The new three - refers to new energy, new electric vehicles and new lifestyles in the information age of advanced technology, all of which at this moment has really become and is becoming a real development trend in the world. In all these areas, China and Montenegro have common development needs and strong complementary advantages. The two countries can definitely deepen the exchange and cooperation in them, and jointly step into that exciting era called the "new three".
Production of electricity from renewable sources - abundance of wind and abundance of sun
In recent years, China has vigorously promoted the production of electricity from renewable sources, and in terms of installed capacity for the production of solar energy and wind energy, it ranks first in the world. In the first half of this year, the newly installed capacity for electricity generation from renewable sources in China reached 109 million kilowatts, of which 78,42 million kilowatts were for solar energy and 22,99 million kilowatts for wind energy. At the same time, China has also made a great contribution to the development of new energy at the global level. So far, it has provided the world with 50% of the existing equipment for wind farms and 80% of the equipment for solar photovoltaic modules, which significantly reduced the costs of global use of renewable energy sources.
The Možura wind farm project, in which a Chinese company participates, brought Montenegro more than 64 million kilowatt-hours of clean electricity in the first half of this year. The project can meet the electricity needs of close to 30.000 inhabitants of Montenegro. At the same time, it effectively improved the stability of the Montenegrin power grid, helped solve the problem of electricity shortages in the municipality of Bar and surrounding areas during the peak tourist season, and brought tangible benefits to the people of Montenegro. The ecological reconstruction project of the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant is also progressing, and after its completion, it will be of great importance and will play a leading role in the energy security of Montenegro and its further development as an ecological state. China and Montenegro should take full advantage of the short construction period and quick results that characterize projects in the field of new energy, in order to create innovative growth points and new peaks in the practical cooperation of the two countries.
New electric vehicles - we create the future every day
In the past, clothing, home appliances and furniture were referred to as the "old three" in China's foreign trade exports. Today, electric passenger cars, lithium-ion batteries and solar cells produced in China sell very well abroad and are called the "new troika" of foreign trade exports. In the first half of the year, the total export of products of the "new three" increased by 61,6% compared to the same period last year. Among them, the development of new electric vehicles attracts the most attention. In 1995, China's first electric vehicle rolled off the production line, and China's new energy vehicle industry has grown gradually and steadily since then. In July this year, China's 20 millionth electric car officially rolled off the assembly line, marking a historic moment for China's new energy vehicle industry. At the same time, China's electric battery materials and the application of new technology continue to make breakthroughs in the market, and relevant supporting facilities for the needs of electric vehicles continue to be perfected. By the end of 2022, China has built a total of 5,21 million chargers and 1.973 battery exchange stations, forming the world's largest charging and exchange network. For global needs, the production of batteries and components amounted to over 70%, and the number of patent applications for new electric vehicles in China accounted for almost half of all patent applications of this type in the world.
China's new electric vehicles are characterized by three features: clean energy, smart technology and modern design, which is why they are marching towards the global market at full speed. China's production and sales of electric cars has ranked first in the world for eight years in a row. According to the report "Global Electric Vehicle Outlook 2023" published by the International Energy Agency (IEA), the global production and sales in 2022 exceeded the figure of 10 million vehicles, of which 7 million vehicles are of Chinese production. In the first half of this year, China exported 534.000 electric cars, an increase of 1,6 times compared to the same period last year. Europe is a very important destination for the export of Chinese new energy vehicles. In the first half of this year, China exported about 350.000 electric cars to Europe. Chinese models such as Geely's Lynk & Co 01 and SAIC's Morris Garages sell well in Europe. In addition, new energy vehicles made in China are widely favored among young consumers for their "smart" driving experience and modern exterior design, and automatic parking has become a standard configuration for virtually all models. The promotion and use of new electric vehicles in Montenegro will also greatly contribute to its very important concept of an ecological state.
New lifestyles - futurism is not science fiction
The two main characteristics of the new way of life in this time of advanced technology are - green and digital. Historically speaking, China's "four great inventions", i.e. paper production, gunpowder, printing and the compass, once made an important contribution to the progress of human civilization. Today, China's "Four New Inventions", namely high-speed rail, e-commerce, mobile payment and bike-sharing system, are leading the new green and low-carbon fashion in digital life. The Chinese in the new era really enjoy all the benefits of the new lifestyles: the high-speed railway works like lightning and significantly shortens the distance between cities; high-quality goods reach consumers through well-developed e-commerce platforms and logistics networks; in public transport and the metro, and during everyday shopping, one-click code scanning and mobile phone payments have become the norm, so if you leave the house with only your mobile phone, you really won't need anything else; while the system of public shared bicycles, which can also be downloaded by simply scanning a code, provides a green and environmentally friendly solution for shorter distances in the city, which additionally regulates and alleviates traffic jams...
The "Four New Inventions" epitomize China's new technological life in recent years, which has not only changed the way of life of Chinese people, but also brought a refresh in the way the world views China. In addition to all this, China is vigorously promoting the development of 5G network, artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing and other fields. These digital applications are also known as the "new infrastructure" of the information age and are driving the development of new elements of lifestyles, such as online education, telemedicine and online work from home. Scenes in science fiction movies have already become reality, and futuristic technological life is no longer a dream.
Green and low-carbon development has become a popular trend among many countries around the world with the desire to improve their own economic and social development. Montenegro has rich solar and wind energy resources and is the first constitutionally defined ecological country in the world. Cooperation between China and Montenegro in the field of renewable energy sources and new electric cars is fully in line with the general development direction of our two countries. China and Montenegro are joint partners, with numerous complementary development opportunities. The peoples of the two countries are friendly, and that traditional friendship has very solid foundations, which is why our future cooperation has a broad perspective and great potential.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the launch and joint construction of the "Belt and Road" initiative by President Xi Jinping. On this occasion, the Chinese side is carefully preparing for the third "Belt and Road" International Cooperation Summit, which will be held in the second half of this year. China is willing to take advantage of this opportunity and work together with Montenegro to take advantage of development opportunities, strengthen practical cooperation, cultivate new drivers of growth, and build a development community and join hands on the way to an era marked by the "new three"!
The author is the ambassador of the Republic of China in Montenegro
Bonus video:
