China: Determination in Times of Crisis

Beijing’s new Daxing Airport, nicknamed “Starfish” because of its side arms, was opened in the fall of 2019. Air traffic is currently limited because of the coronavirus pandemic, but in the future Daxing is set to be a hub for airplanes from all over the world. It’s a symbol of China’s new self-confidence and its ambitions in the field of aviation. What matters in airplane construction is performance, comfort, and sustainability—and that makes weight a major factor. The lighter a plane is, the less fuel it consumes. ROHACELL^® from Evonik makes airplanes light and stable—and makes resource-conserving travel possible.

For many Chinese, shopping at a mall, like this one in Shanghai’s Lujiazui financial district, is an expression of economic advancement and a better quality of life. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic very few shoppers have ventured out to the malls in recent months. Today more customers are entering the shops again, thanks to the maintenance of strict standards of hygiene. Here disinfectants are playing a crucial role. Evonik products including hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, and biocidal active ingredients such as REWOCID^® WK30 are responsible for the disinfectants’ effectiveness. They are helping to restore a bit of normality during the state of emergency.

In the city of Dongguan, which has a population of 8.3 million, the Chinese company Huawei tests a 5G antenna. The new technology, whose rate of transmission is up to 100 times faster than that of LTE networks, is creating the optimal preconditions for the Internet of Things, in which machines communicate with one another. China is one of the leading pioneers creating the 5G network. And Evonik is an important driver of the 5G revolution. Evonik products such as SIRIDION^® for fiber optic cables and DYNASYLAN^® silanes for printed circuit boards are reliable components for the next step into the digital age.

Good food occupies a very special place in Chinese life. Traditional dishes, such as these shumai dumplings, are every bit as popular as modern fusion cuisine. The prosperity of the last few decades has made it possible for more and more of its citizens to afford high-quality food. China’s livestock farming industry is reacting to the growing demand. To make sure that farm animals grow up healthier and provide better-quality meat, the farmers are increasingly relying on sustainably produced feed additives. Evonik is supporting this trend with its DL-methionine amino acids for chickens, pigs, dairy cows, and shrimps, as well as probiotics which improve the gut health of poultry and pigs.

Health is the foundation of a long life—and in the current emergency situation this becomes plainly apparent. In an aging society like China’s, medical care is especially important. It saves lives and also helps people have a good life in old age, as for example in this nursing home in Sanya. Modern medical technology is also needed to achieve this. For example, in China the demand for prosthetics and dentures is growing. Evonik provides products such as VESTAKEEP^® and RESOMER^® for high-quality medical implants that help the recipients to have a healthy and dignified old age.