Wang YANG launches ExpressWay

The Head of China's top political advisory body recently commended Uganda's remarkable achievements in its various construction causes.

The chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Wang Yang, made the remarks during the official opening of the Entebbe Expressway on June 15.

Wang Yang, who was on a state visit to the country, noted that China and Uganda enjoy a robust momentum of practical co-operation in various areas and in the aspects of investment and infrastructure.

He said both sides should deepen cooperation in such areas as construction of airports, roads and industrial parks and agriculture, so as to strengthen bilateral relations. During his four-day stay in the country, Wang Yang also visited the Chinese-invested Liao Shen Industrial Park and the network operation centre of the Uganda National Backbone Infrastructure, built by a Chinese telecommunications company.

He also met with a Chinese medical team in Kampala. Wang Yang held talks with other senior government officials including Vice-President Edward Ssekandi, Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga and Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda.

On his last day, Wang Yang attended the opening ceremony of a dragon boat race, a traditional event during China's Dragon Boat Festival, which was held on June 16. President Yoweri Museveni, at the opening of the Entebbe Expressway, in his remarks, was grateful for China's principled and decisive economic support to Uganda.

"We also salute the far-sighted Chinese leaders who opened up the economy of China since 1978, which has resulted into a meteoric rise of China to become the second biggest economy in the world. With this enhanced capacity, the Chinese government and Chinese companies have not wasted time in coming to the support of Africa, Uganda included," Museveni said. CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON THIS STORY 

Wang yang salutes expressway engineers

The much-awaited 51km Entebbe-Kampala Expressway was officially commissioned last month. The Chairman of the Chinese People's Political and Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Wang Yang, and President Yoweri Museveni commissioned the expressway. Traditional dancers and singers entertained hundreds of guests at the colourful ceremony held alongside the expressway.

Large numbers of Chinese delegates and dignitaries outdid each other to take fantastic videos and pictures of the lively entertainers. Wang Yang saluted the effort of the engineers and technicians from Uganda and China that led to the completion of a major part of the 51km Kampala to Entebbe Expressway.

He expressed pleasure at witnessing the commissioning of the first expressway in Uganda. The function was held at the Mpala Toll Plaza along the new road.

Economic take off
Wang Yang noted that the expressway would be the starting point of Uganda's economic take off, that was a result of the close collaboration between Uganda and China. He added that, it was not only an infrastructural landmark, but also a sign to mark the friendship between China and Uganda.

Wang Yang noted that it used to take two hours to drive between Entebbe and Kampala, but with the expressway, the journey has been reduced to 40 minutes. Referring to China's first expressway that was built 30 years ago, he said it was only 20km. But over time, China built many more expressways and today it has over 1,300km of expressway. The Chinese leader expressed hope that Uganda would one day have expressways heading in all directions. CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON THIS STORY

CHINA'S FORBIDDEN CITY

What do you recall about your trip to China? I asked a colleague who has been to Beijing recently. "The visit to the Forbidden City was the best. The 9,999 rooms in the palace! I don't even know how the emperors came up with that number," Boniface Henry Okot, an employee of the National Resistance Movement secretariat, said.

"I also liked the way the emperors used to protect their wives by keeping them in secluded places that were not easily accessible by members of the public," Okot added in relation to the many layers of strong walls behind which emperors' wives stayed.

So, are you planning to take a trip to China? Insist on visiting the Forbidden City to have a feel of the ancient culture, art and design. Standing in the heart of Beijing is this magnifi cent set-up of an old city that has become one of the most popular destinations globally for tourists.

Being an imperial palace, ordinary people were not allowed in without permission, hence the name ‘Forbidden City'. It was later converted into a modern palace museum and the doors fl ung open for tourists. The fi rst Chinese and foreign tourists entered the palace on October 10, 1925.

Since then the numbers have kept rising. Chinese government statistics indicate that nearly 50,000 to 80,000 people visit the place every day, which sits on 74 hectares. Built hundreds of years ago, the Forbidden City is the oldest big palace in the world. It is also one of the three great palaces in China. CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON THIS STORY 

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