As northern China’s Tianjin prepares to host the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, the city has positioned itself at the forefront of innovation, sustainability, and education. Known as the maritime gateway to Beijing and a global trading hub, Tianjin is accelerating the integration of digitalization and green development while also exporting its experience in vocational education to SCO countries.
Tianjin Port: The World’s First Zero-Carbon Smart Terminal
Tianjin Port is redefining the future of maritime trade. Its intelligent rainbow-colored terminal is powered entirely by renewable energy — two wind turbines and photovoltaic systems — ensuring that all operations are carbon neutral. Automated quay cranes, unmanned transport robots, and gantry cranes operate through a 5G and AI-powered system, allowing round-the-clock production without the need for lights at night.
This terminal is the world’s first to feature an AI-based horizontal transportation management system and the first to deploy L4-level autonomous driving at scale in a port environment — a system more advanced than most private vehicle autopilots. Remote-controlled operations reduce safety risks and create a quieter, more comfortable working environment for employees. “Technology has helped make the operation easier, and easier operation means safety risks are lowered,” said Bai Tianyu, a remote quay crane operator.
Since its opening in 2021, Tianjin’s smart port has become a global blueprint for building low-carbon and intelligent ports. For the SCO, it represents both a model and a partner in advancing sustainable development, particularly timely as 2025 has been designated the “Year of SCO Sustainable Development.”
Lenovo’s Smart Carbon-Neutral Factory
Beyond the port, Tianjin has developed new models of green and digital industry. Lenovo’s Innovation Park in Tianjin is a pioneering carbon-neutral factory, implementing 90 carbon-reduction scenarios across nine major fields. Every nine seconds, the plant produces a notebook computer, supported by advanced hardware systems and intelligent software.
With a digital twin platform and over 10,000 online sensors, Lenovo can monitor energy consumption and carbon emissions in real time for each building and production line. Innovative practices, such as recycling ocean-bound plastics into components for power adapters and computer frames, demonstrate how digitalization drives sustainable manufacturing.
“Smart intelligence is the secret behind low-carbon development,” explained Shao Shuai, Environmental, Health and Safety Manager at Lenovo Tianjin Innovation Park. “It has been integrated into every step of our production.”
Luban Workshop: Upskilling for a Shared Future
Tianjin is also home to the Luban Workshop, an international vocational training brand that has expanded to more than 30 countries, including SCO members such as Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The workshops provide practical education in advanced manufacturing, digital technology, and engineering, training thousands of young professionals each year.
For Egyptian student Ibrahim Maher, the program was life-changing: “I have practiced and finally passed the exams to have an opportunity to study here in Tianjin, a sudden turn for the better. Every time I step into the training room, I feel like a duck to water.” His team recently won a silver medal at the World Vocational College Skills Competition, and he now aims for gold.
Egypt’s former minister of administrative development, Dr. Ahmed Darwish, underlined the importance of such initiatives: “A new revolution is coming that requires new skills. Old skills are no longer enough for employment. My advice for young people is simple — upscale your skills.”
Tianjin’s Role in the SCO
From smart ports and carbon-neutral factories to international vocational training, Tianjin represents a model for the SCO’s future path: green, digital, and people-centered. By linking advanced industries with human development, Tianjin is building a platform where trade, technology, and talent converge.
The story of today’s Tianjin is one of connectivity and comfort — a smart mega-port linking China and the world, an eco-friendly development path, and a city that welcomes visitors with openness and warmth. As the SCO summit approaches, Tianjin stands ready to share its vision of innovation and inclusiveness with the world.
