In Guinea, West Africa, heavy equipment is operating at full capacity across the Simandou project site undertaken by China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd. (CHEC), a subsidiary of China Communications Construction Company Ltd. (CCCC). This site is central to the globally significant Simandou iron ore infrastructure development project and serves as a bridge for exchange and collaboration between Chinese and Guinean youth. It’s also where the "Silk Road Craftsman" youth initiative fosters joint efforts in building the Belt and Road and strengthens the bonds of friendship between young people from both countries.
CHEC's "Silk Road Craftsman" China-Guinea youth vocational skills mutual enhancement initiative has trained nearly 500 local engineers, turning them into proficient workers in frontline operations. "Under this initiative, outstanding young Chinese engineers and their local peers jointly form a youth innovation workshop, to apply and promote Chinese standards in the local project," explained Chinese project manager Lyu Wei.
According to Lyu, the project regularly organizes technical training, labor competitions, skills contests, and other activities in fields such as welding, dump truck operation, and excavator handling. These efforts help local employees master advanced technologies and skills, achieving self-improvement and enhancing personal value.
The "Silk Road Craftsman" project aims to empower at least 1,000 Guinean youths, building a sustainable career development platform and creating more employment opportunities. Since its inception, the project has provided over 3,000 local jobs and delivered more than 38,400 hours of specialized education and training.
While committed to high-quality empowerment and vocational skills enhancement between Chinese and Guinean youth, the project also organizes various cultural exchange activities through the "Silk Road Craftsman" initiative, fostering mutual understanding between the youth of both countries.
During the Spring Festival, Chinese and Guinean youth put up couplets, solve lantern riddles, and sing together, allowing local youth to experience the richness of Chinese culture. These activities effectively break down cultural barriers and lay a solid foundation for friendship.
The project regularly integrates local culture and safety elements into activities such as "Wontanara" (we are together), "Amafènè" (take a look), and the international "Safety Consultation Day," organizing distinctive China-Guinea youth safety culture exchange seminars. Local youth expressed admiration and gratitude toward their Chinese counterparts, while Chinese youth gained a better understanding of their responsibilities and missions, forging deep friendships with the local youth.
At the Simandou construction site, every greeting is warm, every skills competition showcases professionalism, and every cultural exchange activity is marked by genuine interaction. These moments stand as a vivid microcosm of the high-quality co-construction of the Belt and Road.
(Executive editor: Yuan Ting)
