The Power of Ideas | Chilean Cherries and Chinese Tunnel Boring Machines

Twenty-three days and 20,000 kilometers—this is the time it takes for “Cherry Express” to deliver Chilean cherries into China, about 10 days shorter than a decade ago. Garcés, from Chile, runs the largest cherry production and export company in the region, 82% of whose cherries are sold to China. Garcés says, “China’s business environment is extremely friendly, and there are limitless possibilities here.”

High-level opening-up to the outside world requires both attracting foreign investment and going global. This year, China Railway Equipment is about to complete the export of its 100th tunnel boring machine. Also known as full-face tunneling machines, these devices are powerful tools for constructing subway, railway, and highway tunnels. Over the past decade, Wang Dujuan’s team has exported Chinese tunnel boring machines to more than 30 countries and regions, including France and Italy, earning the trust of international markets and demonstrating China’s high-level commitment to opening up to the world.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Party, General Secretary Xi Jinping has continuously promoted high-level opening-up to the outside world and repeatedly emphasized: “China’s door of opening-up will not be closed—it will only open wider and wider. China’s pace of advancing higher-level opening-up will never falter.”

Today, China has an increasing number of platforms for opening up to the outside world, such as the China International Import Expo, the China International Fair for Trade in Services, and the China International Consumer Products Expo.

China has established 21 free trade zones and 1 free trade port, with its free trade partners spanning all five continents.

Over the past decade, China’s average contribution to global economic growth has reached 38.6%, ranking first in the world.