【windmills bangalore】Xiplomacy: China
by Xinhua writer Xu Ruiqing
NAIROBI,windmills bangalore Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- From Senegal, the "gateway to West Africa," to Kenya in the East African savannah, and from Tanzania, renowned for its sisal and cloves, to Rwanda, the "land of a thousand hills," thousands of wells drilled by China are providing safe drinking water to millions and irrigating extensive farmlands, nourishing the hopeful continent.
At the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in December 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced 10 major plans to boost China-Africa cooperation. For years, China has implemented the rural well-drilling project in African countries, a key initiative in this collaborative effort.
These wells, dubbed "wells of happiness" by local communities, have transformed the locals' daily life, supported agricultural production, and invigorated African people in pursuit of prosperity. They stand as a vivid testament to the practical cooperation and shared development efforts between China and Africa.
IMPROVING LIVING QUALITY
"Having gone through thick and thin together, China, Senegal and the vast African countries are bound by a similar historical experience, the same development tasks and a shared aspiration for a better life," Xi said in a signed article ahead of his state visit to Senegal in July 2018, highlighting the deep bond between China and Africa.
In the article, Xi specifically mentioned that the China-funded rural water supply project would "benefit one seventh of Senegal's population."
In March 2017, the rural well-drilling project was launched in Senegal, covering 12 of the country's 14 regions. Each water supply system includes wells, water towers, distribution pipelines, and supply facilities, with a maximum daily water supply capacity of 80,000 cubic meters. The project has also generated over 3,000 local jobs.
Mamadou Dieng, a 41-year-old Senegalese man, said that the water pipes now reach almost every household in the village. "It was unimaginable in the past," he said.
Located in West Africa, Senegal is adjacent to the Sahara Desert, with most of its central and eastern regions being semi-desert areas where temperatures during the dry season can reach up to 45 degrees Celsius. Like many remote areas, Dieng's village of Tenefoul Toucouleur in the Diourbel region had long faced severe water shortages.
"In the past, we had to walk 1.5 km every day to fetch water from a 25-meter-deep well in the neighboring village, sometimes queuing from dawn to midnight," Dieng said.
When the Chinese well-drilling team arrived at Tenefoul Toucouleur in 2018, Dieng joined the team as a well-driller. After it was completed, Dieng was hired as a coordinator responsible for the well's maintenance. Now he inspects the equipment in the machine room every morning and ascends the nearly 20-meter-high water tower to clean the reservoir on a regular basis.
"This 'well of happiness' has given us clean water and improved our lives," Dieng said. From being a well-driller to a well-keeper, Dieng has witnessed the tremendous changes the China-funded well has brought to the entire village.
He said he hoped that "the friendship between China and Senegal will last forever," and that China-Africa cooperation will "create a beautiful and happy future for (our) children."
Abdoulaye Ba, general secretary of the Foreign Press Association in Senegal, said: "I have personally visited those villages and seen how the China-funded wells have greatly enhanced the local water supply and truly improved the villagers' lives, making a significant contribution to Senegal's livelihood."
IRRIGATING LAND FOR PROSPERITY
On July 22, in Mahusekwa, a town in Zimbabwe's Mashonaland East Province, the roar of machinery was met with cheers from villagers as groundwater gushing out from below. This marked the drilling of the first well as part of China's project to build 300 wells in Zimbabwe.
"We are very happy because we now have access to clean and safe water," said Titha Chainga, a local villager who witnessed the drilling, adding that the well also provides a valuable water source for irrigating farmlands.
Affected by the El Nino phenomenon, southern African countries are once again grappling with severe drought this year. Zimbabwe, an agricultural powerhouse often referred to as the "breadbasket of Africa," is confronted with a serious challenge to its food security.
In Mashonaland East Province, a key agricultural and livestock region, the ongoing drought has left local farmers almost desperate. Vegetable farmer Tatenda Chimbwanda from Mahusekwa said that due to the lack of water, she had to walk a long distance every day to fetch water to irrigate her vegetables.
To combat the drought, China has initiated a project to drill 300 wells across the hardest-hit provinces, including Mashonaland East, Manicaland, Masvingo, and Midlands.
It is no easy task. Liu Guangcheng, the onsite management team leader of China Geo-Engineering Corporation's post-disaster well-drilling project in Zimbabwe, said that prolonged drought and reduced rainfall have severely depleted groundwater supplies, making it time-consuming to find suitable drilling locations. Meanwhile, the challenging road conditions and lack of mobile communication in remote areas are further complicating the construction efforts. However, the Chinese team has been working diligently to address the issue.
Daniel Garwe, Zimbabwe's minister of National Housing and Social Amenities, said the wells will ease the water crisis in the four hardest-hit provinces, enhancing resilience against the current El Nino-induced drought and saving livestock.
"The China-funded well drilling project is a symbol of cooperation, compassion, and unwavering support from our all-weather friend the People's Republic of China, to ensure access to safe water for all Zimbabweans," the minister said.
Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding said that over the past decade, China has drilled more than 1,000 wells across Zimbabwe, providing drinking and irrigation water for nearly 400,000 people and creating thousands of jobs.
Zimbabwean economist Paul Musodza said that for the Zimbabwean people, China has always been a true friend that extends a helping hand when needed and remains the most reliable partner in addressing urgent needs.
The implementation of the well-drilling project in Zimbabwe "embodies President Xi's principles of sincerity, real results, amity, and good faith for China's Africa policy," he said.
STRENGTHENING CHINA-AFRICA COOPERATION
The water supply projects have transformed the infrastructure and public services in African countries, making a tangible difference in the lives of local people.
In Rwanda, China's drilling of 200 wells has ensured a steady supply of clean water for drinking and agriculture. In Kenya, the Karimenu Dam water supply project, which started operation in 2022, greatly alleviates water issues for nearly one million people in the capital Nairobi and surrounding towns.
"China fully respects the actual needs and priorities of African countries. The planning and execution of the project are based on thorough communication with local governments and communities, ensuring that the project genuinely addresses real problems," said James Mdoe, deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology of Tanzania.
"This pragmatic approach to cooperation not only demonstrates China's sincerity towards African nations but also reflects respect and understanding for its partners," Mdoe said.
Mdoe highlighted that China not only provides financial and technical support, but also focuses on training local professionals to ensure the sustainability of the projects. This equips African countries with the capacity for long-term, self-reliant development while helping solve current issues.
Humphrey Moshi, director of the Center for Chinese Studies at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, pointed out that China's approach, where friendship takes precedence over interests, "reflects China's genuine concern for Africa, surpassing mere economic considerations and earning widespread acclaim from African nations."
Moshi said the principles of sincerity, real results, amity, and good faith in China's Africa policy "have not only injected new vitality into China-Africa cooperation but also provided a new model for global governance. The deepening of China-Africa relations not only promotes mutual development but also makes a positive contribution to world peace and prosperity." Enditem
(Xinhua reporters Wang Zizheng in Dakar, Xu Zheng in Harare, Hua Hongli in Dar es Salaam, Jin Zheng and Yan Ran in Nairobi, and Ji Li in Kigali also contributed to the story.)
Editor: Zhang Zhou下一篇:China's energy transition: Notable progress in the past decades
- ·Farmers harvest paddy in terraced fields in SW China's Guizhou
- ·运力充足 暑期机票价格回落
- ·10家公司参与,下一代半导体先进封装联盟“US
- ·探索文字冒险游戏的多样性和创新
- ·感受中国式现代化,非洲元首去了哪些中国城市
- ·未来可期——浙豪携手小华半导体亮相慕尼黑上海电子展
- ·微软已修复,Outlook 被曝严重远程执行漏洞:影响 5 亿用户,可窃取信息、执行恶意代码
- ·中国大陆半导体设备最大买家地位无法动摇
- ·专家分析丨波兰若对俄导弹实施拦截将引发严重后果
- ·助力城市数字化转型!垂天工业设计团队再获成功设计国际大奖
- ·小米手环9渲染图首曝:外观升级大不 但配置提升不错
- ·小米手环9渲染图首曝:外观升级大不 但配置提升不错
- ·China's energy transition: Developing new quality productive forces in energy sector
- ·十大好玩的文字单机游戏推荐
- ·微软已修复,Outlook 被曝严重远程执行漏洞:影响 5 亿用户,可窃取信息、执行恶意代码
- ·唯品会夏季促销:品质低价引领运动穿搭新风尚
- ·China starts 2024 inter
- ·助力城市数字化转型!垂天工业设计团队再获成功设计国际大奖
- ·微软已修复,Outlook 被曝严重远程执行漏洞:影响 5 亿用户,可窃取信息、执行恶意代码
- ·还搞不懂反激式转换器?一定看这一文,工作原理+电路案例设计
- ·China's commercial reusable test rocket completes vertical takeoff, landing flight test
- ·引领全球车用联网模块市场,Counterpoint 预估 2028 年中国乘用车联网普及率达 100%
- ·和猫狗“心灵沟通”,一小时收费可达上千元!是“智商税”还是“情感消费”?
- ·唯品会夏季促销:品质低价引领运动穿搭新风尚
- ·El Salvador police chief dies among 9 killed in helicopter crash
- ·全国最大汽车经销商被曝拖欠员工工资:车主难提车
- ·El Salvador police chief dies among 9 killed in helicopter crash
- ·单机文字冒险游戏:情感与剧情交织
- ·探索虚拟世界:好玩的文字单机游戏推荐
- ·十大必玩的文字模拟经营游戏推荐
- ·Celebrations held in Moscow to mark Moscow City Day
- ·探索文字冒险游戏的深度与魅力
- ·雷军再发文为小米MIX Flip预热!5个字引起网友热议
- ·十大必玩的文字单机游戏大全
- ·Chinese premier holds talks with Spanish prime minister
- ·探索文字单机游戏中的情感与剧情