00:00As Washington and Beijing compete for technological leadership,
00:04the battle is moving beyond politics and into the factory floor.
00:08From Chengdu, Farhana Xieh takes us inside one of China's most advanced smart factories.
00:14As the US-China tech rivalry intensifies, the front line isn't just in the South China Sea.
00:20It's on the factory floors in Chengdu.
00:22The city traditionally famous for giant pandas and laid-back lifestyle,
00:26today is the beating heart of China's new quality productive forces.
00:30Behind me is the Jili Manufacturing Hub,
00:33where the transition from made-in-China to intelligently made-in-China is in full force.
00:40Beijing's push for new quality productive forces prioritizes high-end AI-driven efficiency over sheer scale.
00:47Inside this 5G-enabled facility, the welding shop is almost entirely automated,
00:53with more than 600 robots producing a new electric vehicle every single minute.
00:59Sustainability is central too.
01:01This is a fully zero-carbon factory, powered entirely by renewable energy,
01:06with 90,000 square meters of solar panels on the roof.
01:11And it's not just about China.
01:13Partnerships with companies like Malaysia's Proton means that technology and sustainability standards
01:19are spreading across the region, bringing innovation closer to ASEAN markets.
01:25In the race between the US and China for technological dominance,
01:28these factory flaws show how the competition is moving from diplomacy to production.
01:36As Malaysia and the Global South navigate the crossfire of tariffs and tech bans,
01:41the factories here in Chengdu offer a clear message.
01:44China is not just reacting to global pressure, it is building a parallel technology reality.
01:51The question for the international community is no longer if they can compete,
01:55but whether we can afford to be left out of the systems being built here today.
02:01I'm Fahina Shea reporting from Chengdu, China for Awani International.
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