Aerial view of the smart-drip vegetable base in Shangwan Village, Fangxian County of Shiyan, Central China's Hubei Province, on June 29, 2025. Photo: VCG

At a booth filled with the aroma of freshly brewed beans, Ethiopian coffee trader Simret Teferi Gebrezgi gestured to a sleek, humming grinder and matching porcelain cups that are made in China. "We grow the coffee," she told Global Times during the 3rd China International Supply Chain Expo, "but it's Chinese machines that help us present it to the world."

She noted that China is not only a major buyer but also a crucial technology partner. Chinese solutions, she said, have helped fill critical gaps, enabling countries like hers to pursue independent development and better integrate into global value chains.

The transformation of Ethiopia's coffee industry from cultivation to global sales illustrates how Chinese technology is supporting industrial upgrading across the Global South. From Africa to Latin America, China's engagement has extended beyond infrastructure into key areas such as smart agriculture, port logistics, deep-sea energy, and vocational training.

Agricultural partnerships 

In Ethiopia, where coffee exports make up about 30 percent of agricultural foreign exchange earnings, Chinese technology is creating added value at origin. 

Simret noted that with Chinese smart irrigation tools and soil monitoring systems, her farms have been able to improve bean consistency—crucial for premium sales. Chinese platforms like Douyin and TikTok have expanded international visibility, bypassing traditional middlemen and giving producers more leverage on marketing. 

In Argentina, the energy sector is a case study in how developing economies are working to break bottlenecks with new technology upgrades. Gustavo Altuna, an environmental management industry representative from Argentina, told the Global Times that Argentina's Vaca Muerta formation—the second-largest shale gas reserve in the world—requires modern maritime logistics in order to achieve export capacity.

"Maritime efficiency determines export competitiveness," he said, noting that Chinese firms are uniquely positioned to provide deep-sea transport, port handling systems, and drilling expertise as required. China is already Argentina's second-largest trade partner, and Altuna said discussions with Chinese petroleum and infrastructure companies are ongoing. "We are not just purchasing equipment. We are learning from China how to develop deep-sea oil and gas extraction technologies." 

In Nicaragua, agricultural modernization is now gaining momentum. Berrios Jose Alejandro, an official from the Nicaraguan Embassy in Beijing, told Global Times that Chinese-made drones and automated irrigation systems are being deployed across rural farms, helping the country shift from manual, subsistence-based agriculture to data-driven cultivation.

"The biggest change," Alejandro said, "is that farmers are now operating with mobile phones and digital control systems instead of relying solely on hand tools."

Large-scale equipment, such as tractors and harvesters from Chinese manufacturers, is filling long-standing gaps in affordability and supply. Nicaragua's bilateral cooperation with China has also led to joint investments in road networks and hydropower plants, creating complementary links between energy and logistics, he said.

Technology for good

Unlike traditional Western aid models, China's approach to the Global South increasingly focuses on practical cooperation, skills transfer, and local empowerment.

In Zimbabwe, where agriculture supports 60-70 percent of the population, Chinese tractors, plows, and harvesters have become ubiquitous on farms. "We now rely on Chinese agricultural equipment to feed our people," said David Ndarama from Zimbabwe's Embassy in China. "But more importantly, we are training our youth in Chinese universities to master those technologies." 

Many Zimbabwean students have received Chinese scholarships, with the majority studying engineering, IT, and agricultural sciences.

In the tourism sector, Chinese digital platforms are reshaping how destinations are promoted. "Our wildlife migration routes were mostly promoted by Western agencies in the past," Ndarama said. "Now, Chinese social media, using algorithms and big data, is introducing Zimbabwe to a younger generation of Chinese travellers. That visibility is crucial."

The principle is echoed in Nicaragua, where Berrios said Chinese technology is enabling not just production, but participation. "It's not just that China gives us machines," he said. "It's that we can learn from them and build something better—together."

From farms to factories, ports to skills training, China's technological presence in the Global South is no longer a story of export—it is one of collaboration and transformation.

By focusing on practical needs including affordable tools, scalable systems, and locally adapted knowledge, China is helping many partner nations move beyond raw material suppliers to become full participants in global value chains, experts said.

China's government agencies and Chinese companies are making tangible contributions to the Global South by introducing new technologies and supporting improvements in governance, with many companies having displayed these efforts in their corporate social responsibility disclosures, said Chen Jing, vice president of the Technology and Strategy Research Institute. 

"China is clearly outperforming many Western companies, with a growing number of cooperation projects giving Chinese enterprises a distinct competitive edge in the Global South," Chen told Global Times on Thursday. China's contributions—ranging from large-scale infrastructure projects to providing practical technological solutions—far exceed those of the West, reflecting a results-driven and fact-based approach to cooperation.

In March, Vice Minister of Science and Technology Lin Xin said that China has set up science and technology partnerships with 161 countries and regions, signed 118 inter-governmental agreements, and joined more than 200 international organizations and mechanisms. China has also launched major initiatives and encouraged researchers, companies, and universities to expand global cooperation through many diverse channels.

As part of the efforts to promote "technology for good" through international cooperation, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and the Chinese government launched the fourth phase of their South-South industrial cooperation centre in June. The new phase aims to accelerate technology transfer and promote sustainable industrial development across the Global South. It focuses on green technology, digital transformation, and building inclusive, resilient supply chains to support the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.