Journey to the Sea: Entering Africa | Desert Pioneering New City Rising CBD | Egypt | Pioneering New City
The two sides should align their respective development strategies and visions, and use infrastructure construction and production capacity cooperation to build Egypt into a fulcrum country along the "the Belt and Road". China is willing to participate in the construction of major projects such as the Suez Canal Corridor and the new administrative capital in Egypt, and is willing to expand cooperation with Egypt in areas such as trade, financing, aerospace, energy, human resource development, and security.
-On January 21, 2016, Xi Jinping pointed out during talks with Egyptian President Sisi in Cairo
notes preceding the text of a book or following the title of an article
Human beings fear time. And time fears the pyramid.
After thousands of years of wind and sand, the pyramid stands tall and proud. The ancient Egyptians created human miracles with outstanding wisdom and astonishing talent.
Passing through the Nile, the hustle and bustle of Old Cairo gradually faded away. Another architectural miracle is happening in the desert about 50 kilometers east of Cairo city center. Here, Chinese people assist Egypt, continuing its past glory and building a new city in the desert.
Since 2018, batches of Hunan builders have successively stepped into the desert and participated in this unprecedented pioneering action.
Hunan Daily All Media Reporter Huang Tingting
To the east of the Nile River in North Africa, the sun tirelessly shines over the eastern desert of Cairo. Between the desert and the blue sky, the tallest building in Africa, the iconic tower, stands proudly at a height of 385.8 meters.
On April 4th, as the sun rose, at the construction site of the Central Business District project in Egypt's new administrative capital, reporters took an elevator directly to the observation deck on the 74th floor of the landmark tower. The golden sunlight shines on the brand new high-rise building, with half of the curtain wall glass reflecting the blue sky and the other half reflecting the golden desert, creating a magnificent sight.
Overlooking the CBD project in Egypt's new administrative capital. Provided by China State Construction Corporation Egypt Branch
Since the 1970s, Egypt has been exploring the idea of creating new cities in the desert. This is an important component of Egypt's 2030 vision, which is expected to alleviate pressure on the capital, create employment, attract foreign investment, and enhance the country's image.
This dream of Egypt is integrated with the "the Belt and Road" initiative, and will soon become a reality under the common struggle of the Chinese and Egyptian people.
"After 5 years of hard work in Egypt, we are finally nearing completion!" said Xu Yang, an employee of China Construction Group Co., Ltd. from Hunan, standing on the observation deck and overlooking the brand new buildings in the desert. "It's incredible that a brand new city has been built in the desert. It's like having a dream."
The starting point of the dream is March 2018. Leaving Hunan, where the spring breeze was stirring, Xu Yang and his companions landed in Egypt, covered in yellow sand. They couldn't wait to take a bus to the project site.
Heading straight eastward into a desert, Xu Yang opened his phone map and the signal grid was empty, with the location hanging in the yellow sand.
After more than 2 hours, we arrived at the construction site about 50 kilometers east of Cairo city. Opening the car door, sandstorms hit us in the face, and everyone looked at each other: how to carry out construction in the sky filled with sandstorms, how to fetch water in the desert, and whether the foundation is stable
Desert is one of the least suitable places for biological survival on Earth.
Facing the desert and looking at the design drawings, the desert creates a new city, as if it were a fantasy. However, everyone is well aware that this project is of great significance to Egypt, and Chinese builders bear a heavy responsibility.
Compared to the desolation of the desert, the Egyptian capital Cairo is fed by the world's longest river, the Nile, and has a population of about 22 million, making it the largest city in Africa.
The overly concentrated population has brought a series of urban diseases to Cairo. In order to provide space for the capital, Egypt has built several satellite cities around Cairo. However, the symptoms are difficult to cure.
What should we do? Egypt is determined to build a new administrative capital in the desert.
In January 2016, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Egyptian President Sisi jointly witnessed that Chinese companies and the Egyptian government signed a framework contract for the construction of the new administrative capital project in Egypt.
In October 2017, China State Construction Corporation Limited and the Egyptian Ministry of Housing officially signed a general contracting contract for the new administrative capital CBD project in Egypt.
This is the largest city building project undertaken by Chinese enterprises in countries along the "the Belt and Road". Chinese people are building the tallest building in Africa, which stands at 385.8 meters tall, as well as 12 office buildings, 5 apartment buildings, and 2 large hotels in the desert.
The capable and adventurous builders of Hunan are an important force among them. Xu Yang serves as the project manager for the P7 section of the project.
On April 3rd, at the site of the new administrative capital CBD project in Egypt, the project manager of section P7, Xu Yang, was inspecting the construction progress of the tree shaped column. Photo by Chen Meng, a full media reporter from Hunan Daily
"Building tall buildings in the desert, Chinese people will definitely do it." Xu Yang and his team members mustered up their spirits and fully devoted themselves to this pioneering and city building campaign.
Overseas exploration, unfamiliar with the land, most of the time can only rely on one's own exploration. Where is the geological exploration deep hole drilling rig available? What should we do if there is a shortage of steel? Under the scorching sun, the builders traveled across major cities in Egypt, with their figures shuttling through almost every construction site.
"The beginning of everything is difficult, and the process is all tears. Materials and equipment that can be found on a single phone in China can be found here for six months without moving." Although difficult, Xu Yang is not afraid of challenges.
The main building requires fully showcasing Egyptian characteristics, which poses a test question for Xu Yang and his team.
"You see, these pillars are like inverted pyramids, designed exclusively for Egypt, and Chinese people can really solve difficult problems." The reporter met Egyptian boy Ibrahim Azia on site. He is the translator of the Egyptian supervisor, witnessing the entire process of pillars from scratch.
Four pillars with a diameter of over 1 meter are inserted diagonally into the ground, resembling four branches protruding upwards, supporting the entire building and being vividly referred to as "tree shaped pillars". Each pillar bears a weight of over 1200 tons, equivalent to 150 adult elephants, and the force point is concentrated at the bottom. Ibrahim saw the design drawings and exclaimed that it was an "impossible task to complete.".
"If you're not a 'barbarian', you're not from Hunan." Xu Yang took on this difficult task without hesitation, and the Hunan people in the P7 section planned to have a 'tough fight' with the tree shaped pillar.
On April 3rd, at the construction site of the P7 section of the new administrative capital CBD project in Egypt, Egyptian workers were polishing the tree shaped columns. Photo by Chen Meng, a full media reporter from Hunan Daily
To stand a pillar, you need to tie a steel cage first. To ensure uniform force distribution, the 64 steel bars in the column need to be evenly distributed. After precise calculation, the project team dispatched thin and small employees to enter the cage for manual debugging.
The 19 meter high column was poured in four stages. The concrete mix ratio, free fall height, and installation of supporting formwork are not easy in every aspect.
Xu Yang still remembers the scene on the day of pouring vividly.
On the morning of January 15, 2020, at 8:00 am, pouring began, with a quantity of 800 cubic meters of concrete and two pumps operating simultaneously. Everyone held their breath, and Hawthorne, the structural supervisor of Egypt, also moved a small stool and sat together waiting.
20 hours have passed. At 4am the next day, the "tree shaped column" was successfully poured in one go. More than three months of hard work have not been in vain, and the tree shaped pillar has finally stood up! The builders danced with joy, and Hawthorne, who usually does not speak or laugh, stood up and cheered, giving a thumbs up to this group of Hunan people.
For over 5 years, 20 tall buildings have risen from the ground in the desert, sprinting towards the final completion and delivery.
Descending from the sign tower and walking between 20 tall buildings, workers occasionally pass by carrying glass. The lifting truck waited aside and lifted the glass to a height of 100 meters, putting on a glass coat for the building.
The reporter met Yang Yunyi, an employee of Hunan enterprise - China Construction Buer Curtain Wall Decoration Co., Ltd., at the scene. He was sweating and checking the progress of curtain wall installation.
"Most of these curtain wall panels are produced by Hunan Zhuzhou Processing Factory!" Yang Yunyi proudly told reporters.
This is the first time that Hunan produced glass curtain walls have gone abroad, and it is also the first time that the Second Curtain Wall Company has undertaken overseas projects.
On the evening of April 4th, under the night sky, the "tallest building in Africa" - the iconic tower of Egypt's new administrative capital CBD project - lit up. Photo by Chen Meng, a full media reporter from Hunan Daily
Faced with first-time product usage, Egyptians inevitably have doubts about the quality. Moreover, Yang Yunyi, born in 1994, is white and has a baby face, appearing younger than his actual age. In the eyes of an Egyptian supervisor in his 50s, Yang Yunyi's milk is still wet and he appears unreliable. In 2019, when Yang Yunyi first presented a glass sample to the Egyptian supervisor for acceptance, the other party rudely drew a large cross on the acceptance form.
Glass curtain walls not only need to withstand the scorching sun in Egypt, but also ensure the transparency of high-rise buildings. Sound insulation, wind resistance, earthquake resistance and other functions are essential. These requirements are relatively simple. But the following requirements are a bit difficult.
"This is not the color we want," said the Egyptian supervisor as he walked into the sun and raised the sample.
The subtle changes in glass color mean that all parameters such as shading, light transmission, and wind resistance need to be readjusted.
In order to convince the Egyptians, the builders of Hunan worked hard.
In order to meet the production schedule of the Zhuzhou factory, Yang Yunyi and his team members often wake up at three or four in the morning in Egypt, communicate repeatedly with the Zhuzhou factory through the internet, and adjust technical parameters.
After the samples were transported from China to Egypt, Yang Yunyi and his team members drove from the project camp to the supervision office in Cairo city. It took more than 4 hours to send the samples back and forth, and everyone ran more than 20 times.
Four months have passed, and the Egyptian supervisor still does not approve. The team has decided to send Yang Yunyi back to the Zhuzhou factory for face-to-face communication and adjustment.
On April 3rd, at the site of the new administrative capital CBD project in Egypt, Hunan builders were moving and installing curtain wall panels produced in Zhuzhou. Photo by Chen Meng, a full media reporter from Hunan Daily
"To create a color suitable for Egypt, one must be exposed to the sun in the desert." Yang Yunyi immediately noticed the problem when he arrived at the Zhuzhou factory: the mild sunlight in China, unlike the scorching sun in Egypt, naturally presents a different shade of glass.
Continuously adjust and experiment repeatedly. Finally, Yang Yunyi brought the samples produced overnight and returned to Cairo.
"It looks good." The Egyptian supervisor once again took the glass sample under the sun and nodded as he looked at it. "Let's have a meeting to discuss it." The head of the Egyptian technical department gathered together to conduct a comprehensive inspection of the curtain wall products produced in Hunan.
Everyone waited outside for over two hours. The meeting ended, and Yang Yunyi looked inside through the crack in the door. The supervisor, who used to frown, saw this doll face and smiled, making an "OK" gesture.
In this way, more than 10000 curtain wall panels produced in Hunan have finally been successfully installed on this world-class project.
In addition to the glass curtain wall panels produced in Zhuzhou, the new administrative capital CBD project in Egypt also uses building aluminum templates made in Changsha and prestressed materials produced in Xiangtan... In distant Egypt, there are many "Hunan elements".
As required, by the end of 2024, the new administrative capital CBD project in Egypt will be fully completed and delivered for use.
At present, there are still many Hunan builders who are committed to the project, responsible for curtain wall installation and project closure work. The top priority in the minds of these people is to focus on quality and quantity to meet the deadline, and they have no time to appreciate the towering pyramids and the beautiful scenery of the Nile River.
The different customs and habits in foreign countries often make it difficult to predict the construction time of projects.
Tu Zhanhong, the manager of the overseas business unit of Bu'er Curtain Wall Company, has stumbled in time.
Ramadan in Egypt, equivalent to the Chinese Spring Festival, is a day for Egyptians to gather and celebrate, visit relatives and friends, and there are many holidays during this period.
During the Ramadan period in 2021, Tu Zhanhong was not familiar with the local holiday arrangements and followed the usual steps to schedule domestic material shipments. As a result, the container was stranded at the port and the company paid a large amount of demurrage fees. What's even more frustrating is that the project process was forced to be interrupted due to the fact that "skilled women cannot cook without rice".
The construction site of the facade of the CBD project in Egypt's new administrative capital. China Construction Group Co., Ltd.
On April 1st of this year, the reporter arrived in Egypt and happened to be during Ramadan. What would happen?
Tu Zhanhong led the reporter to the project site. The curtain wall products transported from Zhuzhou were neatly stacked in the pre processing warehouse, and the workers were carrying out the installation work in an orderly manner.
Originally, the builders of Hunan had already learned a lesson and planned ahead. On March 23rd this year, Egypt entered Ramadan, and Tu Zhanhong and team members will complete customs clearance for the next month's materials before Ramadan.
After continuous scheduling and communication, the goods entered the port on March 16th. March 17th and 18th are Fridays and Saturdays, which are public holidays in Egypt. Four days of unloading and transportation, on March 22nd, the goods arrived at the site smoothly before the start of Ramadan.
"Having gone through many detours, paid a lot of tuition fees, and gradually figured out the 'routine' of overseas assignments, the project has progressed much smoother!" Tu Zhanhong said happily.
To put a perfect end to the project, Hunan builders face difficulties head-on.
By the end of 2020, the overseas COVID-19 continued to spread. Tu Zhanhong's team consists of 28 people in Egypt, and their families are worried and calling for them to return home.
The winter temperature is not high, making it an excellent construction period in Egypt. At that time, the installation of curtain walls was in a critical stage of hoisting.
How to stabilize people's hearts? The leader asked Tu Zhanhong, "Are you going to Egypt?"
"Go!" Tu Zhanhong boarded a plane to Egypt before the Spring Festival.
That Spring Festival, Tu Zhanhong and her team members sat together and had a small hot pot. Accompanied by the rising heat in winter, everyone's hearts gradually calmed down.
Struggling on the project, Hunan builders have established a deep friendship with Egyptian employees.
Wen Feng Festival is a festival to welcome spring. According to local customs in Egypt, before and after Wen Feng Festival, people need to draw patterns, color eggs, and write wishes.
The Egyptians believe that the beautiful vision painted on eggshells during this period, when exposed to sunlight, will surely be successfully realized.
On April 4th of this year, in the project camp, Hunan builders set up a large round table and painted a wish "Easter egg" with Egyptian employees.
"My country is finally going to have a world-class central business district! I am fighting for my beloved career with my Chinese partners, and I have also fallen in love with Chinese culture." Khalid, who has a beard, is a native Egyptian boy. He said he wants to visit China. So he drew a panda on the egg, gnawing on bamboo.
And Khalid carefully painted the appearance of the panda, which was depicted by Yang Yunyi on an egg. After working side by side in Egypt for over 4 years, the two have become good brothers who hate each other for not seeing each other later. Yang Yunyi said, "The thought of leaving Egypt sooner or later makes me most reluctant to part with these Egyptian friends."
Mossad, a local employee in Egypt, drew a green Nile on an egg. As the eggs turned, a small boat sailed from one side of the river - the Great Wall of China, to the other side of the river - the Egyptian Tower.
"The new administrative capital project in Egypt will tightly connect the hearts of the people of the two ancient civilizations of Egypt and China," said Mossad.
Journalist's Notes
The determination to go abroad
Huang Tingting
The people of Hunan, who struggle in the desert due to sandstorms, water scarcity, and high temperatures, respond with a poetic line from Wang Guozhen in response to the harsh construction environment: "Since they have chosen to 'go out to sea', they only care about both wind and rain."
In addition to facing the challenges of climate, Hunan enterprises need to overcome various unexpected difficulties and endure more hardships than in China when going abroad - cultural differences, national customs, safety guarantees, etc. - all of which are real challenges for those who go abroad.
However, making the decision to "go global" is not only a huge challenge, but also a necessary path for Chinese brands to go abroad and internationally.
Driven by the new administrative capital CBD project in Egypt, Hunan's curtain wall products have gone abroad for the first time and have been recognized by world-class projects. In the northern Mediterranean coast of Egypt, the Alaman New City Ultra High Complex project, also built with the participation of Hunan people, has emerged and will be built into Egypt's "Summer Capital" in the future.
"China has built world-class buildings for Egypt, and Egypt has also provided a broad stage for Chinese enterprises," said Shana Abdelwahab, a journalist from The Egyptian Today who has interviewed Egypt's new administrative capital CBD project multiple times
"Go out", the world is wide. Chinese enterprises are going global, bringing tangible contributions to the people of Africa and opening up vast markets with unlimited potential. The comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Africa has entered a new era and is working together to embark on a path of win-win cooperation.
African voice
Egyptian Minister of Housing, Essam Ghazar:
The new administrative capital CBD project in Egypt is an important achievement of exchange, mutual learning, and win-win cooperation between Egypt and China. It is also a milestone for Egypt to introduce modern technology and achieve the development of new era architecture.
Ahmed Wali, Chairman of the Egypt China Friendship Association:
The construction of Egypt's new administrative capital by Chinese enterprises represents a new height of Egypt China friendship! Now, standing on such a high landmark tower, my experience is even stronger and more profound, which is also a common feeling among all of us Egyptians.
On April 2nd, Egypt's new administrative capital CBD project, the "tallest building in Africa" - the iconic tower. Photo by Chen Meng, a full media reporter from Hunan Daily
The voice of "going out to sea"
Shen Yumou, Secretary of the Party Group and Director of the Department of Commerce of Hunan Province:
Based on its own characteristics and industrial advantages, Hunan has formed a good reputation and brand effect in countries along the "the Belt and Road". Focusing on Africa, ASEAN and other key regions and countries, Hunan focuses on agriculture, engineering machinery, rail transit, new energy and other advantageous industries, relies on the implementation of key projects, and takes small cuts to leverage large benefits as a breakthrough to promote the construction of the "the Belt and Road" in a deep and practical way.
Tian Weiguo, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of China Construction Fifth Engineering Bureau:
Actively participate in the investment and construction of countries along the "the Belt and Road", understand local expectations and requirements, and take overseas project construction as a platform to realize their own performance and contribute to the local "win-win" by carrying out activities such as driving local industrial development, stimulating local employment, improving local people's livelihood, and promoting cultural exchanges.
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Hunan builders continue to refresh African landmarks
Landmark architecture, the business card and symbol of a city.
In addition to the "highest building in Africa" in the Sahara Desert, in the marshes of West Africa, on the south side of the hot equator, and on the islands in the Indian Ocean, Hunan builders also built Alaman New City along the Mediterranean coast in northern Egypt, participated in and built the first wrestling stadium in Africa, so that the Burundi government has its own presidential palace for the first time since independence in 1962, and set a milestone in the development of radio and television in Seychelles.
For decades, Hunan has tailor-made landmark buildings for Africa. As early as the 1970s, Hunan enterprises dispatched a group of skilled and experienced construction workers to work and live in Burkina Faso through the Chinese government's aid project - the Ouagadougou Stadium.
On December 18, 2018, the Seychelles Broadcasting and Television Center, which was built with the assistance of the Chinese government and contracted by Hunan enterprises, officially commenced, becoming a boutique project in response to the national "the Belt and Road" initiative.
The Senegalese competitive wrestling arena, resembling a "golden belt" in shape, covers an area of 7 hectares, with a building area of approximately 18000 square meters, and can accommodate about 20000 spectators at the same time. This landmark building is the first modern wrestling ground in Africa, also built by a Hunan enterprise.
Hunan not only serves as a cultural landmark for Africa, but also helps to build a political center in the local area.
On September 27, 2019, the China aided Burundi Presidential Palace Project held a grand opening ceremony in Bujumbura, the economic capital of Burundi. This is the first time that the Government of Burundi has owned its own presidential palace since its independence in 1962. Hunan enterprises have once again built a landmark building in Africa.
The aid to Seychelles Broadcasting and Television Center project, Liberia SKD Stadium maintenance project, South Africa Football Stadium... Hunan builders have taken bold steps to build one African landmark after another, shedding the hard work of Hunan people on this vast land.
First instance: Peng Peng
Second instance: Zhu Xiaohua
Third instance: Wen Fengchu
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On the evening of June 1st, the US Senate passed a bill on the federal government's debt ceiling and budget, and the flame of the US debt bomb was temporarily extinguished at the last moment. The two parties in the United States have staged an extreme tug of war over the US debt bomb. Some experts believe that the US debt crisis is the result of the reckless politics promoted by the US dollar hegemony, and the underlying cause of this crisis is the highly polarized political system of the US. Since the end of World War II, the US Congress has adjusted the debt ceiling more than a hundred times. The recurring debt crisis will not only have a catastrophic impact on the US economy and people's livelihoods, but also continuously erode the value of US dollar assets such as government credit and US bonds, bringing significant and far-reaching impacts to the global economic landscape. 【