In highlighting many of the challenges typically facing the world today, the documentary demonstrates how collaborative efforts under the Initiative are yielding positive outcomes.
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00:00 [VIDEO PLAYBACK]
00:00:02 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:00:04 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:00:12 - This symbolizes our aspirations
00:00:15 as a people for reaching for the stars in all feats of life.
00:00:19 - Through mutual connections, civilizations prosper.
00:00:27 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:00:37 - 2,000 years on--
00:00:39 - We own the Silk Way, expand our relations with China.
00:00:44 - The same purpose that drove the Silk Road
00:00:51 is still empowering nations.
00:00:54 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:00:58 [NON-ENGLISH SINGING]
00:01:01 - It has saved a lot of lives of Zanzibar people, Tanzania.
00:01:06 - We are living on the sanctions.
00:01:08 Are we crippled?
00:01:09 No, we are not.
00:01:10 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:01:15 - So I'd like to call myself the generation
00:01:17 of the era of the revival of the Silk Road.
00:01:22 - This is a journey across continents and oceans.
00:01:28 In 14 countries, we investigate how, in the past decade,
00:01:32 the Belt and Road Initiative has transformed millions of lives
00:01:37 and brought tremendous change.
00:01:39 This is the core of the Silk Road.
00:01:43 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:01:46 [ENGINE ROARING]
00:01:50 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:02:19 - Across the sands of time, civilizations
00:02:22 have risen and fallen.
00:02:26 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:02:29 - From the pyramids beside the Nile
00:02:38 to the Acropolis in Athens and the wonder of Angkor Wat
00:02:42 hidden in jungle, people take pride
00:02:47 in their unique histories.
00:02:50 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:02:53 - Born and raised in this old part of Cairo,
00:03:08 25-year-old Sharif, a rising star in Egypt's
00:03:11 photographic circles, focuses his camera
00:03:14 on his local community.
00:03:18 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:03:22 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:03:38 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:03:41 - Cairo is a modern city standing on ancient foundations
00:03:55 with its Roman-era fortress, Christian quarter,
00:03:58 and Islamic mosques.
00:04:01 This is a place that exudes history.
00:04:08 - I know everyone because this is my people.
00:04:10 You know?
00:04:12 This is my people, and I like my people.
00:04:14 So I'm from [INAUDIBLE] Cairo.
00:04:17 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:04:35 - As an artist, Sharif loves the life in this old community.
00:04:40 However, 22 million people live in Cairo,
00:04:43 one-fifth of Egypt's entire population.
00:04:49 Like many other big cities around the world,
00:04:51 pollution, overcrowding, and traffic congestion
00:04:55 are major problems here.
00:04:57 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:05:00 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:05:03 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:05:06 - Egypt's solution to Cairo's challenges
00:05:16 was to build a new city, massive, modern,
00:05:20 and mind-blowing.
00:05:21 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:05:24 In 2015, in a desert 50 kilometers
00:05:27 outside downtown Cairo, Egypt decided
00:05:30 to build its new administrative capital.
00:05:33 Once completed, it will accommodate 6 and 1/2 million
00:05:37 people and house the offices of the central government.
00:05:40 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:05:43 In 2016, Egypt launched an ambitious plan,
00:05:53 Egypt Vision 2030, aimed at reviving
00:05:57 this ancient civilization.
00:05:58 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:06:02 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:06:05 12 times the size of Manhattan Island,
00:06:16 the NAC will be Egypt's new gateway to the world,
00:06:21 through which its hoped global talent and investment
00:06:24 will pour in.
00:06:27 - The central business district is
00:06:29 like the crowning achievement within the administrative
00:06:33 capital.
00:06:34 And the iconic tower is, we would
00:06:36 like to think, being the jewel in this crown.
00:06:40 - For several millennia, Africa's skyline
00:06:42 was dominated by the Great Pyramids.
00:06:45 Today, the iconic tower, rising to 385.8 meters,
00:06:50 is the tallest building on the continent.
00:06:54 It does mark a quantum leap in the development of Egypt.
00:07:01 - Street photographer Sharif is not
00:07:03 a fan of modern skyscrapers.
00:07:05 But out of curiosity, he agreed to go and view
00:07:09 this modern engineering marvel.
00:07:11 [INTERPOSING VOICES]
00:07:12 - I've never seen this type of sky in here.
00:07:14 I think I'm in Dubai.
00:07:16 When I see this tower--
00:07:17 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:07:21 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:07:24 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:07:38 I see something different.
00:07:39 You know, this is my first time I see a building like this.
00:07:42 Interesting.
00:07:44 Because in Cairo, we don't have all this space.
00:07:47 Because you must imagine, you know,
00:07:51 no one imagined Egypt or something like this
00:07:55 would be like that.
00:07:56 It's amazing, man.
00:07:59 It's not my type, but I like it, you know?
00:08:01 Because we need that.
00:08:03 We need a building like that.
00:08:06 - Maybe this can be another Dubai.
00:08:08 - It's a new Cairo.
00:08:09 It's not new Dubai.
00:08:11 We are not the same, anything.
00:08:12 We are Egyptian.
00:08:14 Remember that.
00:08:16 Every time.
00:08:17 We are not look like anyone.
00:08:20 If Egyptians make that, I'm very proud.
00:08:24 Why I'm not very proud?
00:08:28 - 5,000 workers, mostly locals, have
00:08:30 spent five years completing this ambitious project.
00:08:35 In 2016, Egypt signed up to the Belt and Road Initiative.
00:08:41 The task of building its first CBD
00:08:43 was handed to a Chinese company.
00:08:47 Chinese technology and engineering capability
00:08:50 are helping Egypt to build its great miracle
00:08:53 of the 21st century.
00:08:55 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:09:24 - This symbolizes our aspirations
00:09:27 as a people for reaching for the stars in all feats of life.
00:09:31 - In 2024, Egypt is set to become a BRICS member country
00:09:41 by advancing hand in hand with China.
00:09:44 It's seeking more development opportunities
00:09:46 for the global south and a fairer world order.
00:09:49 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:09:52 And as Egypt sets about restoring its past glory,
00:10:02 another ancient civilization is emerging from a recent crisis.
00:10:06 Across the Mediterranean Sea lies
00:10:11 Athens, a city that helped lay the foundations
00:10:14 of Western civilization.
00:10:16 Its prosperity was based on trade.
00:10:19 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:10:22 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:10:50 Lying 10 kilometers to the southwest of Athens
00:10:53 is Piraeus, the busiest port in Greece.
00:10:56 However, by 2009, like many in Greece,
00:11:03 Vassilios' family was facing a crisis.
00:11:06 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:11:08 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:11:11 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:11:15 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:11:18 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:11:21 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:11:24 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:11:27 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:11:31 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:11:34 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:11:37 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:11:48 With a natural talent for kickboxing,
00:12:03 Michalis' daughter Maria dreamed of international glory.
00:12:07 But training to be a world champion
00:12:09 can be prohibitively expensive, especially in a shaky economy.
00:12:14 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:12:17 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:12:44 In 2010, Chinese shipping firm Costco
00:12:47 became involved in operating the port of Piraeus.
00:12:50 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:12:52 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:13:12 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:13:15 Today, Piraeus is the fourth largest container
00:13:35 port in Europe and the 33rd largest globally,
00:13:39 60 places up from 2012.
00:13:42 This ancient port is being revived.
00:13:44 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:13:47 And Michalis finally found the sponsorship for his daughter
00:13:52 to continue her dream.
00:13:54 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:13:58 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:14:01 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:14:04 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:14:20 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:14:30 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:14:33 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:14:58 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:15:00 Maria had never seen her father at work before.
00:15:04 That was until we showed her a video.
00:15:06 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:15:09 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:15:22 [LAUGHTER]
00:15:25 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:15:28 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:15:47 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:15:50 [HORSE NEIGHING]
00:16:05 9,000 kilometers northeast of Egypt
00:16:07 is Cambodia, birthplace of the Khmer civilization.
00:16:15 This jungle is the location of the Khmer Empire's greatest
00:16:18 legacy.
00:16:19 Its glorious past was once lost until it was revealed
00:16:25 in an ancient Chinese text.
00:16:27 Siem Reap, Cambodia, home to the breathtaking temples
00:16:35 of Angkor Wat.
00:16:37 But beneath the beauty, a deadly threat once lurked.
00:16:41 [CHIME]
00:16:44 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:16:49 This is a country that has been devastated by landmines.
00:17:09 Since 1979, more than 60,000 Cambodians
00:17:12 have been killed in landmine explosions,
00:17:15 and 25,000 others left with life-changing injuries.
00:17:18 For the victims, the scars are both physical and mental.
00:17:22 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:17:37 Pan Chen has been working in mine clearance since 1992.
00:17:43 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:17:46 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:18:13 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:18:16 Over the past decade, the China-aided landmine
00:18:20 elimination project has received significant support
00:18:24 from the Belt and Road Initiative
00:18:27 in the form of personnel, funding, and training.
00:18:31 1, 2, 3.
00:18:34 [EXPLOSION]
00:18:41 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:19:09 The country aims to neutralize all anti-personnel landmines
00:19:12 by 2025.
00:19:18 Now Cambodia is walking on a fast track.
00:19:22 It is one of the fastest growing economies in the world,
00:19:25 with GDP doubling in the decade up to 2022.
00:19:31 Now this country is riding the wave of the Belt and Road
00:19:34 Initiative.
00:19:37 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:19:40 The world today is undergoing unprecedented change.
00:19:49 AI, big data, smart devices.
00:19:52 Digitalization is completely transforming the way we live.
00:19:56 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:19:59 Change is being felt nowhere more powerfully
00:20:05 than in Indonesia.
00:20:07 The world's largest archipelago nation.
00:20:09 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:20:12 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
00:20:21 Of its population of 274 million,
00:20:30 the fourth largest in the world, over half
00:20:33 are Gen Z, like Marcel, and millennials.
00:20:36 This youthful population is a boom for economic growth.
00:20:40 But their expectations are high, and the challenge
00:20:44 is to meet them.
00:20:45 In China, one solution is to develop the digital economy,
00:20:49 which now accounts for 40% of GDP
00:20:52 and is creating millions of jobs.
00:20:54 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:20:57 In Indonesia, tech startups are also on the rise.
00:21:06 One of the brightest stars in the coffee sector,
00:21:09 combining technology, delivery, and retail.
00:21:14 Top selling SKU is called Memory of My Ex-Girlfriend.
00:21:17 [LAUGHS]
00:21:20 Kopi Kenangan is a grab-and-go coffee brand
00:21:23 with more than 900 stores across Indonesia and Malaysia
00:21:27 and over 5,000 employees.
00:21:30 You know, that joke actually becomes a $1 billion joke.
00:21:34 Indonesians are among the world's biggest coffee
00:21:36 drinkers, yet the country lacks its own global coffee brand.
00:21:41 If you go to London, if you go to America,
00:21:44 you always see a cup of Java, a cup of Sumatra.
00:21:46 Java coffee is very famous.
00:21:48 But when people ask you, have you seen a coffee,
00:21:52 cafe concept from Indonesia?
00:21:54 You have never actually seen one.
00:21:55 But our ambition is to become a global coffee company
00:21:58 representing high-quality Indonesian coffee
00:22:01 to the world.
00:22:03 However, on the path to establishing his coffee empire,
00:22:07 Edward encountered a major challenge--
00:22:09 finding the expertise he needed.
00:22:12 In China and India, there are millions
00:22:15 of engineers graduating from universities every year.
00:22:19 Indonesia is the fact that there is
00:22:21 an under-supply of engineers.
00:22:26 To supplement his local team, Edward
00:22:28 turned to a chief technology officer 5,000 kilometers away.
00:22:33 Monday, you will get everything ready.
00:22:35 At least--
00:23:01 Indonesia currently ranks fifth in the world
00:23:04 in terms of new startups.
00:23:06 This success has its origins 10 years ago.
00:23:10 Right.
00:23:10 So definitely, you know, China is pretty much top of the world
00:23:14 in terms of technology adoption.
00:23:16 Last time I went to China, I believe
00:23:17 that everything is digital.
00:23:18 Pajokowi, our president, really put emphasis
00:23:21 on putting fast internet to Indonesia.
00:23:24 And I do believe that Indonesia is on the way there.
00:23:29 In 2013, only around one in seven Indonesians
00:23:32 had access to the internet.
00:23:36 Indonesia has thousands of NN.
00:23:39 It can make it very difficult to develop the fixed network.
00:23:42 And the 4G is really important here.
00:23:46 In launching the digital revolution,
00:23:48 the priority was to create a nationwide 4G network.
00:23:53 Chinese tech firms became key partners in this process.
00:23:57 Mobile penetration in Indonesia is more than 90%.
00:24:00 Its expanding infrastructure and huge young population,
00:24:07 combined with good bilateral relations,
00:24:10 are making Indonesia a favorite destination
00:24:13 for Chinese internet giants and venture capital.
00:24:17 From online ride hailing and delivery to new retail,
00:24:21 Indonesia is becoming a regional leader
00:24:23 in the digital revolution.
00:24:26 Young Indonesians are becoming more confident
00:24:29 than ever about their future.
00:24:33 Without ambition or without the strong will,
00:24:36 we cannot achieve the dream that we want
00:24:39 or the vision that we want.
00:24:41 A new start of era.
00:24:43 OK, I think Indonesia has an opportunity
00:24:48 to compete with another country.
00:24:51 What other country or what developed country
00:24:55 have right now, Indonesia gonna have as well.
00:24:58 From a Pacific archipelago to Saudi Arabia,
00:25:04 from Southeast Asia to Africa,
00:25:07 the new digital trends that succeeded in China
00:25:10 are being channeled around the world
00:25:12 via the digital Silk Road.
00:25:15 It's not only in the digital economy
00:25:17 that changes are happening.
00:25:19 The real economy is also being transformed.
00:25:23 In Europe, one country is building itself
00:25:26 into a high-end manufacturing hub.
00:25:29 (speaking in foreign language)
00:25:34 - So two huge battery companies are coming just right now
00:25:38 to Hungary and building their factory,
00:25:41 and they are actively searching for employees right now.
00:25:44 So I think it's a very good opportunity
00:25:47 now to study Chinese for.
00:25:49 - Hungary is now a favorite investment destination
00:25:52 for China's tech giants.
00:25:54 Two of them, leading battery makers CATL and BYD,
00:25:58 have both announced plans to build factories in the country.
00:26:02 And this manufacturing plant, set up in 2021 by Lenovo,
00:26:07 builds computers and high-performance servers.
00:26:10 The foundation of the big data world,
00:26:13 the plant has hired more than 1,000 employees
00:26:16 mostly local.
00:26:19 - This plant is like a baby, like a child for me.
00:26:23 And now that we opened
00:26:26 this first in-house manufacturing plant in Europe,
00:26:29 we brought our smarter technology to all to Europe
00:26:33 more quickly, efficiently, and sustainably.
00:26:36 - Set up in the heart of Europe,
00:26:42 it's run by a company called Lenovo.
00:26:45 And in Europe, it's run by locals,
00:26:47 although its very first production lines
00:26:50 were shipped in their entirety from China.
00:26:53 12,000 kilometers east of Budapest is Shenzhen,
00:26:57 a rising metropolis in southern China
00:27:00 that stands as a symbol of the country's innovation drive.
00:27:04 From 5G to drones,
00:27:07 a vast range of world-leading technologies and products
00:27:11 first saw the light of day in this city,
00:27:14 as did this smart manufacturing hub
00:27:17 making computers and high-performance servers.
00:27:20 - In the PC industry,
00:27:22 the machines still cannot have the capability
00:27:25 to replace the people.
00:27:28 - In Budapest and Shenzhen,
00:27:30 the two teams have been working closely together
00:27:33 to ensure that full use is made
00:27:35 of the production lines in Hungary.
00:27:38 Jimmy Chin has been the go-to person,
00:27:41 and he's been working with the team
00:27:44 to bring operations up to speed.
00:27:47 - I think, OK, we can discuss
00:27:49 some further improvement in different area.
00:27:52 I know Mikkels has leading a lot of improvements,
00:27:56 such as a scale improvement and...
00:27:59 - Our goal is to visualize as much data as possible
00:28:03 to, like, make sure that our work in the manufacturing
00:28:07 can be really efficient.
00:28:09 - The demand is very high,
00:28:11 because they have very-- a lot of mature companies over there,
00:28:15 such as Audi, Mercedes-Benz.
00:28:18 So they can also leverage their experiences
00:28:23 to implement in our factory.
00:28:26 It can be a win-win situation.
00:28:29 - Till next week, probably...
00:28:31 - The Shenzhen and Budapest teams still talk on a daily basis.
00:28:35 - Last week, they have become the benchmark
00:28:38 for the entire worldwide team.
00:28:40 - So I think that's the main point here,
00:28:43 that worldwide, you know, many people
00:28:46 have different technical experiences,
00:28:49 and, you know, we can capitalize on that,
00:28:52 sharing this experience.
00:28:54 - But in some developing economies,
00:28:56 before modernization can get fully underway,
00:28:59 certain basic issues must be addressed,
00:29:02 such as ensuring an adequate power supply.
00:29:05 Pakistan, a nation of over 230 million people,
00:29:10 has been grappling with a chronic energy crisis
00:29:13 for several decades.
00:29:15 Daily power outages can last for hours
00:29:18 in both urban and rural areas.
00:29:21 Pakistan has been working hard to meet its energy needs,
00:29:24 principally by building hydroelectric power plants.
00:29:32 Among the mountains near the Jhelum River,
00:29:35 a military unit is patrolling,
00:29:37 vigilant against any potential threat.
00:29:40 They are safeguarding the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor,
00:29:45 and especially the Kharot hydropower plant.
00:29:49 Five million households are counting on the turbines here
00:29:53 for their electricity needs.
00:29:57 Mouaz Awan, a 30-year-old senior public relations manager,
00:30:02 has been dealing with relocations
00:30:04 since coming to the Kharot hydropower plant.
00:30:07 - My interaction with China and the Chinese nation
00:30:11 goes back to around 100 years.
00:30:14 My grandfather lived in Shanghai, Ningbo, and Hong Kong.
00:30:18 So I like to call myself the generation of the era
00:30:22 of the revival of the Silk Road,
00:30:25 the era of the Belt and Road Initiative.
00:30:28 Around the world, China is helping to build a green future.
00:30:36 In Argentina, at one of the most southerly land points on the globe,
00:30:46 China and a local partner are building a hydroelectric plant
00:30:50 which will meet the needs of 1.5 million Argentine households.
00:30:55 In the UAE, Chinese technology is empowering
00:31:01 the world's largest single-site solar farm
00:31:04 with 4 million solar panels.
00:31:07 In Cambodia, the country's largest hydropower plant
00:31:13 is meeting around 20% of its electricity needs.
00:31:18 [Music]
00:31:22 This China-built hydropower plant supplies Cambodia
00:31:27 with nearly 2 billion kilowatt-hours of clean energy a year.
00:31:32 Such developments can ignite hope,
00:31:43 such as at this new resettlement village school.
00:31:46 I've been doing this job since 1998.
00:31:50 I've been doing this job for 20 years.
00:31:54 I've always had a good job.
00:31:58 This is a good opportunity for me and my children.
00:32:03 I'm very happy.
00:32:06 Seven-year-old Piyarirachni is one of the school's brightest stars.
00:32:13 She has just jumped from the first to the third grade.
00:32:17 She dreams of one day going to university in the national capital.
00:32:22 I like to read so I can have a bright future.
00:32:27 I'm studying to become a teacher.
00:32:35 I want to have a good education,
00:32:39 so I can help my children.
00:32:43 I've been working here since I was a kid.
00:32:46 I've been here for about three days.
00:32:48 I'm still young.
00:32:50 I don't know where I came from.
00:32:53 I'm still young.
00:32:55 I want to be a teacher.
00:32:57 My husband is a teacher.
00:33:00 He's a teacher.
00:33:02 He's a teacher.
00:33:04 He can do anything.
00:33:06 He's a teacher.
00:33:08 I'm going to school.
00:33:10 I'm going to study.
00:33:12 I'm going to study.
00:33:14 I'm going to study.
00:33:16 I'm going to study.
00:33:18 I want to be a good student.
00:33:20 I want to be a good student.
00:33:22 The global economy is not a zero-sum game.
00:33:28 There will be less globalization.
00:33:30 In fact, I think we have entered an era of de-globalization.
00:33:34 We are in a globalized world.
00:33:36 We should benefit from engaging with all countries.
00:33:41 The idea of country first is now gaining traction across the globe.
00:33:46 But is the world really so small and crowded
00:33:49 that prosperity cannot be shared?
00:33:52 Kuala Lumpur, the heart of Malaysia.
00:33:57 Beneath its stunning skyline,
00:34:03 this is a vibrant city where diverse cultures flourish.
00:34:07 I love outdoor camping, go hiking and all the adventurous activities.
00:34:16 I want everyone to do that.
00:34:18 Born and raised in Malaysia,
00:34:22 Hannis spent eight years in Australia
00:34:24 working as an outdoor activity group leader.
00:34:27 In 2015, he returned to Kuala Lumpur
00:34:31 and launched his own camping equipment business.
00:34:34 This is from China.
00:34:37 Actually, we got some other brand as well.
00:34:40 In Malaysia, there's not so many outdoor shops.
00:34:44 Actually, I started this business online through the e-commerce.
00:34:48 What was once a small online retailer
00:34:51 is now one of the most successful camping equipment businesses in Kuala Lumpur.
00:34:57 We plan to open more shops.
00:35:00 We prove that Malaysia has a capacity.
00:35:03 We have a market, we have a capacity, we have a chance for growth.
00:35:08 When the local community held its first festival of camping,
00:35:12 Hannis provided sponsorship.
00:35:14 At the event, he hosts an auction.
00:35:18 One pan!
00:35:19 RM1, RM180, RM2, RM180.
00:35:24 Is there more? RM180, RM3.
00:35:27 Sold!
00:35:28 His success of today is in sharp contrast with his struggles
00:35:34 when he first started out and couldn't find reliable, affordable products.
00:35:38 Sourcing part is one thing.
00:35:41 Before I get to know how to get the product from China,
00:35:45 that's the hardest part.
00:35:47 Malaysia has been a key partner for China
00:35:49 in the Belt and Road Initiative over the past decade.
00:35:52 Cross-border e-commerce plays a significant role in the economic cooperation.
00:35:58 It benefits many small start-ups like Hannis'.
00:36:03 For me, the logistics, the transport is not a big issue
00:36:08 because there's a lot of logistics companies that offer.
00:36:13 China's e-commerce industry is growing rapidly.
00:36:16 So I think that when it comes to manufacturing,
00:36:21 especially of consumer products,
00:36:23 China will continue to be very strong in this.
00:36:26 And so sourcing or trading from China will continue to happen.
00:36:29 Singaporean e-commerce professional Pei Yi Han
00:36:36 is head of the China office of Ninja Van,
00:36:39 one of Southeast Asia's leading logistics providers.
00:36:43 China has a very close connectivity with the Southeast Asian countries.
00:36:50 Malaysia has a very high percentage of cross-border.
00:36:52 Over 45% of e-commerce comes from cross-border.
00:36:55 And a lot of this comes from China.
00:36:57 Actually, globally, China contributes about 50%
00:37:01 of global e-commerce transactions that happen.
00:37:05 For Ninja Van, China was a market that simply could not be ignored.
00:37:09 In 2019, the company opened its China office.
00:37:13 Over the past 20 years,
00:37:25 China's e-commerce industry has produced millions of professionals like Zhang.
00:37:29 Many of them are now heading south.
00:37:34 What's happening is that the Chinese e-commerce industry
00:37:38 is building very deep-seated knowledge and capabilities in e-commerce.
00:37:43 We see a lot of transfer of this talent,
00:37:47 of this knowledge of doing e-commerce,
00:37:49 that's happening from China to Southeast Asia.
00:37:52 And I think that's very interesting.
00:37:54 The World Bank estimates that the BRI, once fully implemented,
00:38:01 will bring about a 4.1% increase in trade among its partners.
00:38:06 By 2030, the initiative will be generating
00:38:10 1.6 trillion US dollars in annual global revenue.
00:38:14 And 32 million people will be lifted out of moderate poverty.
00:38:24 [Music]
00:38:26 48-year-old truck driver Sunia is one individual who is already benefiting.
00:38:37 This redoubtable woman has survived some tough times.
00:38:42 [Music]
00:38:45 [Music]
00:38:47 [Music]
00:39:16 Sunia tried several jobs.
00:39:18 Eventually a friend told her that Ninja Van Malaysia was recruiting truck drivers.
00:39:23 Sunia was the company's first female truck driver,
00:39:38 and a new chapter in her life began.
00:39:41 She fell in love again, and is now happily married.
00:39:45 [Music]
00:39:47 [Music]
00:40:15 [Music]
00:40:17 Connections help civilizations to prosper.
00:40:23 For over two and a half millennia, the city of Samarkand,
00:40:28 a key stop on the Silk Road, has been at the crossroads of world cultures.
00:40:40 The Siab Bazaar is one of the biggest markets in the city of Samarkand.
00:40:45 Here you can find everything from vegetables, fruit and dried goods,
00:40:49 to clothing, jewelry, handicrafts and flowers.
00:40:53 Among Chinese customers, the raisins are a favorite.
00:41:09 An hour's drive from central Samarkand, a vineyard lies among the Urgut Mountains.
00:41:15 It's owned by 53-year-old Azamat Kakharov.
00:41:21 [Speaking in Samarkand language]
00:41:24 Kakharov owns five acres of vineyards.
00:41:47 A lot of hard work goes into securing a good harvest.
00:41:51 [Speaking in Samarkand language]
00:41:55 [Speaking in Samarkand language]
00:41:58 Kakharov has, for many years, been working with Batiyor Bekboev.
00:42:22 He runs one of Central Asia's leading dried fruit and nuts processing and exporting businesses.
00:42:29 Chinese people prefer organic and natural products.
00:42:34 For example, black raisins are a shallow-dried, natural product.
00:42:38 In recent years, agricultural products from Uzbekistan,
00:42:46 such as cherries, green beans and raisins,
00:42:49 have been pouring into the Chinese market.
00:42:52 Chinese customers are consuming roughly 40% of all Uzbekistan's raisin exports.
00:42:59 A lot of programs are working with China.
00:43:05 For example, we have a program with China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan,
00:43:10 a railway program, to decrease the time of selling products to China.
00:43:17 [Speaking in Samarkand language]
00:43:20 The China-Europe Railway Express extends from the east coast of China,
00:43:39 across Asia and into Western Europe.
00:43:42 It's cheaper than air transport and faster than sea transport.
00:43:47 Connecting more than 200 cities in 25 European countries,
00:43:52 by the June of 2023, in 74,000 journeys,
00:43:57 the China-Europe Railway Express had carried nearly 7 million standard containers
00:44:03 with goods worth 300 billion US dollars.
00:44:06 High transport costs were once a major obstacle to developing manufacturing in Central Asia.
00:44:14 In Kazakhstan, where China first unveiled the BRI,
00:44:19 car-making giants are setting up factories with the help of the railway express.
00:44:24 [Speaking in Russian language]
00:44:31 [Speaking in Russian language]
00:44:34 In China, it is said that to get rich, first build roads.
00:44:59 In Indonesia, the Jakarta-Bandung High Speed Railway is the first railway in Southeast Asia
00:45:05 where trains reach speeds of 350 km/h.
00:45:09 Thanks to the China-Laos Railway,
00:45:13 Laos has been transformed from a landlocked country to a land-linked hub.
00:45:18 In Kenya, the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway has added more than 2 percentage points to economic growth.
00:45:24 Around the world, hundreds of millions of people are benefiting from greater interconnectivity.
00:45:30 [Music]
00:45:35 [Speaking in Russian language]
00:45:51 [Speaking in Russian language]
00:45:54 Ten years ago, China put forward the idea of building a global community of shared future.
00:46:11 It concerns the future of humanity and the destiny of every human being.
00:46:17 Since 2000, in Africa alone, China has built over 6,000 km of railways,
00:46:24 nearly 20 ports,
00:46:27 more than 80 power plants,
00:46:31 over 170 schools,
00:46:36 and 130 medical facilities.
00:46:40 And the trade volume between China and Africa has increased 20-fold,
00:46:45 creating more than 4.5 million jobs.
00:46:49 [Music]
00:46:59 Senegal is a country of natural wonders and extraordinary beauty.
00:47:07 Its people are famed for their resilience.
00:47:14 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:47:17 In the national culture, a special place is reserved for LAMB, Senegalese wrestling.
00:47:34 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:47:38 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:47:41 Senegalese wrestling has its origins in ancient rituals and ceremonies.
00:48:02 For a long time, however, Senegal did not have a national wrestling arena
00:48:07 where major tournaments could be held.
00:48:10 2018 marked a milestone in the history of Senegalese wrestling.
00:48:16 The National Wrestling Arena, funded and built by China, opened its doors.
00:48:25 With more than 20,000 seats, it's the country's first modern large-scale wrestling venue.
00:48:32 [Music]
00:48:35 This is the place where every Senegalese wrestler dreams of showing off their prowess.
00:48:40 At the weekend, Uma will be demonstrating his skill at the National Wrestling Arena.
00:48:47 [Music]
00:48:51 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:48:55 [Music]
00:48:58 Uma wins the competition.
00:49:21 In the past four years, he's developed into one of the country's top wrestlers,
00:49:25 with potential earnings amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
00:49:29 Wrestling is a way out of poverty for those who are successful.
00:49:34 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:49:38 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:49:46 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:49:49 [Music]
00:49:58 In Brazil, the lives of many slum children have been transformed
00:50:08 thanks to a Chinese-funded symphony orchestra.
00:50:12 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:50:16 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:50:29 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:50:32 To date, 6,000 children from low-income families have received a musical education through the orchestra.
00:50:51 Six have gone on to study music at university.
00:50:55 32 have become teachers or professional musicians with the Mare do Amanha Orchestra.
00:51:01 Similar stories are unfolding in East Africa.
00:51:08 Located in the tropics, Tanzania is exposed to strong ultraviolet light.
00:51:14 This leads to a high rate of cataracts, especially among younger people, and to more serious medical conditions.
00:51:22 [Music]
00:51:25 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:51:47 [Singing in Senegalese]
00:51:52 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:52:09 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:52:13 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:52:17 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:52:21 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:52:25 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:52:29 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:52:55 [Music]
00:52:58 Umol's case is not unusual.
00:53:01 Every year in Tanzania, roughly 2,500 children are born with cleft lips or palates.
00:53:08 To help them, as well as the cataract patients, a Chinese medical team has been working in Zanzibar for six decades,
00:53:17 assisting the local government in bringing an end to their suffering.
00:53:24 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:53:27 Aziza has an appointment for an operation tomorrow.
00:53:32 Dr. Dongli Li will perform the surgery.
00:53:35 [Music]
00:53:39 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:53:50 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:53:53 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:54:17 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:54:20 Today you can discharge.
00:54:29 Thanks.
00:54:30 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:54:34 [Singing in Senegalese]
00:54:46 Sixty years ago, in 1963, when China sent its first team of medical aid workers overseas, it went to Africa.
00:54:54 Since then, 30,000 medical workers have been dispatched to Africa, Asia and other parts of the world.
00:55:02 They have treated 290 million patients, mostly in Africa.
00:55:07 [Singing in Senegalese]
00:55:11 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:55:16 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:55:19 [Music]
00:55:45 [Music]
00:55:47 People-to-people connectivity has always been a core concept of the BRI.
00:55:52 For a country that has long lived under sanctions, communication is even more precious.
00:55:58 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:56:09 This is the first Chinese class for a group of students from the Tehran Adaptive and International School.
00:56:16 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:56:20 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:56:23 I really want to learn, start learning Chinese to get to know the culture more,
00:56:46 to one day, someday, get there and maybe live, maybe work,
00:56:51 and meet interesting people, really sweet people, and everything like that.
00:56:55 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:57:03 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:57:06 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:57:09 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:57:13 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:57:23 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:57:30 [Speaking in Senegalese]
00:57:33 To encourage the study of Chinese, Iran has added it to the list of foreign languages
00:57:58 that, from early 2024, can be taught in middle and high schools.
00:58:03 We know how to manage our lives, even under sanctions, because we are a big country, and we have big friends.
00:58:13 Sharing and exchange are emblematic of the Silk Road.
00:58:18 The whole of humanity can reap rich rewards from the open exchange between these two ancient civilizations.
00:58:26 [The Silk Road]
00:58:29 In the universe, there is only one Earth, the shared home of humanity.
00:58:37 In the past ten years, the Belt and Road Initiative has become much more than a random trade route or economic belt.
00:58:44 It has become an avenue along which the whole of humanity can achieve common progress.
00:58:51 The Chinese plan is to build a community of shared destiny, to achieve shared prosperity and shared prosperity.
00:58:58 By facilitating the modernization drive in developing countries,
00:59:03 the Belt and Road Initiative is leading the world into a new era of transcontinental cooperation.
00:59:11 The Belt and Road Initiative is the road to peace, prosperity, openness, greenness, innovation, and civilization.
00:59:26 [The Silk Road]
00:59:30 [The Silk Road]
00:59:34 [The Silk Road]
00:59:38 [The Silk Road]
00:59:42 [The Silk Road]
00:59:46 [The Silk Road]
00:59:49 [The Silk Road]
00:59:52 [The Silk Road]
00:59:55 [The Silk Road]
00:59:58 [music]