As 2025 marks the final stretch of the Chinese mainland’s 14th Five-Year Plan, young voices from around the globe are reflecting on the past five years and plotting the course for Sino-foreign collaboration ahead. In a recent CGTN Stringer series, youth from France, Brazil, Iran and South Africa shared bold ideas for next-level partnerships in technology, energy and education.
Noé Comellas, a French innovator passionate about sustainability, sees a unique opportunity to unite tech innovation with the energy transition. "I would really like to see cooperation between technological innovation and the energy transition. Together, the two countries could accelerate and advance the global energy transition more effectively," he says, highlighting the power of joint research and smart infrastructure to cut carbon footprints worldwide.
From the southern tip of Africa, Aluwani Mavhungu from South Africa zeroes in on education as a bridge between cultures and economies. She hopes the Chinese mainland and South Africa will launch more student exchange programs to promote knowledge sharing and fuel collective growth among young people on both sides. "Stronger educational partnerships can empower the next generation to tackle global challenges together," Mavhungu notes.
The conversation also drew insights from young leaders in Brazil and Iran, all eager to see deeper ties with the Chinese mainland across trade, culture and innovation. Their shared message: youth-driven collaboration is key to shaping a more sustainable, interconnected world.
As nations plan for the next Five-Year Plan, these global perspectives serve as a reminder that investing in youth partnerships—from clean-energy labs to classroom exchanges—can ignite fresh solutions for our planet’s biggest challenges.
Reference(s):
We Talk: Foreign youth's expectations for Sino-foreign cooperation
cgtn.com
