toll road will form a reliable trade route between…

China has what it claims is the world’s only hydrogen-powered train for urban environments. The eco-friendly carriages rolled off the line on the 18th of January 2023 in the country’s southwestern city of Chengdu, Sichuan province, with an estimated top speed of 160 kilometres per hour, according to a recent report by Chinese state media.…

Beijing-based TikTok owner ByteDance’s artificial intelligence startup, Haomo.AI, has unveiled a new infrastructure platform to supercharge China’s burgeoning autonomous driving industry. Jointly developed by fellow ByteDance cloud services subsidiary, Volcano Engine, the data centre Mana Oasis is the largest computer complex dedicated to autonomous driving, with an estimated computing power of 670 petaflops. Haomo.AI was…

A group of Chinese scientists is experimenting with lasers that keep drones airborne forever. The researchers, representing the country’s Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU), say their method uses high-energy beams that prevent the drone’s batteries from depleting. Drone technology has enjoyed a rapid rise in recent years and subsequently grown into a multi-billion dollar industry. Optics-Driven…

Chinese officials claim to have installed the world’s first operational “natural-direct cooling” (NDC) system for a power plant in the country’s north-central province of Shaanxi. Hailed as a milestone achievement for the industry, the novel cooling method could prevent as many as 54 000 tons of harmful carbon emissions from leaching into the atmosphere yearly.…

Chinese engineers have unveiled a massive 16-megawatt wind turbine, powerful enough to generate and deliver clean electricity to more than 36 000 households yearly. Jointly developed by two of the country’s most prominent industry players, the turbine’s developers claimed it is the largest ever built and that it affirms China’s position as a leader in…

The dream of limitless fusion energy is one step closer to being realised. Chinese scientists claim to have developed the first heat-resistant panels engineered for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). Officially the world’s largest fusion reactor, ITER is a global collaborative project involving several countries, including the UK, EU member states, India, Russia, Japan…

Continuing its focus on new green infrastructure, Chinese officials have unveiled their latest megaproject, a record-breaking 43.3 gigawatt wind farm in Chaozhou, Guangdong province. The ambitious undertaking forms part of the government’s five-year plan for the region and is expected to generate enough clean energy to power up to 15 million homes. Chinese president, Xi…

China’s increasingly more cost-effective wind turbines have the potential to open up new markets. According to an S&P Global report published in late September, China’s ability to consistently manufacture and sell turbines below the European and US market average makes expansion into the often energy-deprived regions of Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East…

China is preparing to certify its answer to Boeing and Airbus this month. The C919 commercial airliner, developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) has already received orders from several domestic airlines and has been described as the realisation of “a Chinese dream”. FlightRadar24, a real-time flight tracking service, identified two C919s landing…

Chinese engineers announced a successful maiden test flight of a massive solar-powered drone in the country’s northwest, according to state media outlet, CGNT. Called Qimingxing-50 or ‘Morning Star’ 50, researchers are confident the unmanned craft could make meaningful contributions to the country’s security, communications and ecological sectors. Taking off from the a runway, Qimingxing-50’s debut…

Kenya has officially launched its long-awaited Nairobi Expressway after concluding months of trials. Kenyan president, Uhuru Kenyatta, announced the completion of the project at a ceremony in July, saying the 27-kilometre tolled highway would ease traffic flow and cut travel times significantly. The Nairobi Expressway was commissioned in 2019, six years into Kenyatta’s presidency. Also…

A team of Chinese scientists say they have created a magnetic levitation (maglev) line that can keep train carriages suspended in mid-air, even when the power goes out. The 800-metre prototype ‘Red Rail’ line is situated in Xingguo country, north of Guangzhou. The experimental maglev line possesses its remarkable sticking power thanks to powerful magnets…

Chinese officials have announced a massive infrastructure project that will reroute water from the Three Gorges Dam to Beijing, in an effort to boost food production in the country’s drier regions by as much as 540 million tons. Freshwater resources are concentrated predominantly in the country’s south and east. China’s two great rivers, the Yangtze,…

China has constructed the world’s longest single-tower suspension bridge, completed on schedule thanks to some robot helpers, according to engineers. Nestled high in the mountains of the country’s south-eastern hills, the half-mile Luzhijiang bridge cuts travel times between major cities in the Yunnan region significantly. One of many belt and road initiative projects underway in…

A Chinese renewables firm has installed a massive solar plant above a fishery in Cangzhou, Heibei Province. The development comes during a period where numerous farmers worldwide are scrambling to incorporate green solar and wind infrastructure into their businesses. Concord New Energy, a renewables company that specialises in solar and wind installations, constructed a 70…

A Chinese supercomputer just ran an AI model so complex and sophisticated that it’s comparable to the human brain. The novel machine dealt with more than 174 trillion parameters, roughly equalling the number of synapses in the brain by some estimates, revealed a report from South China Morning Post (SCMP). The results were showcased at…

Bikita lithium mine in Zimbabwe will receive a mammoth $200 million investment after Chinese mining firm, Sinomine Resource Group, announced it plans to construct a complex capable of producing millions of tons of lithium ore per annum. Realising the strategic importance of the element in the electric vehicle (EV) industry, Zimbabwean officials are making moves…

Chinese software engineers claim to have developed a method to safeguard blockchain networks from potentially harmful privacy breaches. Called Chang’An Chain or Chainmaker, its creators are confident it can protect sensitive or private information transfers from both conventional and increasingly sophisticated quantum attacks. Chainmaker was created by a team of scientists representing the Beijing Academy…

China’s relentless drive to find fossil fuel alternatives continues. This time with the report that the world’s second-largest economy would construct a massive nuclear-powered steam plant in Lianyungang City. Early estimates suggest that the facility could prevent thousands of tons of coal from being burnt and releasing harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The project…

China recently launched a massive floating fish farm in the coastal city of Qingdao. Named Guoxin 1, the 250 metre vessel left port in late May and will process 3 700 tons of fish every year, according to the Chinese Academy of Fishery Services. Constructed by the Qingdao Conson Development Group, Guoxin 1 is enormous…

A tender to build several massive solar farms at sea has been issued by Shandong province. A critical industrial hub for China, Shandong’s latest renewables project promises to generate roughly 11.25 gigawatts of power. This is enough electricity to cover New Zealand’s peak energy consumption requirements. Already home to more solar panels than anywhere else…

Chinese engineers are using AI and 3D printing to build a megadam in only two years. Upon completion, the 590 foot (180m) tall Yangqu Dam will provide much needed energy to the region and will be the single largest object created using 3D printing, dwarfing the previous record holder by 570 foot. High on the…

A research team from Zhejiang University in China says it has developed technology that would facilitate swarms of drones to operate fully autonomously, without the small unmanned crafts crashing into one another. Inspired by how birds almost instinctively fly through wooded areas without collision, the team believes the breakthrough will allow conservationists and ecologists the…

After years of delays and pre-feasibility tests, Kenyan officials have selected two sites for the East African nation’s first nuclear energy production facilities. The project will be run in partnership with China’s National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC). Kenya’s Nuclear Power and Energy Authority (NuPEA), scheduled to break ground at the end of the decade, will add…

Local network operator, Rain, has collaborated with Oppo, one of China’s largest telecommunications companies to develop a new range of 5G routers for the South African market. The fifth-generation wireless system will reportedly be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X55 chipset, one of the brand’s most powerful semiconductors. Oppo would continue to grow its product offering…

While internet users are only just getting to grips with 5G – and while much of the crucial infrastructure required to support the fifth generation of mobile networks is still being built – Chinese engineers have reportedly set a new world record after transmitting a terabyte of data in one second, using 6G. Working out…

China is ramping up its 6G ambitions at an unprecedented rate. While the world at large is still coming to grips with fifth-generation communication networks, a Nikkei Asia report indicates China accounts for more than 40% of the planet’s 6G patents. The next-generation technology is expected to be operational by the end of the decade.…

China has announced plans to ramp up its hydro-pumped storage capacity by as much as 400% to bolster the nation’s fast-growing solar and wind power facilities. A 2021-2035 development plan issued by China’s National Energy Administration outlines ambitions to increase China’s pumped hydro capacity, currently around 32 GW, to 62 GW by 2025 and 120 GW…

A video of a ten-storey building being built in just over a day has captured the attention of internet users worldwide. The video shows the erection of the large residential skyrise building in Changsha, Hunan Province, China. Assembled by a small crew of builders and several cranes, the multi-level housing block was erected in an…

The skyline of Egypt’s New Administrative Capital (NAC) will be forever changed after the Iconic Tower, Africa’s tallest building was completed, thanks to the latest Sino-African cooperation. Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities, Essam el-Gazzar, said the new 385-metre skyscraper was modern Egypt’s latest architectural achievement. Construction of the mega-project began when the China…

China continues to roll out wind farm installations worldwide at an unprecedented rate. In a year ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic, the globe’s second-largest economy accounted for more than half of 2020’s total installations. The significant increase in wind farm installations in 2020 comes after Chinese President, Xi Jinping said China would become a carbon-neutral…

A team of Chinese engineers has managed to ‘walk’ an 85-year-old Shanghai building to safety and a new home, using robotic legs. The nearly century-old education centre, in Shanghai’s eastern Huangpu district, was successfully lifted off its concrete foundations, hoisted on to a network of robotic legs – known as the ‘walking machine’, and moved…

Lesotho’s Mafeteng solar power plant aims to bring energy to 70% of Lesotho’s citizens who remain without access to power. The project, a 70MWp photovoltaic solar farm in the Ha-Ramathole district of Mafeteng, was given the green light after the Export-Import (Exim) Bank of China provided funding. It will break ground in early 2021. The…

The world’s second-largest solar farm, 2.2Gw plant, has come online in China’s Qinghai Province. The unveiling comes shortly after President Xi Jinping told the United Nations Annual General assembly that China plans to go carbon neutral by 2060. The plant, in China’s sparsely populated northwest region, took around four months to complete. Qinghai’s solar farm…

Promoting South Africa’s hydrogen economy should be a top priority for South African policymakers and industry leaders, says Steve Phiri, chief Executive of Royal Bafokeng Platinum (RBPlat). Focusing resources on the relatively new industry may be help alleviate South Africa’s energy crisis, Phiri said at a virtual debate on 9 September, hosted by PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC).…

Global wind farm capacity is likely to grow nearly 800% by the end of 2030 – with China at the head of the pack, according to two recent reports. A report by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) indicates stronger than originally forecasted growth for the sector. The Energy Council had to review its latest…

Chinese internet giant, Tencent Holdings plans, to build a futuristic ‘Net City’ for employees in the port city of Shenzen. The futuristic city, designed by renowned architect Jonathon Ward, will be two million square feet – roughly the size of Monaco. Tencent’s city inside a city, located near Shenzen’s reclaimed Pearl River estuary, will accommodate…

China has vowed to cap the nation’s coal-fired capacity at 1 100Gw and its active coal mines to 5 000 sites by the year’s end. China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said it would decommission outdated and inferior coal-fired power units, while it would still approve new coal plants provided their contribution fell within the…

As lockdown restrictions in China ease and citizens return to work, ground has been broken in Guangzhou for what will be the world’s largest football stadium.  Construction of the stadium began on April 16, and is scheduled for completion in 2022. The design, which imitates a lotus leaf, is a hat tip to the city…

Chinese state-owned construction giant, China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC), has announced the completion of the first of 20 new skyscrapers that will form part of the skyline of the new administrative capital of Egypt. The massive operation is part of Egypt’s ‘New Administrative Capital’ project announced in 2015. The project aims to relocate the administrative capital…

The UK is looking to China to complete its long overdue and over budget HS2 high-speed railway from London to the Midlands and other northern cities. The possible call for assistance comes two weeks after the British parliament gave the go-ahead for the ambitious project. The High Speed 2 (HS2) project was budgeted for in…

To contain and treat the spread of the Coronavirus, Chinese government officials, architects, engineers and construction workers have built two hospitals in just 10 days. The two temporary hospitals, with a combined capacity of over 2 500 beds, have been operational since early February. The Coronavirus is a strain of a disease that mammals and…

Chinese company Country Garden, one of the world’s largest property developers, is to begin mass production of fully autonomous robots designed to assist in large-scale residential construction. The robots have been designed to minimise costs while increasing efficiency. The group, which started its robotics programme in 2018, is set to invest $2.3 billion every year for…

Sany Heavy Industries, China’s largest industrial equipment manufacturer, has partnered with the regional government of Singida, Tanzania, to construct Africa’s largest wind farm. The company is a newcomer to turbine manufacturing, beginning operations in 2010, but is already China’s fourth largest exporter of turbine units. Sany produces turbine units with 1,5MW 2MW and 3MW operating…

An incubation zone will facilitate trade between Africa and China The China-Africa Economic and Trade Incubation Zone will be located in Changsha, China An incubation zone to provide a single point to facilitate trade between China and Africa is being set up in Gaoqiao Grand Market in the capital of Hunan Province, Changsha in China.…

A magnetic-suspension delivery loop is in the works in Xiongan The autonomous system will be constructed in the next two to three years An intelligent delivery system that connects logistic centres, supermarkets, warehouses and industrial parks is to be built underground in Hebei Province, north of China. The system will make use of an automatic…

Three state telecoms rolled out 5G services on 1 November 5G, or fifth generation internet, will have super fast speeds and wider coverage China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom made 5G plans available in stores and online from Friday,1 November. 5G promises to reduce lag while increasing speed, and is more efficient than its…

Huawei helps bridge the digital gap in African rural areas since 2017 The RuralStar solution provides network coverage to more than 40 million people Huawei released RuralStar, which connects rural areas to cost-effective mobile broadband and voice services, two years ago. RuralStar has been rolled out in over 20 emerging countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya…

China and Apple have formed the China Clean Energy Fund The project will supply 134 megawatts of clean energy to China’s national grid Apple launched the first of its kind China Clean Energy Fund in 2018 to connect suppliers with clean energy projects in China. Along with Apple, 10 Chinese suppliers have committed to investing…

China’s first forest city will have more than 40 000 trees It will be self-sufficient with a host of environmental benefits China is to get its first forest city — 175 hectares of trees, shrubs, and plants that cover the buildings and form vertical forests – in Liuzhou, in Guangxi, a mountainous region in northern China.…

China has built an air purifier in Xian in Shaanxi province said to be the world’s biggest In experimental phase, the tower is performing well so far A 100m tall air purifier tower in the northern city of Xian in Shaanxi province, has been designed and built by scientists at the Institute of Earth Environment…

China plans to build a deep-sea base for unmanned submarine science and defence operations The first of its kind sea base is planned in the South China sea China plans to build an unmanned deep-sea base in the South China sea that will be the first artificial intelligence colony in the world. The project was…

A waste-to-energy plant is set to open in Shenzhen in 2020 This waste-to-energy plant will be the biggest of its kind worldwide Modern metropolis, Shenzhen, that links Hong Kong to China’s mainland, produces over 15 000 tons of waste a day. This major city, home to 20 million people, expects that figure to increase by around…

Construction on an industrial park is set to commence in Adama City by the end of 2019 China is fitting 85% of the bill; Ethiopia is covering the remaining 15% Joint efforts between China and Ethiopia to position Ethiopia as a leading manufacturing hub by 2025 are going ahead with a 100-hectare industrial park set…

Africa’s Grand Inga Dam has hit multiple road blocks and development has been slow A new DRC president and Chinese funding may see the building of the dam power ahead The Congo River is home to the Inga Falls with an annual flow rate of about 42 000 cubic metres per second, providing a solution to…

China is leading the global race in solar power There are ongoing discussions between African countries and China on sustainable energy products African countries make up 57% of the world’s population still in the dark, so the need to power up the continent is essential for further economic growth. A recent study predicted that China’s…

There was only one direct flight between China and Africa in 2010 Now there are about eight direct flights between the two Flights between Africa and China have grown by 630% in the past decade. Chinese people flying home from their workplace in African countries previously had to make up to a 5-trip journey, with…

China has set up a R900 billion fund for investment into in Africa Ten large infrastructure projects are in the works thanks to the fund During the 2019 China-Africa Forum for Cooperation summit in Beijing, China announced it has set up a R900 billion fund for investment into development in Africa. The following projects are…

Chinese President Xi Jinping launched his grand vision in 2013 The plan incorporates two physical routes linking China to a network of countries in Europe, Asia and Africa Africa falls into the Maritime Silk Road route that begins in China and passes along the Ocean littoral to East Africa and then follows onto Europe. The…

China has pledged $60 billion to finance projects in Africa Eskom has secured a loan with the China Development Bank of $33.4 billion. South Africans fear China is ‘taking over’ Africa The outcry by South Africans that China is trying to recolonise Africa are based on a number of myths. Myth 1: Infrastructure financing China’s…

A ‘solar-super highway’ between Hangzhou and Ningbo is expected to be open to the public in 2022 This new highway is paved with solar panels, mapping sensors and battery chargers to power cars as they drive As an intelligent transport system, the solar-super highway fits into three of the priority sectors in the “Made in…

China’s One Belt One Road initiative is an ambitious infrastructure plan across 68 countries in Central Asia and Russia. Global Finance has devoted a supplement to exploring the financial impact of the massive project, including its effect on China’s currency, the renminbi. China has pledged over $100 billion to the initiative, but it also involves a…