By Dr Austin Maho
What is Beijing without the great wall?
What is Yunnan without Kunming, the oriental gem, “the city of eternal spring”; Without Lincang without Dali, pu’er tea, macadamia nuts and the bloom of roses.Yunnan was on the spotlight, it was the host of the 2025 Media Cooperation Forum on Belt and Road.
From Kunming to Lincang, Lincang to Dali it was a journey of discovery an exploration into the heart and culture of Yunnan and the Bai people. The tea culture, the taste of macadamia nuts, the fragrance of exotic flowers, the food, the hospitality of the Chinese people.
THE 2025 MEDIA COOPERATION FORUM AND AWARDS
It was a fifteen days odyssey, full of twist and turn. The first two a celebration of the achievements of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the annual gathering of the cream of senior representatives of the global media to tell BRI stories. An event marked by Presentations, artistic performance, Keynote speeches by China’s policy makers, global media representatives, senior executives from China’s leading enterprises.
Peoples Daily of China, arguably the largest media organisations in the world pulled off the largest gathering of media organisations in the world!
The Second Silk Road Global News Awards were announced on September 16, 2025, in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China, as part of the 2025 Media Cooperation Forum on Belt and Road. This prestigious award recognizes outstanding journalism that promotes the Silk Road spirit of peace, cooperation, openness, inclusiveness, mutual learning, and mutual benefit.
The awards received nearly 5,000 entries from 110 countries and regions. A total of 58 works from 37 countries were recognized, including four grand prizes, 16 nominations, and 38 finalist awards.
Featuring four categories, best reporting, best ohotography, best video and best innovation.
Colin Stevens, editor-in-chief of EU Reporter, won best reporting for for his work: “China’s Belt & Road: Building Bridges not Walls”.
Best Photography went to Argentine photographers Renato Valentini and Rocío Vellón for “CRRC New Energy Trains Roll into Jujuy”.
Best Video went to Armenia, News. am wiith the entry: “In the Book of my Dreams”.
The award for best innovation went to Egyptian Television and China Media Group who co-produced: “Documentary: Treasures and Masks”.
A Nigerian Journalist Dr. Austin Maho, publisher and editor-in-chief of Daybreak Nigeria newspaper, won an award, reflecting his impactful work on the Belt and Road Initiative with the entry: “Fake News and the Challenges of Reporting China” which won the long list award.
The Silk Road Global News Awards is designed to promote the spirit of peace, cooperation, openness, inclusiveness, mutual learning, and mutual benefit, encouraging media collaboration and storytelling along the Belt and Road Initiative .
The Silk Road Global News Awards is hosted by the Belt and Road News Network (BRNN) and organized by People’s Daily of China, one of the Worlds largest media conglomerate.
A JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY
After the high level media brain storming, it was time to see China. Seeing China from within is always an adventure. It was excursion through the nuts of Lincang, the tea culture, flowers and Bai culture of Dali
NUTS OF LINCANG
Lincang, a city in southwest China’s Yunnan Province, is renowned for its macadamia nuts, also called the “Queen of Dried Fruits” and considered one of the world’s most sought-after nuts.
Our team visited the Lincang forestry academy nut planting base and laboratory of nut testing. We saw first hand the miracle that can be achieved through grit and hardwork, how the economy of a community can be transformed with one agricultural product with all lines of its value chain carefully and maximally harnessed. Its easy to see the rural poverty alleviation and rejuvenation strategy that enabled China to lift 800 million Chinese citizens out of poverty.
Lincang in less than three decades since introduction of macadamia nut has become the world’s largest macadamia production base, accounting for 53.2% of China’s total and 36.8% of global production, with over 2.63 million mu (about 175,000 hectares) of macadamia trees.
In 2024, Lincang produced 308,000 tonnes of fresh macadamia nuts and 120,400 tonnes of dried nuts, generating 10.16 billion yuan in output value, benefiting 744,500 farming households.
The achievement is line with China’s drive at poverty alleviation by ensuring that local communities build their communities around products where they have comparative advantage.
Macadamia nuts originated from Australia and were introduced to China in the 1990s, with trial cultivation beginning in Yongde county, Lincang, in 1991. Lincang’s climate, with average annual temperatures of 19°C and over 2,000 hours of sunshine, provides ideal conditions for macadamia cultivation.
Nuts flowed freely, the cracking and sharing was an exciting exercise everyone participated in.
DALI
Another notable stop was Dali, the former capital of Yunnan Province. We were treated to a memorable Tea Art Performance at the Dali Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum. It was simply mesmerizing, a display of tradition, culture, and skill, deeply rooted in Dali culture.
Imagine witnessing a masterful display and rutuals where tea is poured with elegance and precision into intricate, porcelain teapots. You drink it and then eat it!
First it comes bitter in a small tea cup, then spicy and flavored in a bigger cup then sweet in a bowl to be scooped and eaten with a spoon.
Each tea ritual is symbolically significant, reflecting Chinese existentialism that embodies harmony with nature, balance, and meditation, reflecting Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist influences in Chinese culture.
The naturalness, simplicity meant we sat in mindful silence and meditation, late into the evening savoring the experinece.
THE THREE PAGODAS
At the three Pagodas! We saw the marvel of the Pagodas in Dali, the three majestic, ancient pagodas arranged in a perfect symmetrical triangle, forming a breathtaking landmark that’s visible from miles away! These stunning structures are part of the Chongsheng Temple complex, nestled beautifully at the eastern foot of the magnificent Cangshan Mountains and overlooking the serene Erhai Lake.
According to our escort these pagodas have withstood over 30 earthquakes in the past thousand years, showcasing their incredible architectural durability.
JIANGZHIJI TIE AND DYEING
Jiangzhiji tie and dyeing was super intriguing! It was fun, we got our hands “inky” as we participated and were taken through the magical creation of intricate designs and proceseses of creating and imprinting dye on clothes.
We folded, twisted, crumpled fabric and then bind it with strings and threads. The bound areas resist the dye, creating cool patterns and designs. It’s like magic, but totally satisfying when finally revealed after a dye dip. As a Nigerian it remided me of “Adire” tie and dye technique in Western Nigeria. The Yoruba people practice Adire, a tie-dye method using cassava or rice paste to resist dye, creating striking geometric patterns.
Another memorable stops was Dali ancient city. The awe inspiring sight of Dali marble renowned for its exquisite veining and patterns.
Dali marble has been exclusive to this region from ages showcasing creamy whites, grays, and warm tones.
The enormous work done over the years at conservation, to preserve the Dali marble from commercial abuse. Dali marble stands as a major cultural heritage of the Dali people that showcases the craftsmanship of the region’s rich artistic traditions.
XIAOHOUSUO FLOWER BASE
We also visited the Xiaohousuo flower farm. We saw the careful and detailed efforts that went into the cultivation of fresh flowers. The enormous green houses, drip irrigation systems, pest control efforts the dedicated workers quietly pruning and trimming, the sweet fragrance, the bloom of roses. It was refreshing and simply delightful to behold.
Yunnan produces over 70% of China’s fresh-cut flowers, with a significant portion destined for export.
Our quide informed us that most of the flowers produced in Yunnan are exported to countries like Thailand, Japan, Singapore, Russia, and Australia, significantly boosting its local economies and generating economic opportunities.
Yunnan’s fresh-cut flower exports reached $50.04 million, in the first quarter of 2025. With over 100 varieties being exported.
DALI ECOLOGICAL CORRIDOR
A major conservation effort to protect the Erhai lake, stretching for 129-kilometer. It serves as a vital water-land buffer zone and ecological barrier, aiming to protect the lake’s ecosystem and promote sustainable development. It features major works in wetland restoration, ecosystem preservation, and pollution control.
The walk through the lakes embankment was refreshing. Its a major tourist attraction with reverers, shoppers. In all my visits to China i have never seen so many newly weds in one location. They were everywhere at the bank of the lake. Making most of the exotic and abundant flowery gardens to snap memorable pictures. Leisure spaces, coffee shops were in abundance.
THE BAI PEOPLE
Dali, China, is a treasure trove of history, culture, and breathtaking natural beauty.
We enjoyed the warmth and hospitality of the Bai people of Yunnan.
The Bai ethnic minority known for their rich heritage and unique customs and costumes noted for its colorful embroidery, featuring intricate embroidery and craftsmanship.
Particularly the women wear distinctive headwear adorned with silver jewelries and vivid decorations reflecting their cultural tastes, history, aesthetics, and cultural distinctiveness within China’s diverse ethnic mosaic.
In Yunnan, we walked through ancient cobblestone streets, surrounded by traditional Bai architecture, we felt the cultural heritage of the Bai people, the unforgettable, warmth and vivid laughter of the people. We Savored local delicacies like Erhai fish, “crossing-the-bridge noodles”, spicy black chicken and many more traditional Yunnan flavors. It was delightful, awe inspiring. We made memories to linger for a lifetime !
The Great Wall is a powerful emblem, but China’s essence lies in its vast tapestry of history, culture, people, landscapes, and the innovative spirit of its people. Ten days of exploring Yunnan, “the city of eternal spring” was a revelation that further reflects the spirit of China, a vast country steeped in five thousand years of history, of resilience, and unmatched beauty and heritage.
