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Construction of CMG’s Copyright Trading Center starts in Shanghai

Published

5 years ago

August 24, 2020

I’m Robert Lawrence Kuhn, and here’s what I’m watching: President Xi Jinping’s
ecological civilization, 15 years on. It was on August 15, 2005, during his visit to Yucun Village, Anji County, Zhejiang Province, that then-secretary of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee, Xi Jinping, remarked, “We used to say that we wanted lucid waters and lush mountains and that we also wanted mountains of gold and silver. In fact, lucid waters and lush mountains can be as precious as mountains of gold and silver.” Embodying a profound shift in China’s concept and model of development, these remarks constitute a signature statement of Xi’s theory of ecological progress and exemplify his thinking on national governance.

Unless China’s environment is cleaned up, the Chinese Dream cannot be fulfilled. The Chinese nation cannot be rejuvenated if its environment remains massively polluted. The challenge for China is how to motivate individuals and institutions to protect the environment. That’s why, in 2016, I went to Yucun Village, Anji County, located in Zhejiang’s northwestern, mountainous area, which has transformed itself from a polluted mining area into a “green center” of ecology-friendly agriculture, industry and tourism. How did it happen? Can it be emulated?

Here’s the backstory. Between 2003 and 2005, Anji County closed down three mining companies and one cement factory in Yucun, cutting the village’s annual GDP from over three million yuan to about 200,000 yuan, equivalent to less than 30,000 U.S. dollars, a calamitous drop of more than 90 percent. Its residents had to find replacements for their economic loss. Over time, a healthy, natural environment brought new fortune. Locals began making money in an eco-friendly way from the area’s rich resources of bamboo. Today, Yucun stands out as a rural scenic attraction visited by urbanites from Shanghai, Hangzhou and Nanjing. The village has 280 households and a per capita income of about 50,000 yuan or about 7,000 U.S. dollars.

Early in his administration, President Xi elevated “green” to the highest level of national importance, as part of the Five Major Development Concepts. There are three core aspects of Xi’s theory of ecological civilization: First, natural environments are invaluable assets with roots in practice. Second, natural environments reflect a profound shift in China’s concept and model of development. Third, natural environments represent a response to people’s expectations for a better life.

In April of this year, President Xi returned to Yucun village, making the case that care for the environment provides rich economic dividends. “The environment itself means the economy,” he said. “If you protect the environment, you will receive rewards from the environment.”

I’m keeping watch. I’m Robert Lawrence Kuhn.

Scriptwriter: Robert Lawrence Kuhn

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Featured

CELEBRATING A CENTURY-OLD CIVIL AVIATION SECTOR TRAJECTORY IN NIGERIA

Published

3 weeks ago

December 1, 2025

The Gleamer

This week, millions of Nigerians and others across the globe will join the Ministry of Aviation and Space Development under the irrepressible leadership of the Honourable Minister, Festus Keyamo(SAN),and all the notable Aviation sector stakeholders in and outside the country,in celebrating a century of Nigeria’s civil aviation history.

There is no doubt that under the present leadership of the Honourable Minister and within the short spell of time in his stewardship,he has consciously and intentionally embarked on a “silent revolution” for the industry with very veritable and laudable landmarks that have consistently grown the industry.

Some of these spirited efforts for instance have consequently led to trust restoration amongst international lessors, financier,any global partners.Of note also is assidiously working for the full domestication and implementation of the “Cape Town Convention Agreement” ,which gives Airlines access to modern fleets of competitive rates as well as enforcement of IDERA(Irrevocable Deregulation and Export Request Authorization).

Having well applauded these vital contemporary initiatives,it will also be germane to cast our minds in retrospect by taking a peep into our history over several decades to recognise some of the notable forebears in the industry whose impressionabl efforts cannot be overlooked,as they took the impetuous initiatives of breaking the ice at the nascent stage.
It will aptly corroborate the truism which says that… ” a journey of a thousand miles starts with one step”.

The above is vividly captured from a tribute by the First Republic Minister of Aviation Chief Mbazulike Amaechi at the funeral of late Igwe of Oba,HRH Peter Ezenwa(MFR) in 2018.
It states inter alia…”One significant thing I will say many people didn’t know is that the first indigenous airline that was to run in Nigeria was known as “STANDARD AIRLINE”.It was founded in 1966 by a company formed by Igwe Peter Ezenwa from Oba,and had on board,John Nwankwu from Abagana,Edward Ebo from Ezinifitte,(all from Anambra state),John Anyaehie from Nkwerre in Imo state,and lastly my very self Mbazulike Amaechi.
The five of us later acquired two brand new aircrafts,and had four pilots,namely;Unachievable,John Emma Ngwu and Felix Offor,who was to be the General Manager of the airline.
But just about the time for the take-off the crisis of the military takeover erupted in the North as the planes were on their way for delivery to us.In fact the bank handling the transaction was to allow the planes to be flown from the USA,but the news of the war broke out in 1967,the insurance company cabled for the cancellation of the deal as they will not be able to cover the risk cost of aircrafts being flown into war zone.
So,we asked the manufacturers to take the two aircrafts back to their country and hold on for six months with the hope of that the war will end within the requested time frame,but the war didn’t end as thought.We consequently asked for refund and they deducted some money and refunded the balance which was deposited at the London branch of African Continental Bank(ACB).

When the government took over the operations of ACB,we still hoped for the refund but unfortunately were disappointed that the Federal government took over the whole money and we lost everything.”

Further in line with our historical perspective,it will also be pertinent some of the later years reformists in the likes of Engr Onyereri and Harold Demuren who advertently sponsored some far reaching regulations that eventually steered the industry towards greater autonomy with the passage of the 2005 Civil Aviation Act,which I was also a prime participant of in my capacity as an Aviation sub chair in then House of Representatives.

As we mark this great century milestone,and with the clear evidential pathway set out by the current managers of the industry under the indomitable leadership of Honourable Minister, I do not see the sky posing any limitations as they say,but rather availing new vistas of limitless growth opportunities.

CONGRATULATIONS.

Hon Chidi Nwogu
Former member House of Representatives & presently Governing Council member
,African Aviation and Aerospace University,Abuja.

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