By Wang Yinxin, People’s Daily

What if a pair of ordinary-looking smart glasses could capture images and sound, and even detect the wearer’s emotional state?

At the Shanghai 6G AI-Valley Future Industry Park in Sijing township, Songjiang district, Shanghai, such glasses are already in development. Electrodes embedded in the frame make contact with wearer’s skin to pick up brain signals, allowing the glasses to monitor changes in mental state and emotion. 

“The glasses can, for example, select music or order coffee based on your emotional state,” one developer explained.

That is just one of their potential applications. The glasses can alert users to early signs of Alzheimer’s disease. Even in remote mountains or deserts without terrestrial network are unavailable, a module built into the temples can connect directly to overhead satellites, keeping the device fully functional.

“This is a tangible scenario showcasing inclusive intelligent services delivered by the next-generation communication networks,” said Jin Jun, Chairman of Shanghai 6G AI-Valley.

According to Jin, 6G represents far more than faster speeds or broader coverage. Its core mission is to enable ubiquitous intelligent connectivity. If 5G connects people to people and people to things, 6G will enable deep interaction among humans, physical objects and intelligent agents.

After years of development, China has built the world’s largest and most technologically advanced information and communications network. Research and development (R&D) and standards-setting for 6G are progressing across the board, with the first phase of 6G technology trials successfully completed. 

Pilot deployments of 10-gigabit optical networks have begun, while 400G ultra-high-speed optical transmission systems and new ultra-low-loss fiber optic cables are being deployed on a large scale. 

Satellite internet is also accelerating, with large-scale constellation deployment underway. New types of integrated infrastructure, including industrial internet and low-altitude intelligent connectivity networks, are being developed in an orderly manner and have already made positive progress.

According to Xiao Yang, director of the science and technology commission of Songjiang district, the 6G future industry cluster of Songjiang is centered on Sijing township and covers a planned area of about one square kilometer. 

The Shanghai 6G AI-Valley Future Industry Park is already home to a range of cutting-edge R&D, proof-of-concept testing and business incubation activities. The zone plans to attract and nurture more than 100 companies across the industrial chain in 2026 and 2027 to strengthen the sector’s industrial base and foster a number of leading enterprises by 2030. It has set a goal of growing the industry to more than 100 billion yuan ($14.83 billion).

The emotion-sensing glasses were jointly developed by three companies in the same building within the park. One specializes in collecting and decoding neural signals, giving the glasses their ability to “sense”; another focuses on AI vision and noise reduction, enabling them to “see” and “hear”; and a third has miniaturized a satellite communications module so that it can fit inside the temples of the glasses.

Connecting these glasses with other intelligent agents requires solid underlying technologies.

Zhou Nanqing is the founder of a company that provides complete, commercial-grade physical-layer solutions. Its core business is precisely the underlying technology for 6G signals. After moving into the Shanghai 6G AI-Valley Future Industry Park, Zhou was impressed by the park’s well-developed industrial ecosystem.

“The park covers about 120,000 square meters and has 15 buildings. R&D can be done downstairs, verification upstairs, pilot production within the park and mass production in the surrounding area,” Zhou said. 

“A prototype developed in the incubator can be taken by elevator to a proof-of-concept laboratory on the rooftop. Once testing is complete, it can be sent to a nearby pilot production platform for small-batch manufacturing, and then to surrounding factories for mass production,” Zhou told People’s Daily.

This highly efficient system convinced the company to locate its headquarters, core R&D operations and satellite payload production line in the park.

Attracting companies is only part of the job; ensuring that they can thrive after settling in is equally important. The park has connected companies with more than 10 investment institutions, helped them establish links with upstream and downstream enterprises, universities and standards organizations, and opened its pilot production platform to support them in exploring new business areas.

As more companies join the industrial chain, stories like that of the smart glasses are becoming increasingly common in the 6G future industry cluster.

To address the problem of embodied robots in which “the body moves faster than the brain can keep up,” the park has brought in a technology company specializing in 6G wireless technologies and integrated millimeter-wave sensing, communications and computing to provide solutions. Another company is developing technologies that could cut robot hardware costs by 40 to 60 percent.

“In the 6G future industry cluster, leading enterprises are bringing together upstream and downstream companies, gradually connecting satellites in the sky, base stations on the ground and terminals in people’s hands. An integrated space-air-ground network is beginning to take shape,” Xiao said.

Songjiang district is now home to 79 key enterprises across the mobile communications industrial chain. Together, they generated about 28 billion yuan in revenue in 2025.

By Li Xinping, People’s Daily

As the global construction machinery industry accelerates its transition toward greener and smarter operation, Chinese manufacturers are strengthening their presence in international  markets. 

From electric excavators and mining trucks to smart fleet management systems, these companies are now offering not just individual machines, but integrated, solutions tailored to the needs of customers in different countries.

A mine in Vietnam offers a glimpse of this trend. More than 120 pieces of construction machinery are operating on-site, ranging from excavators and wheel loaders to bulldozers and mining trucks. All of them are electric.

“Using China’s electric construction machinery has cut our mining costs per ton by 50 percent,” said the mine operator.

Since the beginning of this year, amid the global energy crisis and an accelerating push for green transition, developing green mines has become a shared priority across the mining industry. 

“China’s construction machinery industry is a global leader in electrification. Almost every internationally leading mining company has set up a procurement center in China,” said Li Kailiang, deputy chief engineer of Guangxi Liugong Machinery Co., Ltd. (LiuGong), a leading enterprise in China’s construction machinery industry.

What gives Chinese manufacturers such confidence?

High-performance equipment. To withstand the high-temperature, high-humidity conditions at Vietnamese mines, LiuGong’s excavators and wheel loaders are equipped with high-capacity, highly reliable battery systems specifically designed for such environments. Combined with fast-charging technology, the batteries can be fully charged in just 45 minutes and provide eight to 10 hours of operation on a single charge.

A mature supporting ecosystem. Some overseas markets require every battery to be tracked throughout its entire life cycle, from deployment to retirement. Batteries must be registered when put into service, and manufacturers are responsible for recycling them at the end of their service life. 

“With China’s well-developed new energy industrial chain, Chinese companies have accumulated extensive experience in full life-cycle battery management and can provide comprehensive services to overseas customers,” Li said.

Comprehensive solutions. Most mines are located in remote regions with fragile public power infrastructure. Chinese construction machinery manufacturers deliver integrated solutions underpinned by a model of “photovoltaics + energy storage + charging + mobile power supply.” They build microgrids that combine power generation, grid connection, loads, and energy storage around mining sites, enabling electric equipment to function stably in remote mines without access to the conventional power grid.

“Any production stoppage at a mine can result in huge losses. Compared with overseas competitors, we can integrate high-quality resources from across China and provide a complete set of solutions, ensuring that electrification projects can be successfully implemented,” Li said.

Chinese construction machinery companies are also taking their expertise in smart technologies overseas. Mature domestic mine management and fleet dispatch systems are now deeply integrated with hardware, helping overseas mines move away from labor-intensive operations toward intelligent, digitally driven management.

Tangible cost savings are the strongest driver behind continued orders from overseas customers. Energy consumption typically accounts for 40 to 50 percent of a mine’s operating costs, while electric construction machinery consumes only about 1/3 as much energy as fuel-powered equipment. Electrification also greatly simplifies powertrain systems, substantially reducing maintenance costs.

For multinational mining companies, Chinese construction machinery is not only green in operation but also designed with sustainability in mind.

At a smart excavator factory of LiuGong, the full range of products from 13 to 200 tons is manufactured on flexible shared production lines, while an AI-powered vision system monitors assembly deviations in real time. In March this year, the factory produced more than 1,500 excavators, up 77.5 percent year on year, setting a new monthly record.

“With our smart factory, we use a large amount of green electricity in the manufacturing process. This directly helps our downstream customers achieve better scores in environmental, social and governance (ESG) assessments,” Li said, adding that LiuGong’s electric construction machinery exports performed strongly in the first half of this year.

China has become the world’s largest producer and seller of construction machinery. From 2020 to 2025, the industry’s exports nearly tripled.

Chinese construction machinery companies are no longer simply “selling equipment” or “selling electrification solutions.” They are now also taking their smart technologies global, offering overseas customers new pathways toward intelligent operations.

“This year, our autonomous wheel loaders will begin operating in the UK and Australia, bringing customers a safer and more efficient experience in smart construction,” Li said.

Autonomous electric rigid wide-body trucks can operate across a full range of scenarios and run alongside manned vehicles. Even in rain, fog or dusty conditions with visibility as low as 20 meters, they can maintain stable autonomous operation. An upgraded 5G remote-control driving system allows operators to precisely control 135-ton ultra-large excavators from a distance.

According to the China Construction Machinery Association, China’s construction machinery exports totaled $34.373 billion in the first half of this year, up 21.7 percent year on year. Exports to the European Union reached $3.626 billion, up 28.9 percent, while exports to ASEAN countries totaled $5.561 billion, up 23.6 percent. 

Machinery industries, including construction machinery, recorded $559.33 billion in merchandise exports, up 20 percent year on year and accounting for 26.3 percent of China’s total merchandise trade.

By Song Yiran, Li Zong, People’s Daily

Located in the heart of the Pearl River Delta, Foshan in Guangdong province is a national renowned historical and cultural city whose name dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907). 

As a key birthplace of Lingnan culture, Foshan has long served as a vibrant hub of commerce and industry. Today, it continues to embody a pioneering spirit of reform and innovation, having grown into a national recognized innovative city.

Home to two trillion-yuan ($297.6 billion) industrial clusters in equipment manufacturing and pan-home furnishing, Foshan is globally renowned for its time-honored reputation — “Where there is a home, there are Foshan-made products.” The city perfectly blends the elegance of Lingnan cultural heritage with the modern vitality of a world-class manufacturing hub.

A fertile ground for industry and entrepreneurship

Foshan’s strong industrial foundation has turned countless entrepreneurial dreams into reality. 

More than a decade ago, Tajikistani entrepreneur Alimov Jahongir first visited Lecong township in Foshan while studying in China. He was stunned by the sight of more than 180 furniture malls stretching for more than 10 kilometers along a national highway. Today, the furniture industry is one of the main reasons he has chosen to stay in Foshan.

In 2024, he founded the Laowai Shuo Jiaju (Foreign Insights on Furniture) brand, providing overseas buyers with one‑stop solutions from material selection and logistics to cross-border marketing. He does not own a factory, but by tapping into Foshan’s decades-old industrial foundation and extensive network of suppliers and manufacturers, he has built a thriving business.

Today, Foshan has developed a highly integrated industrial ecosystem covering everything from raw materials, design and manufacturing to warehousing and logistics. Lecong alone is home to more than 10,000 furniture businesses and more than 2,600 manufacturing enterprises, facilitating annual transactions worth more than 80 billion yuan.

For Jahongir, finding the right business partners is all it takes to quickly connect his business with the local industrial chain.

To foster a first-class business environment, Foshan has introduced 123 targeted reforms over the past five years, based on the needs of businesses throughout their life cycles. The city has shifted from providing businesses with “whatever services are available” to providing “whatever services businesses need.”

In the first half of 2026, Foshan’s furniture exports reached 10.21 billion yuan, up 11.8 percent year on year. Digital technologies and intelligent manufacturing are breathing new life into traditional industries, while “Made in Foshan” is expanding beyond products to encompass comprehensive solutions.

Jahongir has opened a showroom in Dushanbe, capital of Tajikistan, determined to build a bridge connecting Foshan with markets around the world.

A hub of innovation where an ancient city looks to the future

If Jahongir has witnessed how traditional industries can create new value, Mathias Uller Rothmann has discovered Foshan’s potential as a hub of cutting-edge innovation.

A postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford and a specialist in perovskite solar cells, Rothmann came to Foshan four years ago. He was surprised to find that a city known for traditional manufacturing could offer such a broad platform for his research.

“Here we have excellent research facilities, and traditional manufacturing and cutting-edge technology are not separated from each other,” he said.

The vast pool of enterprises, equipment and application scenarios accumulated by the Pearl River Delta’s manufacturing clusters allows researchers to bring real-world industrial challenges back to the laboratory and then test their research achievements in actual production.

Foshan is now home to 126,600 industrial enterprises. The city has established 25 proof-of-concept centers and 91 pilot-scale testing platforms.

The laboratory where Rothmann works has built a pilot production line for 100-megawatt perovskite photovoltaic modules. In addition, Xianhu Laboratory has assembled a research team of nearly 200 researchers and forged deep ties with some 200 local hydrogen‑energy enterprises to advance hydrogen‑energy applications across transportation, industry and other sectors. 

To Matthias, Foshan is “ancient yet forward‑thinking”: it keeps its eyes fixed on the future and consistently invests in it. He sees himself as a “partner” of the city, hoping his research can become part of Foshan’s future growth.

Where heritage becomes part of modern life

A city that is both well-governed and pleasant to live in — this is the deep impression Foshan has left on American native Ruben Diaz Jr.

Drawn to Foshan by Bruce Lee’s movies, Ruben settled in the city in 2012. He soon discovered the reality of Foshan was far richer and more complex than anything he had seen on screen.  Over the past decade, the cityscape has changed dramatically, yet its traditional character has never faded.

In his spare time, Ruben often visits the Donghuali area around Foshan’s 900-year-old Ancestral Temple. Its arcades, gray-brick buildings and stone-paved streets have been carefully preserved, while new businesses and activities have turned the historical neighborhood into a popular leisure destination.

Urban renewal has not diluted the city’s cultural identity. Instead, it has breathed new life into traditional cultural treasures such as kung fu, Cantonese opera, lion dancing and Cantonese cuisine. Foshan is now home to 15 national-level intangible cultural heritage items.

As an English teacher and online content creator, Ruben has begun introducing Foshan to audiences overseas. He has found that foreigners are often less interested in broad cultural symbols such as kung fu and lion dancing, and more intrigued by the history and traditions behind everyday practices, such as tapping one’s fingers on the table to show appreciation while drinking tea or local cooking customs.

Through answering questions from his followers, Ruben has come to understand the city anew  and developed an even deeper affection for it.

In Foshan, traditional industries are brimming with new vitality, cutting‑edge technologies are taking root in its fertile manufacturing landscape. And people from all corners of the world are settling down, pursuing fulfilling lives.

Holding fast to its heritage, embracing innovation, and keeping its people rooted — this is precisely the secret behind the enduring vitality of this time‑honored city.