Foreign news
Zhaojin Town, the red soil in northwest China
Zhaojin Town in Tongchuan of northwest China’s Shaanxi Province was a place of glorious red history and now has developed fast by carrying on the red spirit.
In the early 1930s, Liu Zhidan, Xie Zichang, Xi Zhongxun and other older generation revolutionists established the 26th Troop of the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army and the Shaanxi-Gansu Border Region revolutionary base with Zhaojin Town as the center.
Beiliang Red Army Primary School was a trace of the revolutionary history in the town. It was established in 1955 at the old revolutionary site – the site of Chenjiapo Meeting.
In June 2000, Qi Xin, wife of Xi Zhongxun and mother of the now Chinese President Xi Jinping, visited the school. Seeing its shabby classrooms and antiquated facilities, she mobilized her whole family to donate 150,000 yuan ($18,116) to relocate and rebuild the school.
Since then, with the support of the government and different sectors of society, the school has continued to improve its conditions with newly-built academic and dormitory buildings, professional classrooms, and a playground with synthetic-rubber tracks.
In May 2018, Wang Tianjiao, then a third-grader, wrote a letter to Xi Jinping on behalf of her classmates, telling him her experience in learning revolutionary history and the development of the school
Before long, Xi replied to students in a letter, encouraging them to pass down the red gene from generation to generation.
Xi wrote that he hopes the students cherish the time and study hard with a grateful heart, and grow to be a useful person to the country, the people and the society in the future.
Fast development benefits local people
Back in 2015, When Xi Jinping visited Zhaojin Town, he stressed strengthening the study of the history of revolutionary bases, summing up historical experience, and better carrying forward the revolutionary spirit and fine working style.
relocation settlement communities, convenience stores, stadiums and other infrastructure have been built. The once remote and backward place has developed into a town famous for red tourism.
“The per capita income in 2015 was 8,848 yuan. In 2020, the per capita income has risen to 15,235 yuan,” said Bai Wei, the Party branch secretary of Zhaojin Town, “The town was poor and backward. The young men had gone away, and the girls would not marry here. But in the past two years, 16 college students have come back.”
“Zhaojin Town is so good. Come back here and work in this red place, there is a sense of honor and gain,” Bai said.
Foreign news
California Transport Agency Seeks Partnership With NiDCOM On Creative Arts, Others
California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) on Friday sought the partnership with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) on creative arts, climate change, green jobs, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion and technology industries.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a three-man CalSTA delegation led by its Secretary, Mr Toks Omishakin, said this while paying a courtesy visit to Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, in Abuja.Omishakin said that CalSTA was one of the global largest agencies that had leading policies around the world in relations to climate change.
He added that for the last 40 to 50 years, the agency had engaged governments around the world to establish policies with better outcomes and impacts for the environment, including climate change.
According to him, Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa and for many years, the country has led African continent with her broad economy.
“So, very rarely that California engages countries in Africa, most of our agreements are with countries in Europe, Asia, Australia and South America.
“California does not have any agreement with countries in Africa when it comes to improving green jobs related to climate change .
“This visit is about how we can potentially set up a California-Nigerian partnership that is specifically addressing issues around climate change, green jobs, technology, creative arts and CNG conversion, these are the areas we want to specifically concentrate on.
“For instance, the creative arts industry all around the world, people know the industry that you call Nollywood, and Afro-beats more than ever.
“In addition, when it comes to United States of America’s creative industry like Hollywood, where a lot of film production happens, movies are made, TV shows are filmed just few miles way from Los Angeles.
“But when it comes to music like the Grammys and award shows for musicians across the world, it is held in Los Angeles, in the State of California.“Furthermore, when it comes to music in Africa. Nigeria is the epic centre for both music industry and movie industry and it’s the same thing for California, so there’s potential for partnership”, Omishakin said.
Responding, Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of NiDCOM expressed appreciation for the visit led by Omishakin, a Nigerian-American who made Nigeria and the United States proud.
According to her, Nigerians are the best anywhere in the world and Omishakin is an example of Nigerians who are excelling in different fields all around the world.
“We are glad to welcome you home and we are glad that you’re talking business , and how California will be investing in Africa and Nigeria specifically.
“On your visit, you will see a lot of sectors where there can be more partnership with Nigeria.
“Also, part of your visit and tour, you will be meeting with the Transportation Minister and you will see one of the CNG conversion centres at the SMEDAN office, and also you will see products that are made in Nigeria that can be exported to California.
“Most importantly, we look forward to the partnership, bearing in mind that Nigeria is the biggest on the continent”, NiDCOM boss said.
She expressed optimism that in spite of the challenges facing Nigeria, the country would grow economically under President Bola Tinubu Administration.
The NiDCOM boss, who said that the President’s agenda was to build a one trillion economy, added that Nigerians needed to believe in government and themselves as well.
NAN reports that members of CalSTA delegation, who paid the courtesy visit included Mr Aditya Ramji, a Professor from the University of California, and Mr Giles Giovinazzi, Senior Advisor for CalSTA.
NAN
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