The logo of the BRICS PartNIR Innovation Center in Xiamen, Fujian province. [Photo/WeChat account of Xiamen Free Trade Zone]
Since its inception in December 2020, the BRICS PartNIR Innovation Center in Xiamen, Fujian province has signed agreements on 77 BRICS cooperation projects with an investment of 38.5 billion yuan ($5.29 billion).
The BRICS Future Innovation Park, an important innovation carrier of the BRICS innovation center, has accumulated 36 projects and has an occupancy rate of over 95 percent.
Talent training is another important task of the innovation center. The center focuses on the fields of new industrial revolution and key areas of the global development initiative, and carries out both online and offline training. So far, the center has held more than 40 training and exchange activities, covering more than 80 countries, with nearly 1.8 million participants.
At the same time, Xiamen has continued to deepen economic and trade cooperation with other BRICS countries. The first BRICS cross-border e-commerce air freight line between Xiamen and Sao Paulo was officially opened in February. The China-Europe (Xiamen) freight trains have been running stably, and the China-Russia line has shipped 401 trains with a combined cargo value of nearly 7.9 billion yuan.
Moving forward, the BRICS innovation center will closely follow the BRICS expansion process, step up efforts in the three key areas of policy coordination, talent training and project development to expand "BRICS+" cooperation and contribute to construct a better innovation center.
China announced and implemented on May 15 a policy allowing visa-free entry of foreign tourist groups aboard cruise ships via all cruise ship ports along the country's coastline.
China and Georgia are set to waive visa requirements for travelers starting May 28.
